Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Globalization and Developing Countries

In 2000, the UN adopted "UN Millennium Development Goals" (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.html), one of which was to "develop a global partnership for development". This basically meant to help developing countries with technology, medicine and foreign aid.
Recently, the UN issued a status report, (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/mdg2007.pdf) which stated that only a few countries met the UN target of .7 percent of the gross national income, the US not among them. It also states that the rate of increase in development programs will have to triple in the next four years if the donating countries are to deliver on their promises.
Basically, it says that countries are not aiding developing countries enough. My question is should developed countries attempt to aid developing countries, and should they be forced to keep the promises they made? I agree that the world should try to make globalization a positive force. I just don't know if that will be easy, especially as the nations still argue over what programs to implement in developing countries.

1 comment:

Kelsey said...

It is a good thought and a good gesture that these developed countries have promised to help developing ones but, it is such a complicated process. to answer Justin's question, I think that there is no way to enforce the countries to follow through on their promises; it would be nice if they did but its a choice that should be determined by the countries leaders.