Find the money for Africa to meet its MDG targets, says Africa Director of Millennium Campaign

Addis Ababa, 26 March 26, 2007: The Director of the Millennium Campaign in Africa, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, in Addis Ababa on Friday called on African governments to “find the money” for their respective countries to meet their MDG targets.

In an interview with the Information and Communication Service (ICS), of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Dr. Abdul Raheem said: “I do not believe that any African country needs the IMF or the World Bank before sending its children to school or fighting HIV/AIDS. What is lacking is the adequate political will.”

He said no African country had ever refused to go to war “simply because the IMF or the World Bank says there is no money. So why do we need to wait for these institutions before we make the necessary sacrifice to improve the lives of our people?” said Dr. Abdul-Raheem, who was the former General Secretary of the Pan-African Movement based in Uganda.

On why many African countries will not meet their MDGs, he said there was a need to scale up awareness of the MDGs, their targets and the role of government at all levels in achieving them.

“The problem is that the few NGOs who understand MDGs do not have enough reach and social base that can compel leadership to act,” said Dr. Abdul-Raheem.

One of the unintended problems with the MDGs is that they are seen as commitments made at the national level by the presidency, and therefore have little to do with local, provincial or state authorities, he said.

“Yet if MDGs are to be delivered, they will have to be at the local levels,” said Dr. Abdul-Raheem, adding, “National governments will have to address this disconnect.”