MDGs Have Benefitted Indonesia

Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), formulated by the UN in 2000, have benefitted the people of Indonesia by reducing the country's poverty rate and enhancing the healthcare services in Indonesia, said the president.

"MDGs accelerate the development of a country. It is not a treaty. It is non-binding, and it does not need any ratification. The MDG programmes have been implemented by all the governments in the world, although there is no particular organisation that monitors the programmes," said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, during the Regional Consultative Meeting, on Thursday.

He said this is the first time that many countries have agreed on a common goal, based on the MDG programmes.

"For example, Indonesia has managed to reduce its poverty rate from 20.6 percent in 1990 to 11.9 percent in 2012. We have also succeeded in achieving the basic education coverage target by coming up with a compulsory education system (that lasts for nine years)," he stated.

The country's infant mortality rate has decreased from 68 per 1,000 live births in 1991 to 34 per 1,000 live births in 2007. (IGT/T007)