The Government of Kenya will allocate more resources to fund programmes to accelerate the attainment of Millennium Development Goals, President Mwai Kibaki has affirmed.

President Kibaki noted that the country’s new constitution and the national development blue print, Vision 2030 would avail more resources to the grassroots in line with the targets of MDGs.

Speaking during the Heads of State and Government consultative forum on the MDGs, in Kigali-Rwanda, President Kibaki said that the Government would be channeling 15 per cent of its budget to the counties thus acting as a major boost towards the attainment of the goals.

The Head of State noted that Kenya had installed the necessary policy and institutional framework for the achievement of MDGs.

The President said, “Key among them was the Cabinet Directive in March, 2005 requiring all ministries to mainstream their specific policies, plans, budgets and operations by placing MDGs at the epicenter of the country’s development process.”

During the occasion President Kibaki reiterated the need for African leaders to speak in one voice and reach a common stand particularly with regard to calls for the developed world to honour pledges made in Scotland so as to accelerate the achievement of MDGs.

President Kibaki noted that Kenya was in this regard a supporter of calls for the developed nations to honour the allocation of at least 0.7 per cent of the Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance for financing MDGs in developing nations.

The Head of State said, “Additional commitments on development assistance made at the G-9 Scotland Meeting of 2005 should be fast tracked in order to make available the necessary resources to finance MDGs projects in developing countries.”

President Kibaki commended the Government of Rwanda for setting a model with regard to Gender parity and urged other nations to emulate the example.

He said that Kenya had a fair share of successes especially with the implementation of the Universal Primary Education and was keen to share her experience with other countries.

“Kenya, like Rwanda and other African countries has committed considerable resources and put in place the necessary institutional and policy frameworks in an endeavor to ensure the realization of the MDGs,” said the Head of State.

With regard to poverty, President Kibaki noted that despite the registered decline in absolute poverty levels there was realization that many African and South-Asian countries may be unable to accomplish the MDGs.

President Kibaki remarked, “Despite these achievements there is a realization that a large number of African and South-Asian countries may be unable to attain the MDG’s targets set by TWENTY FIFTEEN, especially in relation to elimination of extreme poverty. In addition, the reduction of child mortality rates and improvement of maternal health are still matters of great concern.”

The Head of State also commended the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for calling for an MDGs Summit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled to take place later this month.

President Kibaki said, “I commend the UN Secretary-General for calling a Summit on the sidelines of the General Assembly to revitalize the commitment towards the realization of MDGs. I am of the view that with renewed commitment and adequate funding, it is possible to achieve the MDGs by TWENTY FIFTEEN.”

President Kibaki further hailed the role played by President Kagame of Rwanda in his capacity as the Co-Chair of the Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Group.

The Head of State thanked his Rwanda counterpart for the timely decision to hold the African consultative forum on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before the High Level Meeting in New York.

He said, “Your Excellency’s contribution is critical to ensuring that Africa’s voice and concerns are clearly articulated and addressed, particularly in ensuring that the commitments made by the developed countries are honoured.”

Several Heads of State and Government from Africa attended the forum.