Most developed countries have accepted, in principle at least, the 50-year-old commitment of contributing 0.7 per cent of gross national income to supporting the development of developing countries. But what if all countries made a universal development commitment, meaning a scaled contribution? We propose a new universal and scaled financial commitment to development, informed by but not necessarily identical to official development assistance. This paper: (1) sets out how a new era is emerging of higher global ambitionsfor example, to end poverty; (2) proposes a new way to raise and govern international public funds; and (3) discusses the possible size and use of contributions, and the evolution in global governance and democracy that a new deal would entail. We conclude with a set of questions that the proposal raises.

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provides economic analysis and policy advice with the aim of promoting sustainable and equitable development. The Institute began operations in 1985 in Helsinki, Finland, as the first research and training centre of the United Nations University. Today it is a unique blend of think tank, research institute, and UN agency-providing a range of services from policy advice to governments as well as freely available original research. The Institute is funded through income from an endowment fund with additional contributions to its work programme from Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom as well as earmarked contributions for specific projects from a variety of donors.

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As we move into 2010, this article argues that there are three questions to ask in the MDGs review. First, have MDGs maintained their political resonance? Second, are the MDGs still realistic? Third, are the MDGs still an adequate proxy for the complexities of development? It considers some of the capacity constraints to progress in Africa, and the range of inputs required to reach desired outcomes – the MDGs.