Eritrea

The main topics highlighted in the workshop were millennium declaration and millennium development goals and targets, the government of Eritrea development strategy and how it adopted the MDG into the system. Furthermore, the participants discussed how Eritrea is progressing to achieve the projected targets of MDGs

In the opening of the workshop, Dr Ghirmai Abraham, Economic Advisor in the Ministry of National Development, said that Eritrea published its MDGR in November 2006 which highlights Eritrea 's benchmarks in the various MDG goals and targets by the target year of 2015 and an indication, in broad terms, of the resources required to achieve the MDGs.

“As you are all well aware, many concepts and catchy phrases approaches have been developed in the multilateral partnership as approaches to development, including the Structural Adjustment, PRSP, and the MDG approach. Such phrases are perhaps important in helping stakeholders to concentrate on a specific issue such as poverty. However, there is only one way that these issues can be addressed- in a sound national development plan. Thus one cannot talk about MDG planning outside a national development plan or framework.” Said, Dr. Ghirmai.

Answering to the question how does Eritrea plan to achieve the
MDG goals and targets? Dr. Ghirmai clarified that Eritrea planned to achieve the MDGs by mainstreaming the MDG goals and targets in its national development framework and program.

He further made it clear that Eritrea is mainstreaming the MDGs in its development framework in the context of the following policy and programmatic areas:
1. The Macroeconomic Setting;
2. The Economic Sector Programs;
3. infrastructure Development;
4. Integrated Social Development Program;
5. Institutional Development;
6. Population Policy and Management; and
7. The Environment.

representing the UN Country Team in Eritrea , Dr. Kosia Andrews, WHO's Representative and acting Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator said that s even years ago, at the turn of the millennium, the world community made an important promise to the world's poor. World leaders joined and made a solemn pledge to end extreme poverty and hunger.

In addition he said that the march to making poverty history is on and countries are making progress, step by step. However, said in elaborating he it remains far from over and the challenge for all of us remains to make good on our commitments. Encouragingly the status of Eritrea in achieving the MDGs as reflected in the MDGR Eritrea published in November 2006, suggests that tremendous progress have been made. These accomplishments testify to the unprecedented degree of commitment by the Government and us- its partners. Nonetheless, challenges remain on two crucial areas in Eritrea : eradication of extreme poverty and achievement of universal primary education. Notwithstanding the challenges, the results achieved demonstrate that success is possible in achieving the MDGs in Eritrea if concerted additional action is taken immediately and sustained until 2015. Thus, all stakeholders need to fulfill, in their entirety, the commitments made in the Millennium Declaration and its subsequent pronouncements.

While the responsibility for achieving the MDGs rests primarily with the Government and people of Eritrea , the support of partners is crucial to complement their efforts. Thus, accelerated achievement of the MDGs will also to a large extent depend on the coordinated efforts of all stakeholders (the UN, NGOs, civil society and other partners) at all levels.

The UN has a role to play in supporting the Government by bringing technical assistance and in mobilizing resources in accordance with the principles of the UNDAF while the NGOs and civil society support in the key areas of basic access to social services and economic development, capacity development, environmental protection and women empowerment are key. Awareness raising and sensitizing ourselves on MDGs in the context of Eritrea are critical steps towards the realization of these collective commitments.

Finally he wished to the participants a success in their reflections of the workshop. “I wish you success in your deliberations on your reflective roles during this workshop and I hope that the outcomes will be a re-energized determination to work together in supporting the government and the people of Eritrea towards the realization of the MDG goals. Time may not be on our side, but by working together, we have the wherewithal to make good on the solemn promise to the country's poor-to end extreme poverty and provide basic education for all.