Entitled Human Development Report to 2015: Reaching for the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), the present Mozambique’s National Human Development Report 2005, the fifth since 1997, captures the relevance of the MDGs and their close connection with national development strategies. At the same time, it reflects the challenges that the country is confronted with in meeting the development priorities internationally agreed at the Millennium Summit in 2000.

Human development is defined as a process of expanding the choices of people and the constant improvement of their wellbeing. These are usually reflected in a long and healthy life; acquisition of knowledge and access to the required resources for adequate standard of living.

In this regard, the report notes that the incidence of absolute poverty in Mozambique reduced by 15.3 per cent, from 69 per cent in 1996/97 to 54 per cent in 2002/03. The country recorded a markedly positive macro-economic performance from 1996 to 2004 with an average growth rate of 8.5 per cent per year.

Despite these sound achievements, the document recommends among others the following key interventions to keep the country on track to reach the Millennium Development Goals:

- A balance between macroeconomic stability and sustainable broad-based, sharp and economic growth which has occurred in recent years;

- A rethink of the agricultural development strategy in distribution of the state budget, taking into account agriculture’s importance in the economy and nutrition for the majority of Mozambicans;

- Higher investments in inter-sectoral responses to major endemic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, especially with the determinant involvement of the community, while focusing on key areas such as agriculture, education, water and sanitation.

- Encouragement of partnerships between government, development partners and civil society, including the private sector, that shall maximize the potential for complementarities and synergies.

The launching ceremony of this UNDP flagship product is organized by the Mozambican Superior Institute for International Relations (ISRI) and the Southern African Documentation and Research Center (SARDC), in collaboration with the National Statistics Institute (INE). The publication is made possible through the methodological and financial support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The event is expected to bring together Government officials, diplomats, donors, NGOs representatives,
academics, journalists and other civil society representatives.

A copy of the National Human Development Report has already been handovered to His Excellency President Armando Guebuza by the UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Ndolamb Ngokwey.

The first report published in 1998 was entitled: Peace and Economic Growth: Opportunities for Human Development.

In 1999, it was entitled Economic Growth and Human Development: Progress, obstacles and challenges.

The third report in 2000 was entitled Education and Human Development: Trajectory, Lessons and Challenges for 21st Century.

The title for 2001 report was Gender, women and human development: An agenda for the future.

This year’s report - NHDR 2005 - is entitled Human Development until 2015: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

For more information, please contact:

Domingos Mazivila, UNDP National Economist,

Mobile phone: + 258 82 4877240

Office + 258 21 481453

E-mail: domingos.mazivila@undp.org

Nelson Xavier, UNDP Public Information Officer.

Mobile phone: + 258 82 3140600

Office + 258 21 481438

E-mail: nelson.xavier@undp.org

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.