International Cooperation at a Crossroads

This month, world leaders will gather to review progress since the 2000 Millennium Declaration, a pledge to eliminate global poverty. Though much progress has been made, according to the United Nations 2005 Human Development Report, much work remains – particularly in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The report focuses on three "pillars of cooperation," adjustments to which are necessary in order to make headway toward the UN goals: development assistance, international trade, and security. According to the report, "One-fifth of humanity live in countries where many people think nothing of spending $2 a day on cappucino." It continues, "Another fifth of humanity survive on less than $1 a day and live in countries where children die for want of a simple anti-mosquito bednet." The discrepancies between the developed and developing world are stark, indeed. – YaleGlobal