UNITED NATIONS
FACT SHEET
GOAL 8 Develop a global partnership for development
TARGETS 1. Develop further an open, rules-based, predictable, non-discriminatory
trading and financial system
2. Address the special needs of least developed countries, landlocked countries
and small island developing states
3. Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt
4. In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable,
essential drugs in developing countries
5. In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new
technologies, especially ICTs
FAST FACTS ✧✧ Official development assistance stood at $126 billion in 2012.
✧✧ A total of 83 per cent of least developed country exports enter developed countries
duty-free.
✧✧ In 2012, trade of developing countries and transition economies outpaced the world
average.
✧✧ In the developing world, 31 per cent of the population use the Internet, compared
with 77 per cent of the developed world.
WHERE WE STAND Aid is being increasingly concentrated in a small
number of countries. The top 20 recipients in 2011
The trade climate continues to improve for
(out of 158 countries and territories) accounted for
developing and least developed countries. The
about 55 per cent of total ODA, up from 38 per cent
developing country share of world trade rose to
44.4 per cent in 2012. Average tariffs levied by the year before.
developed countries continued to decline for Mobile-cellular subscriptions are moving towards
developing countries in 2011. saturation levels. With a projected 6.8 billion
Debt service ratios are one-quarter less from mobile-cellular subscriptions by the end of 2013,
their 2000 level, lessening the financial burden global penetration will reach 96 per cent.
on developing countries. Better debt management, The growth in the number of individuals using
the expansion of trade and, for the poorest the Internet in developing countries continues
countries, substantial debt relief have reduced the to outpace that in developed countries, growing
burden of debt service. at 12 per cent in 2013 compared to 5 per cent in
The global financial crisis and Euro-zone turmoil developed countries. The total number of Internet
continue to take a toll on official development users in developing countries comprises 65 per
assistance (ODA). In 2012 ODA of $126 billion was cent of the total number of users in the world in
4 per cent less in real terms than in 2011, which was 2013, up from 40 per cent in 2005. Broadband
2 per cent less than in 2010. This is the first time Internet is becoming more widely available
since 1996-1997 that ODA fell in two consecutive and affordable, but is still out of reach in many
years. developing countries.
Prices for essential medicines in low and lower- communication between principals and teachers
middle-income countries were, on average, 3.3 in Kenya; reinforcing newly-acquired literacy skills
times higher than international reference prices for women and girls in Pakistan; facilitating adult
in public sector facilities and 5.7 times higher vocational training in Europe; and improving the
in private sector facilities. Essential medicines efficiency and speed of educational data collection
are available in only 57 per cent of public sector in Argentina. These projects are an essential com-
facilities and 65 per cent of private facilities (in ponent of the broader UNESCO Working Paper
selected developing countries). Series on Mobile Learning, which seeks to better
understand how mobile technologies can be used
WHAT’S WORKING? to improve educational access, equity and quality
✧✧ In 2012, members of the G-20 group of countries around the world.
reaffirmed their pledge not to impose protectionist
measures and have largely resisted creating new PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS
trade barriers. The MDGs have mobilized action from
✧✧ Despite mounting unemployment and the high Governments, civil society and other partners
cost of transferring remittances in developed around the world, with significant results obtained
countries, remittance flows to developing coun- through partnerships. Going beyond traditional
tries grew to $401 billion in 2012, a 5.3 per cent means of delivering aid for achieving the MDGs, the
increase over 2011. Remittances are expected to UN Secretary-General and others have brought on
keep rising. board a range of partners, including Governments,
✧✧ As of April 2013, 35 countries out of 39 highly- civil society, academia, the private sector and
indebted poor countries (HIPCs) eligible through international institutions, to accelerate progress
the HIPC Initiative were receiving irrevocable and close gaps. Partnership initiatives for the MDGs
debt relief from the International Monetary Fund, include: Every Woman Every Child, GAVI Alliance,
the World Bank and other creditors after reach- The Global Fund, Global Education First Initiative,
ing their completion points. According to the
Rollback Malaria, Sanitation and Water for All,
MDG Gap Task Force Report 2013, while the link
Scaling Up Nutrition, Sustainable Energy for All and
between debt relief and poverty-reducing expen-
Zero Hunger Challenge.
diture is difficult to demonstrate, data show that
HIPCs have increased poverty-reducing expendi- The MDG Gap Task Force was created by
tures as their debt service payments have declined. the UN Secretary-General in May 2007 to
✧✧ The World Bank Group committed $52.6 billion in improve monitoring of the global commitments
loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees contained in MDG 8, the Global Partnership for
to help promote economic growth, increase shared Development. The main purpose of the Task Force
prosperity and fight extreme poverty in developing is to systematically track existing international
countries during fiscal year 2013, which ended on commitments and to identify gaps and obstacles
30 June. World Bank Group support for projects in their fulfilment at the international, regional
in sub-Saharan Africa reached its highest levels and country levels in the areas of official
in 2013. development assistance, market access (trade), debt
✧✧ There are over six billion mobile phone subscrip- sustainability, access to essential medicines and new
tions worldwide. For every person who accesses technologies. The Task Force integrates more than
the Internet from a computer, two do so from a 30 UN and other international agencies.
mobile device. In South Africa, over 25,000 learn-
The Integrated Implementation Framework
ers have improved their math skills through in-
records and monitors financial as well as policy
teractive exercises and quizzes on mobile phones
thanks to cooperation between the government, commitments made in support of the MDGs by UN
mobile carriers, Nokia and individual schools and Member States and other international stakeholders.
teachers. In Mali, teachers can access lesson plans
and curricular materials through a simple yet func- Sources: The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, United
tional Internet portal. Nations; MDG Gap Task Force Report 2013, DESA, Good Practices
✧✧ Mobile technologies are promoting collaborative and Innovations in Public Governance; UNESCO; International
learning in science classes in Chile; strengthening Monetary Fund, World Bank.
For more information, please contact mediainfo@[Link].
Issued by the UN Department of Public Information, September 2013
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