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Contributions from
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Monitor
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"Human Development Report 2006: Water crisis worse than war
Corruption: The World Bank suspends Lahmeyer
Asia on track for Millennium Goals
12/2006
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Asia on track for
Millennium Goals
Asia is expected to meet most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Overall, the continent is on track, according to a recent report by the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations, although large disparities remain between individual countries. The multilateral institutions state that progress in Asia is roughly equivalent to that in Latin America, though some indicators diverge. Asia does poorly in terms of fighting AIDS and reducing child mortality, whereas Latin America is not on track in reducing poverty and protecting the environment. Sub-Saharan Africa, in turn, will barely achieve any MDG at all if current trends continue.
The report divides Asia into four groups of countries. The group making good headway towards achieving the MDGs includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Among the countries that have made progress but have seen momentum slow down lately are Kazakhstan, Samoa and Uzbekistan. Progressing countries the indicators of which are still below Asian averages include Afghanistan, India and Nepal. Finally, the report lists Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Philippines among the problem cases.
The authors also point out large disparities within countries, particularly between urban and rural areas. Child mortality in the poor Western China, for instance, is three to five times higher than in the fast-advancing coastal regions. Only every third rural resident in Asia has access to sanitary facilities, while three out of four town residents do. (ell)
On the Internet:
http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/10790-regional-MDGs/MDG-report.pdf
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