MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL SCORECARD; WHO NEEDS TO DO WHAT

TRACKING MDG PROGRESS

Tracking progress on MDG achievement is an immense challenge due to a lack of sufficient, reliable, and updated data. There are also inconsistencies between national and global tracking efforts that make it difficult to compare progress across countries and regions but commendable efforts have been made. This infographic illustrates overall MDG progress as seen in the African Economic Outlook 2010 Report.

GOAL 1: POVERTY AND HUNGER

Despite progress in many countries, the number of people suffering from hunger on the continent has increased.  Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, DRC, Angola, Mozambique and Malawi made the most progress in GDP growth rate per person employed. Many countries increased labour productivity but Comoros, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Mali, Namibia, Tunisia, Eritrea, Botswana and Lesotho showed a decline between 1992 and 2008.

In Burkina Faso, Comoros, Djibouti, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Libya and Madagascar the prevalence of underweight children increased. Undernourished population decreased in Nigeria and Ghana, but increased in Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone. According to IFPRI, African countries that achieved the most progress in combating hunger are: Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana and Mozambique.

The largest deterioration between 1990 and 2010 is seen in the DRC and Burundi, which together with Chad and Eritrea have the most alarming 2010 Global Hunger Index scores.

GOAL 2: EDUCATION

African countries continue to show overall progress in net enrolment in primary education where Ethiopia, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania and Morocco showed significant improvement as did Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Swaziland and Togo. DRC and Equatorial Guinea reversed progress (1991- 2007).Guinea, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia, Malawi, Madagascar, Tanzania and Togo have made significant progress in improving primary completion rates while Burundi and Mauritius were the only two countries to register a setback.

GOAL 3: WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

The gender parity index in primary education (1991-2007) shows that Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and have regressed. Mauritius is the only country that has managed to maintain gender parity for the same period. Other countries have only marginally increased gender parity. Women’s representation in African parliaments has made significant progress. Of 37 countries only six– GuineaBissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt and Cameroon – show that parliamentary seats held by women decreased between 1990 and 2009. The most progress was seen in Rwanda followed by Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, and Uganda.

GOAL 4: CHILD MORTALITY

Overall African under five mortality rate (U5MR) declined at an insufficient rate to attain the MDG target between 1990 and 2008.U5MR progress has been most striking in Eritrea and Malawi, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Niger. Progress remains slow in Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Central African Republic and Swaziland. Between 1990 and 2008, there was no change in DRC or Somalia. While in Chad, Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the U5MR increased. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) declined between 1990 and 2008. Mozambique recorded the greatest reduction followed by Malawi, Niger and Ethiopia.  Kenya was the worst performer, followed by Chad, Congo, Lesotho, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Between 2000 and 2008, 16 countries increased their measles immunization: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Sudan. Benin, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Egypt, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe reported a setback over the same period.

GOAL 6: HIV/AIDS, MALARIA AND OTHER DISEASES

Africa has sustained the progress made in tackling HIV/AIDS. Namibia and Rwanda made remarkable increase in knowledge about HIV prevention between 2000 and 2008 but most countries will not meet the 95% knowledge target by 2010 set by the UN.

Condom use has also gained acceptance in some countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia and Nigeria. As of December 2008, some 3 million Africans were estimated to be receiving antiretroviral therapy (44% of the estimated need).

Malaria mortality has dropped in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Zambia and the Zanzibar region of Tanzania. Between 2000 and 2008/2009 there was significant increase in the use of insecticide treated bed nets (ITN) to protect from malaria.  The proportion of children under five sleeping under ITNs rose considerably in Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Zambia.

The TB prevalence rate has been rising in Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo and Tunisia. It declined in Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco. Nine countries are still classified by WHO as TB high-burden countries: DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

GOAL 7: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Many countries are yet to include environmental sustainability in their national development plans. Most are failing to honor commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and NEPAD’s Environment Initiative. Africa is the lowest emitter of carbon dioxide as a global region. CO2 emissions between 1990 and 2006 decreased in most countries except Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, and the Seychelles.

