Oslo, 6 July 2015
Presidents Kagame today joined world leaders at the Summit on Education for Global Development held in Norway’s capital, Oslo. The Summit aims to boost global efforts in the field of education, with a view to reaching the UN’s new set of development goals.
President Kagame began the day with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Norway Prime Minister, Erna Solberg to launch the final MDG Progress Report. The report documented the 15 year effort to achieve the goals set out in the Millennium Declaration and highlighted successes across the globe, and acknowledged the gaps that remain.
“MDGs have taught us that where political will exists, it is possible to successfully work together. Results are best where countries take responsibility for their development agenda.As we rightly celebrate what has been achieved, we must continue to work together. The legacy of the MDGs goes beyond the effort to achieve critical, basic development goals. MDGs have been a springboard to attain even higher ambitions,” President Kagame said.
Sub-Saharan Africa has had the best record of improvement in primary education of any region since the MDGs were established. The region achieved a 20% increase in the net enrolment rate from 2000 to 2015, compared to a gain of 8% between 1990 and 2000.
“The report confirms that the global efforts to achieve the Goals have saved millions of lives and improved conditions for millions more around the world. These successes should be celebrated throughout our global community. At the same time, we are keenly aware of where we have come up short.” Said Ban Ki-Moon
The report drew attention to climate change and environmental degradation that undermines progress achieved and noted that conflicts remain the biggest threat to human development and the greatest obstacle to progress in achieving the MDGs.
The two day Summit on Education for Global Development brings together around 400 key actors in education including the prime ministers of Haiti, Niger and Pakistan, the foreign ministers of Niger and Palestine, and the education ministers of around 10 countries.
President Kagame will tomorrow be a panellist at a session dubbed: “Investment in Education”. The panel will talk about the need for increased priority in financing education as well as discuss ways of scaling up innovations, new approaches and partnerships to efficiently utilize existing resources. Other panellists will include, Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education; Julia Gillard, Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education; Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Keith Hansen, Vice President Global Practices of the World Bank.
For photos of President Kagame at the Summit on Education for Global Development: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulkagame/sets/72157655527142082
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