Al-Arhabi reveals preparations for fast-track to reach MDGs

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi revealed on Monday the launch of preparations for a fast-track to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

He also disclosed about preparations for the development of a medium-term strategy for reforms extending to the end of 2015.

Opening a workshop held in Sana'a on the assessment of the MDGs' achievement by 2015, al-Arhabi pointed that the government represented by the Planning Ministry has made, in cooperation with the UNDP and other relevant authorities, a significant progress in the preparations of a fast-track to achieve the MDGs by 2015.

The fast-track is based on a set of programs and integrated interventions of priority, which would make significant impact in addressing the main difficulties that face the MDGs' achievement, al-Arhabi added.

He pointed out that the Ministry would continue to mobilize and coordinate efforts of the governmental organizations and Yemen's partners in development to develop specific programs at the level of each goal to include them in the fourth five-year plan for socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation in 2011-2015 and its general investment program in the State's budget.

In this regard, al-Arhabi confirmed the government's keenness to improve the environment that supports reaching the MDGs by 2015, noting that over the past years the government carried out a wide range of reforms. He stressed the need for an optimal use of the available resources to achieve this purpose.

At the workshop, a number of interventions were presented. The interventions focused on the nature of the achievements and difficulties related to achieving the MDGs by 2015 in the health and education sectors, as well as a presentation on the study prepared by the World Bank (WB) and the UNDP.

The Study has resulted in a number of conclusions, the most notably that the achievement of all MDGs by 2015 is an unrealistic due to the large and required increases in the governmental services and necessary finances.

BA

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