Sunday, January 11, 2015

The percentage of poor is reduced by two thirds – Aftenposten

– We can be quite satisfied with the results of the MDGs, in the sense that the proportion living in extreme poverty in developing countries has declined.

To summarize the American professor Jeffrey D. Sachs UN work he has been an important architect. Around the time of the millennium, the UN adopted its Millennium Development Goals (Millennium Development Goals).

Eradicating extreme poverty is the first of eight specific Millennium Development Goals.

2015 end year for efforts to achieve the MDGs. Sachs on Wednesday fund company Skagen New Year conference seven days into final round.



Lower proportion of poor

Sachs coater his little satisfaction with World Bank figures:

  • In 1990 lived 43 percent of the population in developing countries in extreme poverty.
  • In 2011, the proportion dropped to 17 percent.
  • He expects the percentage is below 15 percent when figures 2015 are clear.

– This reduction in poverty is historic, and the MDGs have played a role, he said.

China moving world

Sachs believes that the tremendous economic development in China is the most “dramatic” part of the story of poverty reduction.

– In addition, technological innovations and technical progress undoubtedly been an important driver reduction in poverty, he said.

He concludes that the big picture gives grounds to be satisfied.

Mixed by country

However, if a Looking at individual countries, the picture is much more mixed.

– Many countries have not achieved the goals for poverty reduction. Africa has lagged behind, but has had a much better period after 2000 than before 2000. Poverty in Africa has come down from 58 percent of the population in 2000 to an estimated 40 percent now. There has been good progress, but not enough, says Sachs.

His message is that war, conflict and environmental problems have impeded progress in many of the poorest countries. In addition varies countries’ own powers and abilities to carry out reforms.

The international efforts and cooperation has also varied and influenced the results much.

– It has for example been high efforts and progress within the public health, while there has been much less in education, says Sachs.

Africa lags behind

– Africa has been the world’s poorest region for hundreds of years and it has been the most exploited continent for centuries. It has the hardest physical environment in the world with diseases and a complex tropical natural environment, says Sachs.

He still believes there is good news that growth has picked up and that economic policy is enhanced .

- But poverty is high, population growth is high and vulnerability to climate change is great. So if you put together these fragments, so the situation is still complicated, he said.

Cues to develop Africa, according to Sachs: Massive investment in health and education, voluntary and rapid decline in the birthrate and large investments in infrastructure.

All this is possible. If we get this in place, Africa’s development continue to improve, he concludes.

Difference in people

In his homeland the US have differences between rich and poor increased dramatically in recent years. Global picture is more nuanced

– The differences between countries are reduced, while inequality within countries has increased. Poor countries have averaged reduced the gap to rich countries. Meanwhile, inequality in the United States reached a historic peak, measured for example by developments in the income share of the 1 percent that have the highest incomes, says Sachs.

He mentions China as another example where the differences have increased greatly in tandem with economic progress.

– A growth that only comes top revenue to good is not sustainable. It is not this kind of growth we are looking for!

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Published: 11.jan. 2015 6:53 p.m.

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