Ireland has jumped six places to 12th position in a major United Nations report on quality of life, which was launched in Dublin this morning. However, the same report shows that Ireland has the highest level of poverty of western countries outside the US.
The Human Development Index shows Ireland has considerably improved its ranking, from 18th position in last year's report. The index of 175 countries is considered a major benchmark of quality of life and affluence.
Despite this improvement, Ireland's ranks 16th of 17 western countries for poverty and inequality. This ranking is the same as last year's. Poverty levels here, at 15.3 per cent of the population, are exceeded only by the US, where 15.8 per cent live in poverty.
The report also found that 54 developing countries expeienced income declines over the course of the decade. It warns that unless rich countries keep their pledge to deliver financing for development, the Millennium Development Goals will not be met.
This year's report focuses on the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to halve world poverty by 2015.
Rock star Bono said that Ireland had a unique opportunity to address the causes of extreme poverty around the world. "We have a chance to be a special influence, but that's going to cost us. It's going to cost the Taoiseach some popularity at home," he said.
The report was being launched in Dublin to mark the first time Ireland hasmade the top 10 of an international league table measuring overseas aidcontributions as a percentage of its gross national product.
Speaking at the global launch of the report today, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern reiterated the Government's pledge to increase Ireland's Overseas Development Aid (ODA) to the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP in 2007.
Mr Ahern said that although the United Nations Development Programme report contained much valuable data, it required careful analysis and interpretation. "For example, we use a different poverty measure here, but we are committed to monitoring relative income poverty," he said.
The Human Development Index is a composite measure of life expectancy, education and income per person. This year's report marks a significant acceleration in Ireland's performance; since 1990, Ireland moved up just three places in the table.
Norway leads the index for the third year in succession, with Iceland in second position, followed by Sweden, Australia and the Netherlands. Sierra Leone ranks last and 30 of the 34 lowest-ranking countries are in Africa.
The report shows 21 countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia experienced declines in key social and economic indicators in the 1990s. In Africa, this decline is attributed to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS, which leads to a lower level of life expectancy.
UNDP Administrator, Mr Mark Malloch Brown said the decline was an urgent call to address health and education as well as income levels in these countries. "Reversals in HDI are highly unusual as these indicators generally tend to edge up slowly over time," he said.
The launch of the report starts in Dublin today and will end at the inauguration ceremony of the AfricanUnion Summit in Maputo on Thursday where over 40 African heads of state willbe present. The joint launch is to highlight the importance of North-Southpartnership.
