The Minister for Finance and Co-Chair of the Global Partnership, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has expressed concern over the progress made by developing countries to eradicate poverty and make the voices of poor people heard.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala spoke at a meeting to strategize on ways to ensure developing countries use domestic resources to tackle poverty at the grassroots.
She noted that in spite of on-going discussions and preparations towards an inclusive development, post-2015 agenda remains the big concern for governments especially ahead of the first high-level meeting for global partnership in Mexico.
The meeting, attended by representatives of developed and developing countries, top government officials, was aimed at strategizing towards enhancing development effectiveness among countries and develop domestic resources.
Citing the fact that the Millennium Development Goals deadline of 2015 is fast approaching, stakeholders agreed that phenomenal gains have been made but were quick to note that poverty and inequality in broad dimensions remained the critical challenge.
The UK Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, and Indonesian Minister of State for National Development, Armida Alisjahbahna, agreed that as the global community strives to maximize progress and carving out new agenda for inclusive and sustainable development in post 2015, stakeholders of the global partnership for effective development are not relenting in their efforts.
They, however, warned that if governments of developing countries do not effectively mobilize domestic resources to support the much needed development with poverty eradication at its core, there would be serious consequences.
However, many countries would be looking forward to the first high level meeting of the Global Partnership to resolve key challenges impeding growth.