Skip to main content

Introduction: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Retrospect in Africa

  • Chapter
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Retrospect

Abstract

Since coming into being in the year 2000, the normative consensus that solidified the creation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been one that has been forceful due to the number of nation-states and international organizations that have rallied around the issue. The progressive nature of the MDGs and their integral role in mobilising resources to aid African countries is worth recognizing. Nonetheless, there remain concerns about the arbitrary way of measuring progress towards the goals and the fact that women, the poorest of the poor and those who live in rural areas tend to benefit less. The chapter asks two primary questions: what potential alternatives could replace the unattained goals once the 2015 deadline is reached? Do African governments have the potential and political will to carry these goals through? An editorial reflection on the various chapters in this volume helps us explore these questions in this particular chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abu-Ghaida, D., & Klasen, S. (2004). The costs of missing the millennium development goal on gender equity. World Development, 32(7), 1075–1107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amin, S. (1990). Delinking: Towards a polycentric world. London/Atlantic Highlands: Zed Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Besley, T., & Burgess, R. (2003). Halving global poverty. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17(3), 3–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bräutigam, D. (2009). The dragon’s gift: The real story of China in Africa. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bräutigam, D. (2010). China, Africa and the international aid architecture (Working Papers Series No. 107). Tunis: African Development Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, B. V. (2010). China in Africa a macroeconomic perspective (CGD Working Paper 230). Washington, DC: Center for Global Development. Accessed 26 June 2014. http://www.cgdev.org/files/1424567_file_Christensen_China_in_Africa_FINAL.pdf

  • Clemens, M. A., Kenny, C. J., & Moss, T. J. (2007). The trouble with the MDGs: Confronting expectations of aid and development success. World Development, 35(5), 735–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collier, P., & Dollar, D. (2001). Can the world cut poverty in half? How policy reform and effective aid can meet international goals. World Development, 29(11), 1787–1802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conceição, P., Mukherjee, S., & Nayyar, S. (2011). Impacts of the economic crisis on human development and the MDGs in Africa. African Development Review, 23(4), 439–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Easterly, W. (2009). How the millennium development goals are unfair to Africa. World Development, 37(1), 26–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukuda-Parr, S., Greenstein, J., & Stewart, D. (2013). How should MDG success and failure be judged: Faster progress or achieving the targets? World Development, 41, 19–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gelb, S. (2002). NEPAD: Opportunities and challenges. In R. G. T. Hughes, G. Mills, & T. Vaahtoranta (Eds.), Charting a new course: Globalization, Africa recovery and the new African initiative. Johannesburg: The South African Institute of International Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gwatkin, D. R. (2005). How much would poor people gain from faster progress towards the millennium development goals for health? The Lancet, 365(9461), 813–817.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayman, R. (2007). Are the MDGs enough? Donor perspectives and recipient visions of education and poverty reduction in Rwanda. International Journal of Educational Development, 27(4), 371–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hettne, B. (1995). Development theory and the three worlds. Harlow/New York: Longman Scientific & Technical/Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • IMF, & World Bank. (2009). Review of some aspects of the low-income country debt sustainability framework, Washington. Accessed 5 June 2014. www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2009/080509a.pdf

  • Manby, B. (2004). The African union, NEPAD, and human rights: The missing agenda. Human Rights Quarterly, 26(4), 983–1027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nkrumah, K. (1963). Africa must unite. New York: F. A. Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyerere, J. K. (1973). Freedom and development. London/New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robledo, C. (2014). New donors, same old practices? South-south cooperation in emerging countries. Paper presented at the conference on envisioning south-south relations and development: Past, present and future organized by City University of Hong-Kong, Department of Applied Social Studies on 20–21 May 2014 and also forthcoming in the inaugural issue of the Bandung: Journal of the Global South.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahn, D. E., & Stifel, D. C. (2003). Progress toward the millennium development goals in Africa. World Development, 31(1), 23–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, T. M., Cooper, A. F., & Antkiewicz, A. (2007). Global and/or regional development at the start of the 21st century? China, India and (South) Africa. Third World Quarterly, 28(7), 1255–1270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. S. (2006). Discourses on development: Beyond the ‘African Tragedy’. In M. S. Smith (Ed.), Beyond the ‘African Tragedy’: Discourses on development and the global economy (pp. 1–22). Hampshire/Burlington: Ashgate Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP. (2013). MDG report 2013: Assessing progress in Africa towards millennium development goals. New York: United Nations Population Fund. http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/MDG/english/MDG%20Regional%20Reports/Africa/MDG%20Report2013_ENG_Fin_12June.pdf. Accessed 08 Mar 2015.

  • United Nations. (2013a). Millennium development goals: 2013 progress chart. Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed 27 June 2014. http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2013/Progress_E.pdf

  • United Nations. (2013b). The millennium development goals report 2013. Accessed 28 June 2014. http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2013/Goal4_Addendum.pdf

  • Vieira, M. A., & Alden, C. (2011). India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA): South-south cooperation and the paradox of regional leadership. Global Governance, 17(4), 507–528.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagstaff, A., & Claeson, M. (2004). The millennium development goals for health: Rising to the challenges. Washington: World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woods, N. (2008). Whose aid? Whose influence? China, emerging donors and the silent revolution in development assistance. International Affairs, 84(6), 1205–1221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank, & IMF. (2010). Global monitoring report 2010: The MDGs after the crisis, Washington.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zafar, A. (2007). The growing relationship between China and Sub-Saharan Africa: Macroeconomic, trade, investment, and aid links. World Bank Research Observer, 22(1), 103–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nene Ernest Khalema Ph.D .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Khalema, N.E., Andrews, N., Assié-Lumumba, N.T. (2015). Introduction: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Retrospect in Africa. In: Andrews, N., Khalema, N., Assié-Lumumba, N. (eds) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Retrospect. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 58. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16166-2_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics