Very little knowledge of millennium development goals

Only four per cent of the Maltese are aware of the United Nation's millennium development goals, a Euro barometer survey has shown, exposing the lack of awareness both locals and other Europeans have in respect to world poverty issues.

Throughout Europe, only about 18 per cent know about the development goals and about two thirds of those who do are not aware of the actual content.

The figure was brandished, along with other similar statistics, by SOS Malta yesterday following an extraordinary parliamentary debate for civil society, which discussed Malta's contribution towards developing nations.

The development goals were agreed to by 189 nations in 2000, pledging, among other things, at halving extreme poverty, halting the spread of Aids/HIV and providing universal primary education by 2015.

The event yesterday was part of a programme, co-financed by the UN and the EU, which will help organise similar debates in all newly-acceded member states.

SOS Malta project manager Phillipa Arrigo said her NGO is hoping that the event will help raise awareness about the development goals and the issues facing the developing world.

Despite falling behind on the awareness scale, Malta is leading the new member states when it comes to the percentage of its GDP that it allocates to aid even though it falls well behind countries such as Ireland, Austria and Sweden.

Moreover, the official figures do not take into account the money given privately and through NGOs which is likely to exceed that given by the government.

When asked about the practical outcome of the event, Ms Arrigo said the government promised it would be publishing its national overseas development policy soon. A draft discussion paper had been circulated last year but the document was never actually published.