« We have just under a thousand days to go before our deadline to meet the MDGs expires. In the last 12 years 600 million people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. The MDGs deserve some of the credit for this – the greatest ever achievement in poverty reduction ». Find a full statement from Andris Piebalgs, European Commissioner for Development, today in Ireland.
éOur post-2015 framework must build on the MDGs’ successes, but also address their shortcomings. This is as true for nutrition as for any other development challenge. Last month I saw the great progress Burundi and Malawi have made in increasing food production and reducing hunger. However, nutrition has been neglected. More than 50 % of children under 5 are stunted. The current MDG framework has failed to capture this hidden tragedy sufficiently. We must redress this situation and ensure a real focus on hunger and nutrition in the future framework. We still don’t know how this framework will be put together; how it will be structured in terms of goals and targets.
We have also made our development aid more climate-compatible and we support specific climate-related actions. I would mention just two examples. The first is the Global Climate Change Alliance, which offers a platform for dialogue and a source of technical and financial support to over 35 countries most vulnerable to climate change. By the end of 2013 the GCCA will have earmarked 285 million euro to implement over 45 programmes, supporting adaptation in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, coastal zone protection and land and water management. The second example is the Sustainable Energy For All technical assistance facility which, in addition to tackling climate change through energy efficiency, will promote rural electricity – which should also benefit the agriculture sector. »
Andris Piebalgs,
Commissioner for Development
During a discussion to tackle global hunger, nutrition and climate justice in Dublin, Ireland.
