ABSTRACT
From the developing countries’ perspective, ensuring successful development is key for sustainability. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations (UN) translate this claim into a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets. The origins of the Millennium Development Goals lie in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which was adopted by all 189 UN Member States (147 of them represented by their head of state or government) on 8 September 2000. The Declaration embodies many commitments for improving the lot of humanity in the new century (United Nations 2001). Subsequently the UN Secretariat drew up a list of eight MDGs, each of them accompanied by specific targets and indicators.
