anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
agenda must reflect the wishes of developing nations.
Jonathan made the declaration in a meeting on post 2015
Development Agenda at the 22nd Ordinary Summit of the
African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa.
He noted that African leaders had voiced the need to ensure
that the unfinished business of the MDGs was carried into
the MDGs successor agenda.
"There is need for us to remain focused and vigilant to
ensure that decisions on what forms the new framework is
all inclusive, reflecting the wishes of developing countries"
he said.
Jonathan affirmed Africa common position on the
post-2015 Development Agenda as set out in the AU policy
document of March 2013.
According to him, the AU document promotes universal
and equitable access to quality health care, gender equality,
education and human capital development, disaster risk
reduction, poverty eradication, shelter provision and water
resources management.
The president said that the document also endorsed the
harnessing of the potential of Africa's growing population
demographics.
The Nigerian leader told the meeting chaired by Liberia
President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, that Nigeria had recorded
strides toward some of the eight MDGs, especially poverty
reduction, education and maternal health.
"The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in
2013 acknowledged that Nigeria has halved the proportion
of those who suffer from hunger way ahead of the 2015
deadline.
"The net attendance levels for basic schooling, have risen
remarkably in the country. Gender parity targets at primary
and secondary education levels have been achieved.
"The under-five mortality and maternal health have equally
seen reversal of the previously negative trend. There is
continual fall in the HIV prevalence of the country.
"Government in collaboration with stakeholders is
mobilising the necessary attention needed to focus on goals
lagging behind," he said.
Jonathan recalled that Nigeria hosted a side event on the
MDGs in New York on the margins of the 68th Session of
the UN General Assembly in 2013.
He said that the experience gathered from aggregating
citizens' aspirations for a post-MDGs era, clearly showed
that the current MDGs must not be sidelined.
"Poverty eradication should remain in focus, whilst
recognising the challenges that have impeded progress with
a view to highlighting structural transformation as a
panacea" he said.
Jonathan said that with the post-2015 development agenda,
global leaders had the opportunity to make transformational
changes throughout societies and ensure that those who
were most in need were given the necessary support.
The president expressed confidence that given the requisite
commitment, these changes would be made.
Meanwhile, in a speech at the opening of the summit on
Thursday, Deputy UN Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, told
African leaders that the continent was lagging behind in
achieving many of the MDGS by the 2015 deadline.
He stressed the essential role of agriculture and food
security in reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs.
Eliasson, however, noted the strides that had been made
toward some of the goals, especially education, maternal
and child health, and gender equality.
He cited Africa's "advancement and impressive growth'' at
a time when the rest of the world is struggling to recover
from the global economic crisis.
"Now, this growth should be translated into transformative
economic development, more jobs, greater equality and
better living conditions.
"Investing more in education, health, technology,
innovation and entrepreneurship will permit the acceleration
of development on the whole continent and offer new
opportunities," he said.
Via: NAN
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