MDG #8 - Partnerships for Global Development

Millennium Development Goal (MDG) #8 focuses on the power and potential of partnerships for development and promotes cooperation between international organisations, governments, pharmaceutical companies, the private sector, and developing countries to help reduce poverty and assist countries to achieve all of the other 7 MDGs. According to MDG 8 these global partnerships are meant to address fair and equitable market access and debt relief, youth employment opportunities, increased access to affordable essential drugs such as antiretrovirals (ARVs) and access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) to bridge the digital divide. This edition of The Soul Beat reviews a number of initiatives, strategic thinking documents, resource materials and organisations that are working towards meeting the targets outlined in MDG 8.

To learn more about the Millennium Development Goals, you can also visit United Nations Millennium Goals

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MDG PROGRESS IN AFRICA

1. The Millennium Development Goals in Africa: Progress and Challenges

This document is a status report on progress towards each MDG in Africa and offers a review of the challenges impeding progress and details proposals for member states and their citizens to overcome these challenges. This report also offers practical policy advice on how Africans in government, business, civil society and other sectors can work together to accelerate progress.

2. MDG's in Africa Web Magazine

This web magazine aims to track Africa's progress and highlights positive developments in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on the continent.

3. Bending the Arc - Africa

Bending the Arc is a forum for sharing best practices between business, civil society, governments and international development organisations to help fast track the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa. The forum examines how the private sector can forge partnerships with governments and civil society to mobilise resources to support the attainment of the MDGs in Africa.

Contact Tim Newbold tnewbold@africapractice.com OR Thaninga Shope-Linney thaningas@nepad.org OR
Olaolu Akande akandeo@un.org OR Samuel Ayedole abrabuja@yahoo.com

TRADE, AID AND DEBT RELIEF FOR AFRICA

4. The Politics of the MDGs and Malawi: A Critical Appraisal of the Global Partnership for Development (Goal 8)

This paper by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) argues that what is overdue is a viable global partnership that will enable African countries to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through developing a lasting solution to their debt relief, better and effective aid delivery, diversification and access to markets in the North for their primary commodity produce as well as fair trade. The document draws on the Malawian experiences to suggest that a “development Marshal Plan” requires both a viable national agenda and fundamental global action to be sustainable.

5. Tanzania and The Millennium Development Goals: A Critical Appraisal of the Global Partnership for Development (Goal 8)

As part of a series of reports by AFRODAD (see above document as well) this study assesses the progress Tanzania has made in implementing programmes and projects aimed at the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, with a special focus on the attainment of MDG 8 looking at debt, aid and trade.

6. Trade Negotiations Insights

This bi-monthly newsletter, published by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), discusses issues that are central to international trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization and with the European Union for African and ACP countries.

7. Seatini Bulletin

The Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) is an African initiative to strengthen Africa's capacity to take a more effective part in the merging global trading system and to better manage the process of globalisation.

8. SADC Barometer

Published quarterly this newsletter, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs, examines the programmes of the Southern African Development Community, reporting on developments in regional trade, integration, development and other crucial areas affecting the region.

9. Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA)

This is an information portal providing press releases and policy documents on economic, social and health issues in Africa working to encourage funding from governmental and private sources in developed countries for grassroots activities in Africa.

10. African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD)

A regional research, lobby and advocacy organisation seeking to secure positive policy changes to redress Africa's debt and development crisis in order to achieve equitable and sustainable development.

ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, ESSENTIAL DRUGS

11. Missing the Target: A Report on HIV/AIDS Treatment Access from the Frontlines (2005)

This 98-page report, published by the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) in November 2005, looks at the status of anti-retroviral treatment provision in low income countries around the world. Researched and written by treatment advocates on the frontlines in six of the countries considered to be hardest hit by AIDS - Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, and South Africa - the report identifies barriers to AIDS treatment and offers concrete recommendations to overcome them. One recommendation is that UN agencies should work more collaboratively and play a more active role in identifying national problems and marshalling their strengths to address these challenges.

12. HIV/AIDS: Faith-based Community Mobilisation and Education for ARV Therapy in Uganda

This document argues that faith-based organisations (FBOs) have a great potential to deliver ARV-related services through their health facilities and religious establishments. It states that forming partnerships with faith leaders can go a long way to enhance community mobilisation and education around issues including HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral therapy and that there is a need to build FBO capacities to deliver these services.

13. Working Toward Greater Equity in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis

Statement by Participants in a November 2001 Bellagio Workshop
According to this statement, in order to secure better health among less favoured populations, there is need both to modify the inequitable patterns of disease risks and consequences and to pursue aggressively a more equitable distribution of benefits from programmes dealing with HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The document outlines global and national and local actions towards greater equity in HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB programmes which relate to resource allocation, research, leadership and civil society.

