At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 world leaders adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty. This Summit laid the foundation for the formulation of what would become the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
- End Hunger & Extreme Poverty
- Universal Education
- Gender Equity
- Reduce Child Mortality
- Improve Maternal Health
- Combat HIV/AIDS and other Diseases
- Ensure Environmental Sustainability
- Global Partnership
The MDGs are the most broadly supported, comprehensive and specific development goals the world has ever agreed upon. The UN Millennium Declaration and the MDGs are an important point of reference for MASHAV - Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
MASHAV is dedicated to providing developing countries with the best of Israel's experience in development and planning. As a country that moved from an underdeveloped state in the 1950s, to just recently becoming a new member of the OECD, we feel that we can share with others our firsthand experience in development. We are proud to be one of the oldest international development agencies in the world.
Founded in 1957, MASHAV is responsible for the design, coordination and implementation of the State of Israel’s development cooperation programs. Since its inception, over 260,000 professionals from around the world have participated in MASHAV’s professional programs.
MASHAV's activities focus primarily on areas in which Israel has a comparative advantage including agriculture and rural development; water resources management; micro-enterprise development; community development; medicine and public health; empowerment of women and education. At the same time MASHAV operates according to the needs and demands of the partner countries, rather than programs initiated by Israel that might not be relevant and effective elsewhere.
Our approach is to ensure social, economic and environmental sustainable development, joining the international community efforts of implementing the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and providing a better livelihood for millions across the world. We concentrate on institutional and human capacity building in developing countries by sharing Israel's own development experience and expertise, imparting know-how and transferring innovative technologies and tested methodologies adaptable to developing countries' needs. This is done by training, both in Israel and on the spot, short- and long-term consultancy missions, and projects such as demonstration farms and advisory centers in target countries.
Although a modest player in the international assistance arena, MASHAV provides fast, flexible, hands-on, pragmatic, original and practical solutions to development challenges, thus becoming a significant contributor to sustainable development.
This paper gives an overview of some of the efforts of MASHAV, through its specialized training professional extensions, in promoting development cooperation and human resources development and capacity building, towards the 2015 target date for reaching the Millennium Development Goals.