2009 Articles

Taking Action to end extreme poverty: The MDG Center Corporate Report

Denning, Glenn; Karuti, Susan; Fanzo, Jessica C.

The Centre began modestly as an outreach office of the UN Millennium Project and the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Initially mandated to serve the whole continent, but focusing on four pilot countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Senegal), the Centre’s objective was to bring global policies and strategies closer to the field reality of what it takes to achieve the Millennium Development Goals: supporting governments in designing and costing MDG-based poverty reduction strategies. While that work brought us all closer to “reality”, it was apparent, as recently as 2006, that results on the ground were mostly disappointing. There was little to inspire optimism that the MDGs would be achieved in Africa. Something more than plans and strategies was needed to mobilize action and investment.