Changing the Course of MDGs by Changing the Discourse

While the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been successful in rescuing major commitments made in the Millennium Declaration from oblivion, they have failed to broaden the development narrative, which is often donor-centric. The global databases show that the world is off track. About 60% of the road towards the MDGs is yet to be covered in the remaining 30% of the time. The 2010 high-level meeting on the MDGs is likely to be another affirmation of the conventional view. Centre-stage will be the countries and regions that are off track as regards the various MDG targets. Policy recommendations will be the usual troika of economic growth, aid effectiveness and good governance. The issues that really matter for the future of the MDGs will be avoided. The meeting will only be successful if the world’s leaders have the vision and courage to go for a grand bargain on the three-fold agenda to reform the global trading system, to redress global climate change in earnest and, above all, to reduce within-country inequities