Friday, July 30, 2010
IPU to Study RI's Efforts to Reach MDG Targets
Source: ANTARA News


Jakarta - The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has selected Indonesia as the object of a study on MDG (Millennium Development Goals) achievements.

According to an IPU press release received here on Thursday, the research activity which started on July 28 and was to end on July 30 focuses on local parliament members` efforts in assisting the country to reach the MDG targets.

"In line with provisions in the (Indonesian) Constitution, parliament has the right to monitor all government activities to reach the MDG targets, determine the budget to support the activities and legalize the relevant regulations. It is this kind of data that will be collected by IPU members," Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) member Nurhayati said.

Nurhayati who is also First Vice-President of IPU`s Coordinating Committee of the Meeting of Women and Peace, said IPU members led by IPU`s Development Officer Elisabette Azevedo were scheduled to meet DPR Vice Speaker Taufik Kurniawan, members of the DPR`s commission VIII, IX and X, the DPR`s budgeting board and members of the board`s MDG committee.

"The IPU members are also scheduled to meet senior officials at the People`s Welfare Coordinating Ministry, National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Women`s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry and the Health Ministry," she added.

Indonesia will host a ministerial meeting to discuss the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the Asia Pacific region in Jakarta on August 3-4, 2010.

The meeting would discuss improvements in efforts to meet the MDG targets by year 2015, identify challenges and formulate solutions to the problems encountered.

Scheduled to attend the meeting were ministers from 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, senior officials from G-20 member countries, and representatives of several international organizations.

The August meeting would discuss three themes, namely challenges and opportunities of countries in the region to achieve the MDG by 2015, funding sources for MDG programs and promoting sustainable and inclusive developments to achieve the MDG.

By hosting the ministerial MDG meeting in the Asia and Pacific region , Indonesia wished to play a role in boosting efforts to achieve the goals in the region. In 2005, Indonesia also hosted a similar meeting that produced a Jakarta Declaration.

This year`s meeting was also expected to contribute to a UN meeting on MDG to be held in New York September 20-22, 2010.