‘ ‘ ‘ At the United Nations General Assembly last week, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once… ‘ ‘ ‘ At the United Nations General Assembly last week, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once again addressed the importance of the Millennium Development Goals, a large-scale effort aimed at halving world poverty (and associated problems like HIV/AIDS and maternal health) by 2015, to the more than 100 heads of state in attendance. ‘ ‘ ‘ Unfortunately, with world markets in such a precarious position, it will be difficult for Ban to convince representatives to put the troubles of the world’s poorest before the problems that many of them are seeing on their respective domestic fronts. ‘ ‘ ‘ As it stands, many nations, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, find it difficult to keep up with the pace of the goals. Although there are efforts being made to carry out the initiatives outlined in the goals, conflicts and weak governments prevent any significant progress. ‘ ‘ ‘ Those carrying out these programs must first look to understand and eliminate these external stresses if they hope to make any progress with the goals. Too often, the approach of aid organizations has focused exclusively on treating the effects of poverty. But without simultaneously dealing with the causes, conditions can only grow worse. ‘ ‘ ‘ And that cause is war. ‘ ‘ ‘ Conflicts in countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have prevented any major developments in infrastructure, most importantly, in the health systems. According to Michael Jay, chair of the medical aid agency Merlin, in these situations, more people are dying from malnutrition and disease than by actual weapons of war. These nations fail to meet the goals are failing because of existing conditions. ‘ ‘ ‘ Take, for example, southern Sudan, a region where 21 years of civil war has left more than four million people displaced and vulnerable to preventable illnesses. Had there been an opportunity for a health system to operate, many of these risks could have been avoided. Furthermore, the limited amount of trained health workers fled, fearing for their safety. ‘ ‘ ‘ Even after peace treaties were signed, the effects of war were clearly evident. Hospitals trying to recruit workers were unable to succeed in a nomadic population that left the migrating victims without the necessary education to work effectively. To achieve the goals, local populations must be able to understand and administer life-saving procedures. ‘ ‘ ‘ Over the years, southern Sudan has played host to numerous international aid organizations. But with lackadaisical efforts to end the conflict on the part of the Sudanese government, these organizations continue to stay, as conditions fail to improve. ‘ ‘ ‘ The fight against global poverty starts with eliminating the conditions that allow it to persist: namely conflicts. And preventing wars is deeply tied into another one of the MDGs: sustainable development. ‘ ‘ ‘ Many of today’s conflicts (Darfur, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chechnya) are being fought over resources such as oil, and when these resources become scarce, populations are easily persuaded to take up arms to regain a share of what they see as their own. ‘ ‘ ‘ Food is a major resource at the center of many conflicts, and hunger is a major reason why the conflict in Darfur began. Years of drought robbed its people of a sustainable food source and led to aggravations over resource sharing. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although other factors were in play, one cannot ignore this important facet of the situation in Darfur. And without acknowledging it in any type of aid or development, the proposed solutions can only be temporary ones. ‘ ‘ ‘ The Millennium Development Goals are, as a whole, very ambitious and can easily be taken as foolhardy. The sheer magnitude of what they are trying to achieve might cause some to throw their hands up in frustration and deem them impossible. And they will be, unless nations realize that eradicating poverty will take much more than providing food and monetary aid. ‘ ‘ ‘ Each goal that was set up by the United Nations is deeply connected to other goals as well as outside issues. Ending poverty (and the problems which accompany it) relies on ending conflicts, which in turn depends heavily on the principles of sustainable development. The sooner we realize that poverty is a web of many interconnected problems that cannot be separated, the sooner we will actually be able to combat them. E-mail Hayavadhan at [email protected].