International targets and commitments
In September 2000 an unprecedented international consensus occurred at the United Nations Millennium Summit, when 189 countries, including New Zealand, agreed to work together to reduce extreme poverty. They identified eight goals around which to rally their efforts, are known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The MDGs built on the international development targets, that were agreed by world governments at United Nations conferences in the 1990s.
The MDGs, though not a complete poverty elimination agenda, do capture key dimensions of poverty and its causes. The goals tell us that by 2015 the world should be a much better place than it was in 2000.
NZAID’s strategies and policies reflect the agency’s long-term commitment to working with partners and the international community to achieve the
MDGs and
The Millennium Development Goals
By 2015 all 189 United Nations member states have pledged to:
- Goal 1: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Goal 2: achieve universal primary education
- Goal 3: promote gender equality and empower women
- Goal 4: reduce child mortality
- Goal 5: improve maternal health
- Goal 6: combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Goal 7: ensure environmental sustainability
- Goal 8: develop a global partnership for development.
The International Development Targets
- a reduction by half in the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015
- universal primary education in all countries by 2015
- gender disparities in primary and secondary education removed by 2005
- a reduction by two-thirds in the mortality rates for infants and children under 5 and a reduction by three-quarters in maternal mortality by 2015
- access through the primary health care system to reproductive health services for all individuals of appropriate ages as soon as possible and no later than 2015
- to implement national strategies for sustainable development in all countries by 2005, so as to ensure that current trends in the loss of environmental resources are effectively reversed at both global and national levels by 2015.
Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness is an international agreement that identifies principles for effective aid and lays down on a practial, action-oriented roadmap to improve the quality of aid and its impact on development. The Declaration includes a commitment to five key principles (ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results and mutual accountability) and 12 indicators to monitor progress in achieving results. It was endorsed in 2005 by over 100 countries, heads of agencies and other senior officials. New Zealand is one of the countries committed to the Paris Declaration.
Accra Agenda for Action
The Accra Agenda for Action (sometimes referred to as the AAA) was the outcome of a high level forum on aid effectiveness held in Accra in 2008. The Accra Agenda for Action sets out a list of commitments for its signatories, building on those already agreed in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The Accra Agenda aims to accelerate and deepen the implementation of the Paris Delcaration. The key points of the Accra Agenda can be seen here: 
Accra Agenda for Action | PDF 248kb.
