The Public Service Agreement

DFID's PSA 2005-2008

AIM: Eliminate poverty in poorer countries in particular through achievement by 2015 of the Millennium Development Goals:

  1. Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
  2. Achievement of universal primary education
  3. Promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women
  4. Reduced child mortality
  5. Improved maternal health
  6. Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
  7. Ensuring environmental sustainability
  8. A global partnership for development

OBJECTIVE I: Reduce poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

Target 1: Progress towards the MDGs in 16 key countries in Africa, demonstrated by:

  1. A reduction of 4 percentage points in the proportion of people living in poverty across the entire region, against the 1999 baseline;
  2. an increase in primary school enrolment by 18 percentage points and an increase in the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school by 5 percentage points, both against their year 2000 baseline;
  3. a reduction in under-5 mortality rates for girls and boys by 8 per 1000 live births, against the year 2000 baseline; and an increase in proportion of births assisted by skilled birth attendants by 11 percentage points, against the year 2000 baseline;
  4. a reduction in the proportion of 15-24 year old pregnant women with HIV;
  5. enhanced partnership at the country and regional level, especially through the G8, to increase the effectiveness of aid and ensure that international policies support African development.

OBJECTIVE II: Reduce poverty in Asia

Target 2: Progress towards the MDGs in 9 key countries in Asia, demonstrated by: 

  1. A reduction in the proportion of people living in poverty of 5 percentage points in East Asia and the Pacific, and of 8 percentage points in South Asia, both against the 1999 baseline;
  2. an increase in net primary school enrolment by 8 percentage points and an increase in the ratio of girls to boys by 5 percentage points, both against their year 2000 baseline;
  3. A reduction in under-5 mortality rates for girls and boys by 24 per 1000 live births and an increase of 15 percentage points in the proportion of births assisted by skilled birth attendants, both against their year 2000 baseline;
  4. prevalence rates of HIV infection in vulnerable groups being below 5%; a tuberculosis case detection rate above 70%; and a tuberculosis cure treatment rate greater than 85%.

OBJECTIVE III: Reduce poverty in Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa

There are no formal targets set for this objective.

OBJECTIVE IV: Increase the impact of the international system in reducing poverty, preventing conflict and responding effectively to conflict and humanitarian crises

Target 3: Improved effectiveness of the multilateral system, as demonstrated by:

  1. A greater impact of EC external programmes on poverty reduction and working for agreement to increase the proportion of EC ODA to Low Income Countries from its 2000 baseline figure of 38% to 70% by 2008;
  2. Ensuring that 90% of all eligible HIPC countries committed to poverty reduction that have reached Decision Point by end 2005, receive irrevocable debt relief by end 2008 [Joint with HMT];
  3. International partners are working effectively with poor countries to make progress towards the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals [Joint with HMT];
  4. Improved effectiveness of United Nations agencies and the humanitarian aid system.

Target 4: Ensure that the EU secures significant reductions in EU and world trade barriers by 2008 leading to improved opportunities for developing countries and a more competitive Europe [Joint target with the Department of Trade and Industry]

There are no sub-targets under this PSA target.

Target 5: by 2007/08, improved effectiveness of UK and international support for conflict prevention, through addressing long-term structural causes of conflict, managing regional and national tension and violence, and supporting post-conflict reconstruction, where the UK can make a significant contribution, in particular Africa, Asia, the Balkans and the Middle East. [Joint target with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence]

There are no sub-targets under this PSA target.

OBJECTIVE V: Develop, support and promote policy that assists poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs

There are no formal targets set for this objective.

OBJECTIVE VI: Improve the impact and effectiveness of DFID’s bilateral programme

Target 6: Ensure that the proportion of DFID's bilateral programme going to low-income countries is at least 90% and achieve a sustained increase in the index of DFID's bilateral projects evaluated as successful.

There are no sub-targets under this PSA target.

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