The Millennium Development Goals represent a unique partnership between developed and developing countries to create an environment – at the national and global levels alike – which is conducive to development and the elimination of poverty.

In Somalia, the inter-related set of eight goals will most likely not be attained by the deadline – 2015.  The multiple challenges Somalia faces, ranging from insecurity to lack of central governance and prevalent poverty present obstacles to the achievement of the goals and their targets. Yet, the private sector, and agricultural, fisheries and livestock sectors, as well as relative stability in Somaliland and Puntland (north of Somalia) offer opportunities that can be exploited to advance overall development in the country.

 See the latest statistics on MDGs in Somalia here. 

UNDP Support towards achieveing the MDGs in Somalia 

To support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Somalia, UNDP addresses capacity building needs at the federal, regional and district levels to formulate MDG-based national development policy, plans, programmes and monitoring the progress towards the attainment of MDGs.

MDG-based needs assessment

UNDP is working on producing a needs assessment based on MDGs, with the aim of providing a framework that would guide all stakeholders – local authorities, UN agencies, L/INGOs and key non-state actors – to advance development in a sustainable and equitable manner. The needs assessment, which will outline needs and priorities as highlighted by the local administrations and communities, will build on the RDP, and feed into the UN Somali Assistance Strategy (UNSAS) and existing country program documents leading to  coherent interventions by UN all development partners. 

MDG Progress Report

UNDP will produce an MDG progress report for Somalia in 2012. The main purpose of the report is two-fold: public information and social mobilization. It will a tool for awareness raising, advocacy, alliance building, and renewal of political commitments at the country level, as well as for building national capacity for monitoring and reporting on progress. In addition, the report will provide an analysis of what has worked and what has not, while taking account of multifaceted global crises. The report is being prepared by MDG sector working groups in Somaliland, Puntland and TFG with technical support from UNDP in form of consultancy and workshops.

MDG Comic Developed and Disseminated in Puntland, Somaliland and South Central

UNDP Somalia has developed a comic to serve as a popular brand to be used by UNDP and partners in the promotion and attainment of MDGs and human rights. The comic, which will be released in 2012, will be used as trigger material to engage communities – particularly the extensive low literate audiences - in dialogue that encourages the duty bearers to realize their roles and responsibilities while, in the process, encouraging the local communities in assuming their responsibility towards attaining each goal. This increased awareness will finally guide policies that prioritize the achievement of each goal, and contribute to change in attitude and behaviour.

What are the MDGs?

At the close of the 20th century, governments around the world agreed on a set of common goals for developing countries, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals pave the way forward, from this moment to the year 2015, to cut world poverty by half. With the accomplishment of these goals, billions more people can benefit from the global economy. Tens of millions of lives can be saved.

The MDGs are time-bound and targeted – they have a set beginning and end date, and they have set outcomes and achievements – in order to tackle extreme poverty in its many dimensions: income poverty, hunger, disease, inadequate shelter, and exclusion. At the same time, the goals have been created to promote gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are based on the rights of every person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security as pledged in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Millennium Declaration.

 The goals also provide a framework for the entire United Nations system to work with developing countries together toward a common end – making sure that globalization becomes a positive force for all of the world's people.

The MDGs are the most broadly supported, comprehensive, and specific poverty reduction targets the world has ever established. For the international political system, they are the platform on which development policy is based. For the billion-plus people still living in extreme poverty, the MDGs are a life-and-death issue. These Goals are the means to a healthy, productive life.

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