Institute of Development Studies

Goals for Development not Aid

Lawrence Haddad - 24 September 2008

The Millennium Development Goals have done many good things. They have focused the international community on a people-centred set of outcomes and targets. They have introduced a common language into the development cooperation discourse. They have highlighted the weaknesses in the data systems we use (e.g. weak inequality data). They have probably enhanced donor coordination (although it remains weak). They have helped the world's media to not simply equate developing country issues with disaster coverage.

New Challenges

But at the same time they have also created a number of new challenges. The MDGs have:

• Weakened stakeholder accountability - The Goals are pitched at such a high level that no one can claim on their own to have shifted an MDG-even at a country level - there are too many contributing factors and agents.
• Strengthened the conflation between aid and development - Somehow the MDGs have gotten wrapped up in discussions around aid disbursements. They are not the Millennium Aid Goals.
• Framed development in ways that resonate more with the rich country governments - These are the countries who dominate the World Bank and UN organisations. What would the goals and targets look like if authored by African or Arab countries?
• Overemphasised the micro perspective - Has the focus on individual aspects of development in isolation deflected our gaze from overarching threats - such as climate change and energy security - that threaten to roll back any gains? Possibly.

Key Questions

As we reflect on the successes, limitations and unintended consequences of the MDGs it is time to ask ourselves three key questions.

1. Should we set up mechanisms to transparently and systematically monitor rich, emerging and poor country actions? Not words and not the outcomes that everyone can take credit for and everyone can disown--but actions.
2. Should support be supplied to help countries to develop their own Development Goals? Goals that work for them and reflect and challenge their constraints of time and place.
3. Should donor coordination be extended to include the full range of development cooperation instruments? This would enable cooperation to vital development areas beyond the MDGs - including climate, trade, conflict and governance.

I believe the answer to all three questions is "yes".

Lawrence Haddad is Director of the Institute of Development Studies