Megan Starry, Nicholas Berg, Jeff Hessburg
Millennium Development Goal 8: Global Partnership for Development
•Target 8.A: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
•Target 8.B: Address the special needs of the least developed countries
•Target 8.C: Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
•Target 8.D: Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term
8.1 Net ODA, total and to the least developed countries, as percentage of OECD/DAC donors' gross national income
8.2 Proportion of total bilateral, sector-allocable ODA of OECD/DAC donors to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation)
8.3 Proportion of bilateral official development assistance of OECD/DAC donors that is untied
8.4 ODA received in landlocked developing countries as a proportion of their gross national incomes
8.5 ODA received in small island developing States as a proportion of their gross national incomes
8.6 Proportion of total developed country imports (by value and excluding arms) from developing countries and least developed countries, admitted free of duty
8.7 Average tariffs imposed by developed countries on agricultural products and textiles and clothing from developing countries
8.8 Agricultural support estimate for OECD countries as a percentage of their gross domestic product
8.9 Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity
8.10 Total number of countries that have reached their HIPC decision points and number that have reached their HIPC completion points (cumulative)
8.11 Debt relief committed under HIPC and MDRI Initiatives
8.12 Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and service
•Target 8.E: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries
8.13 Proportion of population with access to affordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis
•Target 8.F: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications
8.14 Fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
8.15 Mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
8.16 Internet users per 100 inhabitants
Indicator Discussion:
8.2 is a particularly important indicator because with most solutions and interventions, monetary backing is a crucial component. 8.2 discusses how money from donors (ODA) is divided up between topics, especially social services. Fortunately, often times a large proportion is put towards social services which includes, health, education, and sanitation practices. With more money focused on these topics allows for greater success and penetration into rural areas, areas that often get passed over due to a reduced population compared to large cities. With more funding, health facilities can be more up to date, offer more treatment options and handle more health concerns. As we’ve seen with many of the other MDGs education is of utmost importance and with an increase in education often times things like health are increased and more emphasis is put on proper hygiene and sanitation.
This is not to say these are the only areas to focus money. Focusing on job growth and sustainable, scalable jobs are important and crucial to health as well. With education comes a workforce more prepared for skilled jobs often times that are more safe and reduce injury, thus increasing health of people and offering opportunities to rise up over poverty.
Many decisions and worldly events have affected progress towards MDG 8 since the establishment of the MDGs. Overall progress was made in terms of global market positioning with several years of commodity goods increasing in price. One setback was the global economic crisis which influenced many regions and Latin America & Caribbean was no different. Through trade agreements, many export deals have been made, some with long term implications that is encouraging for growth and expected to be extended through future deals. Addressing the ICT and the level of information available: as of late 2008 more emphasis has been put on policies regarding information. These policies support that by strengthening, communication and information channels often leads to better economic and social developments which directly helps the population and allows for growth. With ever increasing technology, giving youth the tools to educate themselves on this tech encourages success in the future and keeping the region current with more developed parts of the world.
We are starting to see preliminary research done on the costs of biodiversity reduction in Latin America. For most in the region this is a new concept and we are hopeful that with this new information comes swift and effective decisions promoting the decrease in biodiversity loss.
Although there are challenges in overcoming this loss, even the smallest step towards succeeding the eighth MDG can be crucial as it relates to the other seven MDGs. From strengthening global partnership within the Latin American and the Caribbean region just through promoting debt relief from increasing poverty-reducing expenditures, citizens of the region will have the competency to acquire an income provide food, shelter, better primary education and a healthy lifestyle for their children, impregnated wives, and the elderly. Not to mention, if/when the eighth MDG has been met, there will be increased efficiency in the relation of reduction of mortality, conquest of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and ensuring a more environmental sustainability. Though with the market collapse that happened in 2008, globally, it has been a challenge to continue evolving the progress towards succeeding and acquiring the goal of the eighth MDG. But, thankfully, the region has been making progress from participating in interventions.
Intervention:
Free trade is a trade between two countries without any trade restrictions or regulations such as tariffs or quotas. The Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) was set into place February 1, 2009. The PTPA “eliminates tariffs and removes barriers to U.S. services, provides a secure, predictable legal framework for investors, and strengthens protection for intellectual property, workers, and the environment” (ustr.gov). PTPA is the first provision protecting the environment and labor rights as part of the Bipartisan Agreement on Trade Policy, which was set in place on May 10, 2007 by the Bush Administration. This has caused total trade to almost double from $9 billion in 2009 to $16 billion in 2013. The PTPA creates new opportunities for increased exports of farm products to Peru. The Peru environment is now more protected with less illegal logging and wildlife trade. There will be more U.S. investors in Peruvian stock because there is a more secure and predictable legal framework.
Case study:
Aftermath of the PTPA has shown that the government of Peru has had trouble enforcing all of the labor standards contained in the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. Especially in the garment, textile, and agricultural export sector. Combined these sectors produce billions of dollars of goods for the U.S. market. An example is that the Peruvian government has failed to enforce everything is Topy Top. Topy Top is one of the biggest Peruvian garment and textile companies. Instead of employing long term workers like they were asked, they instead employ short-term contracts. This is to avoid unions.
Question
What is free trade, and how can it benefit Latin American and the Caribbean financially?
Sources:
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/mdg/mdg-reports/lac-collection.html
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