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Millennium Development Goals Workshop in Palikir

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): October 19, 2009 - In September 2000, the international community called to action the Millennium Declaration. The aim was to build on the foundation of a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality, and equity at the global level, as well as the regional level. At that time, world leaders committed their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and settle out a series of time-bound targets that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are eight goals, which are broken down to 21 targets and measured by 60 indicators to be achieved by 2015. At the same time, the goals have been created to promote education, health, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and global partnership.

The eight MDGs are:

MDG Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

MDG Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

MDG Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

MDG Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

MDG Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

MDG Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS and other Non-communicable diseases

MDG Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

MDG Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

The implementation of the MDGs in the FSM involves, among others, establishing the MDG Task Force, which is comprised of technical staff from the National Government agencies. The implementation of the MDGs in the country has been developed in three phases. The first phase seeks to assist the MDG Task Force to prepare and finalize the First FSM MDG Report, while linking the MDGs to the National Strategic Development Plan 2004-2023. The second phase focuses on developing the National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDS)-based national budget process linked to priority sector strategies. The third phase consists of developing a process for integrating MDGs and NSDS into the National Planning and Budgeting Framework.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Working Group, under the direct supervision of the Office of Statistics, Budget & Economic Management, Overseas Development Assistance & Compact Management (SBOC), will be conducting a workshop on FSM's First MDG Report, from October 20-21, 2009 at the Central Facility Conference Room in Palikir, Pohnpei.

The aim of the workshop is to bring national government employees together with representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations, to discuss FSM's progress towards the MDGs. It will also gather information on the relevancy of the MDGs to FSM. In addition, this workshop will enable us to obtain feedback on how to better integrate the MDGs to the National Strategic Development Plan.