Libya is the highest emitter of CO2 per capita in Africa. Many countries showed an improvement in access to safe drinking water. In 2008, Botswana, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, and Tunisia reached over 90% coverage. DRC, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone and Somalia had less than 50% coverage. Progress in sanitation is still slow. Only Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Mauritius have 90% of their population with access to improved sanitation. Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Togohave less than 20%.

WHO NEEDS TO DO WHAT

AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS

African governments bear the main responsibility for the continent’s progress. While they depend on supportive global policies and agreements, it is up to them to provide the plans, frameworks and conditions for their countries’ development and the realization of their peoples’ potential. Similarly, when it comes to fostering partnerships and maximizing their developmental impact, it is up to African governments to create the necessary conditions and incentive structures. They can do much to improve the attractiveness, scalability and sustainability of partnerships, and to contribute constructively at all stages. African governments can strengthen partnerships for development by...

• Clearly articulating, prioritizing and communicating development needs

• Providing an enabling environment, this includes clear policies, sufficient administrative capacities at all levels of government, and supportive legal and regulatory frameworks

• Facilitating access to financial incentives, investment-risk-mitigation instruments and other benefits to increase the attractiveness of partnerships

• Providing seed and catalytic funding to help bridge financing gaps at all stages of partnerships

• Driving regional integration to increase market size and improve scalability and sustainability of partnerships

• Coordinating local, national and regional authorities to minimize the administrative burden on potential partners

• Leveraging the skills, resources and expertise of the African Diaspora to fill capacity gaps

• Raising awareness through gathering and disseminating information, highlighting best practices and drawing attention to specific opportunities

• Ensuring full transparency of processes and accountability for results

• Improving liaison mechanisms with the private sector and civil society, including through dedicated contact persons and clear responsibilities in the office of the Head of Government and social ministries.

CIVIL-SOCIETY ACTORS

Civil-society actors, including non-governmental civic and social organizations, citizen groups, trade unions, the media and faith-based organizations, play a crucial function in the system of accountability that underlies the success of all partnerships. Given the identified problems caused by lack of information and misperception of benefits and risks, there is also great scope for them to mediate and broker partnerships for development as well as draw attention to opportunities and need for such partnerships.

Civil-society actors can strengthen partnerships for development by...

• Helping to identify and communicate development needs and partnership opportunities

• Playing a crucial intermediary role between companies, governments, local entrepreneurs and communities, as well as national and international finance institutions and donors

• Collecting and sharing information on lessons learned and available supportive initiatives to help practitioners

• Providing crucial checks and balances through monitoring partnership implementation, highlighting shortcomings and reporting mismanagement

• Supporting project improvements through collecting and sharing feedback at grassroots level

• Supporting the development and utilization of accountability tools

• Helping to identify, inform and educate (potential) beneficiaries of partnerships

• Harnessing and sharing their experience in cultivating change agents at grassroots and national levels

• Identifying synergies between initiatives and formulating a common agenda

• Helping to improve coordination between initiatives to minimize unnecessary overlap and inefficiencies.

- By The Africa Progress Panel 

   Members

- Kofi Annan -Chair of the Africa Progress Panel, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Laureate

- Tony Blair- Patron of the Africa Governance Initiative and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain 

- Michel Camdessus - Former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund

- Peter Eigen- Founder and Chair of the Advisory Council, Transparency International and Chairman of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 

- Bob Geldof - Musician, businessman, founder and Chair of Band Aid, Live Aid and Live8, Co-founder of DATA and ONE 

- Graça Machel - President of the Foundation for Community Development and founder of New Faces New Voices 

- Linah Kelebogile Mohohlo- Governor, Bank of Botswana

- Olusegun Obasanjo - Former President of Nigeria

- Robert Rubin - Co-Chairman of the Board, Council on Foreign Relations and former Secretary of the United States Treasury

- Tidjane Thiam - Chief Executive Officer, Prudential Plc. 

- Muhammad Yunus - Economist, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Laureate