When the Millennium Declaration was adopted with unprecedented unity at the turn of the century in the year 2000, the reality of pursuing a common future by all nations seemed eminent. Enshrined in this Declaration was a set of eight goals: the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For the first time, all nations agreed to combine their resources in order to achieve a minimum development agenda for the world, with clear targets, within a fifteen year time frame.

Speaking at a conference in New Delhi recently, the WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy addressed this topic spot on. ”The starting points are simple: we live in an interdependent world where go-it-alone policies and actions are not enough to achieve collective results; nor are they any longer sufficient to even achieve country-specific goals” said Lamy “ … today's global challenges can no longer be met by individual action. Collective action is needed. And this collective action needs to be and to be felt as legitimate; all actors need to participate in its design in order to feel ownership.

We’ve passed the halfway mark towards the 2015 deadline for achieving the MDGs. Unfortunately, the continent having made the least progress towards achieving the MDGs is Africa, so further action and assistance is necessary.

At the ECOSOC 2008 Annual Ministerial Review Meeting in July, some observers argued strongly for increasing aid to Africa to accelerate the pace towards the MDGs. I, on the other hand, agree with those who argue that just giving aid will not deliver the MDGs to Africa. It merely serves as a supplement. The aid being given can be useful in the short term, especially aid used for trade development and emergency situations.

What Africa needs is economic and political justice. In my view, these are the most essential principles necessary for the world to attain minimum development as envisaged in the Millennium Declaration.

These two elements however, seem to have become elusive for the world but even more for Africa if looked at in the context of the recent collapse of the WTO discussions. The message that has emerged is that the world has to urgently re-examine its economic and political superstructure and re-engineer the architecture. This is a daunting, extremely delicate but inescapable task.

In order to achieve this successfully, all actors, including Africa, need to be on board and collectively commit to these principles and goals, as was done in 2000 with the MDGs.

Real action that makes MDG number eight – Developing a global partnership for development – a reality must be instituted wholeheartedly without any further excuses. Africa must claim her position and form strategic partnerships within its composite communities and those beyond the continent’s borders.

Apart from this, Africa must play an important part itself. A lot of the economic and political injustice facing the continent has been brought on by her leaders, elites and those in positions of authority. This must be changed, since political support is a necessary component of achieving the MDGs.

Development is never delivered on a silver platter. Correct, analytical and flexible strategies, hard work, action for positive change, consistency, unity and justice are critical cornerstones for success.