8. Develop global partnerships for development
Goal 8 – Partnership for development – is completely revised in the new MDG Report to meet Bulgaria’s new status as an EU member. By 2015, Bulgaria sets the goal to complete the transition from a recipient of international aid to a donor of official development assistance (ODA). That will require its effective participation in the overall EU development cooperation policy. More specifically, by 2010 Bulgaria will strive to contribute annually 0.17% of GNI (gross national income) on official development aid compared to 0.053% in 2007. ODA allocations should grow to 0.33% by 2015.
To achieve these goals, Bulgaria will define specific thematic and regional priorities as well as specific ways for providing ODA. The Framework Concept on Bulgaria’s Development Cooperation Policy elaborated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets priorities on fighting poverty and improving the quality of life, providing assistance in the areas where the country holds particular expertise, like education, infrastructure, etc. Target regions for Bulgaria include: South East Europe, the Black Sea region and at least one country in Africa where EU has decided to channel 50% of its development assistance.
The achievement of these goals requires first and foremost the support of Bulgarian citizens, for many of whom the average EU standard is still a far-off, difficult to achieve prospect. The Bulgarian society needs a profound change of values and attitudes to face the country’s new global responsibilities.
Overall, in 2003-2008 Bulgaria has achieved significant progress against the defined goals. As economic, educational and health standards come closer to EU levels, both Bulgarian citizens and EU institutions will increasingly insist on better governance, too.
Bulgaria’s eight Millennium Development Goals are largely intertwined with one another. In the strongly competitive environment of the European Union, high incomes are unthinkable without competitive, good quality education. Economic progress needs good healthcare because a long-lived and productive workforce is indispensable for the long-term sustainable development of the country. Higher incomes and employment will in turn lead to better access to education, lower child and maternal mortality, more care for socially sensitive diseases like HIV/AIDS, syphilis and tuberculosis, and greater responsibility to the environment. Behind overall national achievements, however, there are dramatic disparities.
Major contrasts can be seen in all social areas – incomes, education and healthcare. They jeopardize sustainable development, because they create grounds for social, economic, regional or ethnic conflict. Furthermore, Bulgaria is part of the global community and global poverty is not something Bulgarian citizens can pretend to overlook – not only because of human solidarity and Bulgaria’s international commitments, but also because overwhelming global disparities lead to upheavals that affect all countries.
By highlighting certain drawbacks of the implemented approaches and institutional solutions, and by recognizing accomplishments in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the report identifies policies and measures that can accelerate Bulgaria’s progress and can bring the country closer to its targets for 2015.
