an Eldis Resource

This paper deals with the monitoring of policies and actions for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and related outcomes. It proposes a monitoring framework and reviews a range of policy indicators and supporting data to develop an assessment of the current status of policies. Finally, it draws lessons on what policy priorities should both developing and developed countries have, as well as on priorities for further work to improve data and policy metrics.

The framework identifies a number of key policy areas for achieving the MDGs. These are grouped in the following clusters:

• Developing countries:
  • economic and financial policies
  • public sector governance
  • social sector policies
  • environmental policies
• Developed countries:
  • macroeconomic stability and economic growth
  • trade
  • aid
  • debt relief
  • global programs (i.e. Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria)

Key policy implications drawn from a preliminary assessment of progress in these areas include:

• Developing countries:
  • in a significant number of the low-income countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, progress in macroeconomic management has been uneven and fragile, and the need remains for a broad strengthening of macroeconomic performance
  • the policy and institutional environment for private sector activity needs major improvements in a majority of the low-income countries, both for spurring domestic entrepreneurship and attracting more foreign investment
  • there is a need for accelerated reform and capacity-building in all areas of public sector management, including public expenditure and financial management, transparency, accountability, and control of corruption
  • public spending on human development needs to increase, but also must become more effective, to scale up impact
• Developed countries:
  • increased market access for developing country exports can give a major boost to growth and poverty reduction in these countries
  • much more quantity and quality of aid will be needed to meet the resource requirements of the MDGs and adequately respond to developing countries’ efforts

[adapted from author]

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