Hon Saudatu Sani MPChair of Network African Parliamentarians on MDGs

Nigerian and the MDGs

In 2005, Nigeria negotiated an $18bn in debt-relief from the Paris Club

Putting improvement in people’s livelihoods at the heart of the development agenda by focusing on the MDGs

Nigeria Federal Government dedicated all of it’s Debt Relief Gains (DRG) to the attainment of the MDGs by focusing on strategic investments that address Nigeria’s poor development indices

The Nigerian Parliament has been very supportive to the Government Policy on MDGs

The Nigerian Status contd.

A Standing Parliamentary Committee on MDGs in place since 2007 to appropriate funds, track budgetary spending on MDGs projects/programs oversight functions on MDG projects/programs

Increased budgetary allocation to, particularly Health related MDGs.

Annual MDGs (DRG) budget stands at 110 Billion Naira ($1bn) since 2006

The Health sector accounts for approximately $1 bn 2006-2009

A customized strategy was adopted for benefiting communities to own projects executed through the Conditional Grants Scheme (CGS)

Parliamentary input to achievement of MDGs in NigeriaIncreased funding of MDGs

through annual budget processBuilding on MDG costing to

identify funding gapsUnprecedented oversight of MDG

spending and impactGlobal partnerships- African

Network of ParliamentariansPreparation of Parliamentary

MDG Countdown Strategy 2010-2015

The DRG in the Health Sector- 2009

2009 investment - N15,900,000,000

1. Immunization of 60 million children under national immunization polio days – 90% reduction in number of children paralyzed by poliomyelitis illness

2. Routine Immunization of 30 million children, 31million pregnant women and 36 million women of children age with TT.

3. Recruitment of 2,448 midwives deployed to 672 facilities with full complement of mama kits and midwifery kits

4. 40 Fully equipped and operational blood banks in 6 geo-political zones

5. Procurement of 1,000 midwifery kits, and other consumables (surgical gloves, thermometers etc.)

6. Procurement of 1.2 million packs of ARVs, 1.8 million other drugs

7. Operationalizing Local Government System for scaling up support to national centre for health data

8. Community Health Insurance provided for 1,417,172 individuals in 12 states

MDGs Costing

A three-year partnership (2006-08) with key MDAs and UNDP to establish cost and funding requirements for the achievement of the MDGs

Total cumulative investments of $248bn are needed between 2007 and 2015

Given existing resources, an average funding gap of around $6bn per year is predicted to remain:◦ Scaling-up options include domestic resource

mobilization, Internally-generated revenue by States and Local Governments, and creating the enabling environment for sustained Foreign Direct Investment

◦ Alternative strategies for public-private partnerships to increase infrastructure investment

◦ Coordinating development partner interventions to improve the effectiveness of aid

MDGs Costing- HealthCumulative total cost of $34.94

billion needed from 2007-2015 to achieve Health goals

◦Broken into Capital Expenditure of $9.11bn

◦Recurrent expenditure of $29.72

MDGs In Africa: A mixed picture A number of African countries have achieved major

successes in improving child health, expanding access to clean water, strengthening control of malaria, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases, and providing increased access to HIV treatment,

In March this year, A network of African Parliamentarians on MDGs was launched in Nigeria with a view to:

Project a common agenda for African countries, which will be the main focus of respective national parliaments, and which will also be presented during the September meeting of the United Nations;

Propose a roadmap for African parliamentarians to proactively engage with all 2010 MDGs review process and beyond;

Identify moments and actions for the Legislatures to accelerate urgent actions towards the MDGs, using effective national development strategies of respective countries;

Share best practices and progress on the state of MDGs advocacy in national parliaments and regional Economic Communities; and

Adopt measures to ensure that African Parliaments become the African Voice in the struggle to end poverty in our continent

Lessons learnt National ownership of development strategies is key

to success. Successful countries pursued pragmatic policy mixes, with enhanced domestic capacities.

International cooperation should more strongly support national development strategies and domestic capacity-building efforts.

Economic growth is necessary but not sufficient for progress. The growth process must be inclusive and equitable to maximize poverty reduction and progress on other MDGs.

Hard-earned gains can be reversed by economic and other shocks. Hence, countries need forward looking macroeconomic policies to support broad-based stable growth.

Adequate, consistent and predictable financial support, as well as a coherent and predictable policy environment, both at national and international levels.

Challenges Lack of political will at the initial take-off of

MDG programmes affect adequate resource allocation

Environmental hazards caused by climate change;

Global economic crisis have affected Africa’s economies and consistent ODA’s to poor sub-saharan Africa

Inadequate awareness by some African countries (governments and parliaments) on the MDGs has hampered close collaboration of the two arms of government towards attaining the specific targets of the health MDGs

African expectation Much as the African countries have been making

substantial progress towards achieving the MDGs, there is an urgent need to Come together with a renewed commitment to:

build on our achievements so far, bridge the gaps identified, deliver on our shared responsibility to build a better

world for generations to come Endorse an accountability framework that consolidates

global aid commitments, linking them to results with timelines, and established monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

Lack of adequate and predictable international financing has been an important constraint. There is therefore an urgent need to broaden and strengthen partnerships to ensure supportive international frameworks for debt relief, trade liberalization and sustained long-term human progress.

African expectationsThe G8 countries should endeavor to

fulfill their financial commitments to the developing countries as a means of fast tracking the attainment of the MDGs by African countries;

A holistic approach to Health MDGs should be the concern of all African countries.

The need to build strategic partnerships amongst African countries with a view to enhancing Africa's visibility in development platforms

Current Impetus – if sustained and accelerated – can achieve major progress on poverty, education, water, maternal health and child health

But this is contingent on all 3 tiers of Government doing the following:1. Increased investing in Infrastructure2. Targeted investments in Human Resources for

improved public service delivery3. Demonstrating accountability for specific deliverables4. Changing mindsets, creating synergies and delivering

on our national agenda5. International Development Partners meeting their

commitments (Abuja Declaration, Accra, G8 etc.)

Conclusion

For the MDG’s to be achieved, the north and south must work in

partnership!!!