For more information on access to ARVs see this previous edition of The Soul Beat: Issue 52 - "HIV & AIDS: Access to ARV Treatment in Africa"- November 23 2005

CREATING EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUTH

14. NairoBits Trust - Kenya

This is a webdesign school in Nairobi, Kenya, which aims to reduce the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the world, the poor and the rich and the genders while at them same time creating opportunities for youth from informal settlements. The design school trains youth to use creative digital tools to produce websites, IT projects and new business concepts. As part of the training and in order to raise funds for further training of disadvantaged students, Nairobits offers web design services locally and internationally. The school has a partner organisation in Amsterdam that provides guidance and capacity building and an international network.

Contact Caspar Pedo caspar@nairobits.com

15. Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) - Nigeria

This is a volunteer-based, youth-led, online-driven programme that seeks to empower Nigeria's youth with appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) skills that will promote self-development, national responsibility, regional cooperation and global participation. PIN equips youth with appropriate ICT skills while also linking them with opportunities to develop themselves, and ensuring participation in national and global debates and initiatives.

Contact info@pin.org.ng

16. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Small Enterprise in Africa: Lessons from Botswana

By Richard Duncombe and Richard Heeks

This report investigates what role new information and communication technologies (ICTs) can play in small enterprise development in Africa. Drawing on field research in Botswana, the project analyses the information and communication needs of a variety of enterprises and assesses opportunities for ICT application.

17. Young People's Development and the Millennium Development Goals on HIV/AIDS in East and Southern Africa: Sharing Lessons and Experiences (Nov 20-25 2006) Mangochi, Malawi

This conference aims to assess the development initiatives of various institutions in relation to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on HIV/AIDS and young people as well as assess the role of civil society organisations in reaching these goals.

For more information on youth and job creation see this previous edition of The Soul Beat: Issue 55 - "Entrepreneurship, Job Creation and Economic Development"- January 25 2006

PARTNERSHIPS FOR ICTs IN AFRICA

18. African Information Society Initiative (AISI): An Action Framework to Build Africa's Information and Communication Infrastructure

Three major development goals that have been articulated by African leaders in recent times include the improvement of the quality of life for every African, economic integration of the region, improved trade and other linkages with the global community and the utilisation of information technology to help Africa reach all these goals. This document outlines the vision and action plan of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) which proposes a framework to build information and communications technologies to accelerate the socio-economic development of Africa and its people.

19. Building ICT4D Capacity in and by African Universities

A report released at the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003 identified a significant role for information and communication technologies (ICT) in strategies for African development. The report also noted that the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) advocates for a strong focus on the dual strategies of ICT Development (ICTD) and ICT for Development (ICT4D). This paper argues that universities in developing nations are potentially important players in both of these NEPAD strategies, and that the eReadiness of African universities is a vital issue in African development:"The eReadiness of African universities is clearly relevant to the global creation and distribution of knowledge - which, in turn, is a core challenge in the world's thrust toward the Millennium Development Goals".

20. Imfundo Project - Sub-Saharan Africa

This Department for International Development (DFID) initiative aims to transform the education sector in Africa through the use of ICTs. It is a new kind of public-private partnership dedicated to finding new ways to improve the training of teachers, identify the most effective way to improve the management and support of teachers in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, using new technologies where appropriate.

Contact H-Stanley@dfid.gov.uk OR E-Harmer@dfid.gov.uk

21. Initial Lessons Learned About Private Sector Participation in Telecentre Development: A Guide for Policy Makers in Developing Appropriate Regulatory Frameworks

Telecentres have become a popular and often effective approach to telecommunications development and achieving universal access/service. They can also play a significant role in poverty reduction, ranging from job creation to providing ICT skills. Nevertheless, telecentres have also suffered from sustainability problems and from dependence on donors. As this study will demonstrate, increased private sector investment is critical for telecentre sustainability and growth.

22. PICTA Bulletin

This monthly (online) publication provides information on activities of members in the Partnership for ICTs in Africa (PICTA), and news on ICT-related activities in Africa.

For more information on ICTs see this previous edition of The Soul Beat: Issue 69 - "ICTs for Development in Africa " August 23 2006

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Also see: The Drum Beat - Issue #366 "MDG #8 - Develop a Global Partnership for Development" September 25 2006

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We would like to welcome two organisations as strategic partners of The Communication Initiative (The CI). As Partners, these organisations help decide the overall vision for The CI and review progress on key performance indicators. We look forward to strengthening support for The CI networks and process, including Soul Beat Africa, through these new connections.

*International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) - an independent non-profit foundation working to assist developing countries to realise locally owned sustainable development by harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs). IICD works with its partner organisations in selected countries, helping local stakeholders to assess the potential uses of ICTs in development.

* Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) - the agency in Switzerland which carries out tasks assigned by the two houses of Parliament and the federal government with the aim of achieving sustainable development to meet the needs of future generations. SDC works to promote the desire of people to live in peace, freedom, security, justice and prosperity - always keeping in mind the interests of future generations. At the forefront of its activities is the improvement in the living standards and the quality of life of destitute people in the countries of the South and East.

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The Soul Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com