EALA slams States over missed MDGs

NAIROBI: The East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) has accused the regional governments of frustrating the full implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

EALA Speaker Daniel Kidega complained East African governments had demonstrated laxity in initiating measures that would have ensured the goals were achieved before the December deadline.

He said despite EALA passing resolutions to guide member states in realising the goals, governments had delayed in adopting the same.

The Speaker further said ineffective parliamentary action had led to poor implementation of MDGs and challenged the governments to commit fully to the anticipated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"I can guarantee you that the fate of the SDGs will be equally sealed if Parliaments do not enact their own action plans and take up the mantle on some of the relevant areas to their mandate," he warned.

Kidega said regional states' delay in adopting and implementing resolutions passed by EALA on the eight MDGs and the UN Millennium Declaration also contributed to the shortcomings.

He was speaking during a workshop titled, "The role of EALA in implementing the SDGs: Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development."

The MDGs include halving extreme poverty rates and stopping the spread of HIV/Aids.