Making the best of 2007

Edmund Woodfield looks at what campaigning highlights we are likely to come across in 2007.

''2007 is a vital year for the Millennium Development Goals - targets were agreed upon by member states of the United Nations in 2000'' ''With new leaders expected to represent the UK and France, as well as Germany, it is looking hopeful that the G8 will have renewed energy.'' ''The Make Poverty History campaign and Live 8 brought many new people into the ranks of activists.''

Well what a couple of years it's been. 2005 was a fantastic year when it came to campaigning. Fighting poverty became truly mainstream, and the Make Poverty History campaign and Live 8 brought many new people into the ranks of activists. Indeed, raising the profile of international development in 2005 was so successful that it proved a hard act to follow, and for many, 2006 was something of an anticlimax. Of course, it wasn't all bad with notable success for the Control Arms campaign. But what will ensure that 2007 builds on the achievements of the previous years?

2007 is a vital year for the Millennium Development Goals. These targets were agreed upon by member states of the United Nations in 2000 - their aim was to dramatically reduce poverty and its effects within the following 15 years. In 2005, the Make Poverty History coalition raised concerns about the lack of progress being made on most Goals - that was a third of the way to the deadline for meeting the MDGs. Now we are in the year which will mark the halfway point and there still seems to be little prospect of them being achieved.

This is something that has to be changed. So, this year, expect a great deal of pressure to be put on world leaders to effect changes that will put the Goals back on track. July 7th 2007 marks the day we enter into the second half of the timeframe. Let's make sure we use this milestone to show our intentions to achieve the MDGs and make progress towards making poverty history and improving health and education drastically.

Another important event is the G8 summit - held this year in Germany and headed by the new German chancellor Angela Merkel. She has already indicated that the main focus of the meetings will be on fighting poverty. With new leaders expected to represent the UK and France, as well as Germany, it is looking hopeful that the G8 will have renewed energy.

Experience dictates that world leaders need more than a gentle nudge in the right direction to do anything significant other than talk. Perhaps as much as in 2005, this G8 summit's success will be vital, particularly in terms of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Sustained campaigning will be necessary to bring about the changes in policy we need to see.

Finally, 2007 sees the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. As we celebrate the achievements of possibly the most successful campaign in history, we will do well to remember the effects we still have on the poorest countries in the world, for example in enforcing unfair trade rules. I think this event is both a time to reflect on past success and to strive for future achievements. This should sum up our attitude in 2007 as we seek to see the aims of Make Poverty History achieved.