The Trouble with the MDGs: Confronting Expectations of Aid and Development Success

摘要: The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are unlikely to be met by 2015, even if huge increases in development assistance materialize. MDGs a set of quantitative, time-bound targets for indicators such as poverty, education and mortality developing countries adopted unanimously the UN 2000. However, rates progress required many goals at edges or beyond historical precedent. At same time, there appear limits degree which aid can contribute outcomes. Estimates ‘cost’ reaching nevertheless frequently misinterpreted mean that certain quantity aid—such oft-cited $50 billion—could cause met. Despite benefits MDGs, has been little discussion so far potential costs specific form taken these goals, especially creation unreasonable expectations about what is achievable short time frame role process. Many making extraordinarily rapid on MDG indicators, due large part aid, will nonetheless not reach MDGs. Unrealistic thus may turn successes into perceptions failure, serving undermine future constituencies (in donors) reform recipients). This would unfortunate given vital process need long-term, sustained commitments. Though goal-setting useful, particular might better viewed practical but instead valuable reminders stark contrast between world we have want, call redouble our search interventions close gap more rapidly.