Middle East / North Africa and the Millennium Development Goals ...

Middle East / North Africa and the Millennium Development Goals
ity rates. Whether DC in the water sector also contributes to other
MDGs depends on the concrete shape given to the measures it uses.
There is, though, evidence that in most cases positive indirect effects
are achieved over the short or long run for nearly all of the MDGs
(Bliss 2004; Neubert / Horlemann 2005).
– It is more difficult to state with any degree of certainty which MDGs
may be positively affected by DC measures in the WiRAM priority
sector. A good number of very different measures are subsumed under
WiRAM, and they may be targeted directly on poverty reduction,
restructuring and improvement of the functioning of markets, enhancement
of competition in markets, or privatization of publicly
owned enterprises. In other words, the indirect purpose of these
measures is to boost growth and to reduce poverty. Success here will
depend above all on whether the measures taken (i) are appropriate to
the situation in the partner country in question, (i) are keyed to actual
problems, and (iii) are implemented consistently. Nevertheless, the
following reflections are based on the assumption that in its WiRAM
priority sector German DC may, at least in general terms, provide a
direct or indirect contribution to reducing income poverty (Target 1).
If this in fact succeeds, there is good reason to anticipate positive effects
on the proportion of the population suffering from hunger. In
addition, the concrete measures taken by German DC in the priority
sector of WiRAM also aim, in all MENA countries, at reducing unemployment
and improving the market-regulation picture.
Overview 7 is based on these assumptions. It compares the priorities of
German DC in the MENA region with the state of the Millennium process
in the individual partner countries.
The overview first looks at the economic problem solving-capacity of
these countries, distinguishing between low-income countries (Yemen,
Mauritania) and middle-income countries (Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon,
Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia). In addition, it
lists separately the potential priority partner countries and partner countries
of German DC in the MENA region (Iraq, Iran, Sudan). It omits the
countries which, thanks to their high per capital incomes, are in possession
of very pronounced capacities to solve their problems of their own and are
therefore not seen as potential partner countries for German DC.
German Development Institute 129