ABU DHABI // With just over 400 days until the deadline, the UAE has reaffirmed its commitment to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals at a meeting of the country’s foreign aid community.
“The period for the achievement of the MDGs is drawing to a close. It is time to take stock of what we have achieved, and where we have fallen short,” said Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, minister of international cooperation and development, who chaired the meeting on Tuesday.
The eight Millennium Development Goals, adopted by 189 countries and dozens of international organisations in 2000, had hoped to eradicate hunger and poverty, among other things, by the end of 2015.
With the unlikelihood that the goals would be achieved by next year’s end Sheikha Lubna spoke of the necessity to look beyond of the deadline.
“While we must continue our efforts in this regard for the next two years, we also need to plan for the future, and ensure the UAE’s alignment with and support for the post-2015 development agenda,” she said.
Delegates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE Red Crescent, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Dubai Cares and numerous other public and private charitable organisations reaffirmed the importance of the goals in prioritising UAE foreign aid at the meeting.
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