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Rule the world

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19 February 2015 / Lawrence McNamara
Issue: 7641 / Categories: Opinion
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What lies ahead for the rule of law & international development, ask Dr Lawrence McNamara & Dr Julinda Beqiraj

Is securing the rule of law a goal worthy of pursuit by the international community? If so, how?

The United Nations will give its answer to these questions in September when the General Assembly agrees on what goals will drive international aid and development for the next 15 years. But what those answers will be, we do not yet know.

Development goals

In 2000 the international community agreed on eight goals—Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—which, by 2015, were intended to meet the needs of the world’s poorest. Now, the UN is working towards agreement on goals for 2015-2030: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Progress against the MDGs varied across countries but, importantly, it has been widely acknowledged that the development model underpinning those goals did not work properly and should be replaced by a truly transformative model.

As a result, the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda will be markedly different. In particular, it will reflect a three-dimensional understanding

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