The Network of Global Leaders
The Network of Global Leaders was formed at the invitation of Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to provide political backing and advocacy at the highest possible level for the Global Campaign for the Health MDGs.
Support of this kind will be crucial for the success of the Global Campaign – leading to better health and fewer deaths.
The Global Campaign for the Health MDGs
The Global Campaign for the Health MDGs was launched by Prime Minister Stoltenberg with other global leaders in New York in September 2007.
The aim of the campaign is to increase and sustain the political and financial commitment for the health MDGs, in particular
those protecting the most vulnerable, women and children. MDG 4 sets out to reduce child mortality by 2/3 and MDG 5 aims to
reduce maternal mortality by 3/4 and achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015.
The network consists of a small number of international leaders besides Mr Jens Stoltenberg. The other leaders are
- Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands
- President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique
- President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania
- Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil
- President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia
- President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal
- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia
- Graça Machel, President and founder, Foundation for Community Development Mozambique
The network does not convene regular meetings or conferences. Instead, each member ensures that his or her own country's commitment to achieve the health MDGs (MDGs 4 and 5) is sustained and followed up every day. When participating in summits and other high-level global events, they will push for action to achieve the health MDGs by 2015, keeping up the political pressure on behalf of the Global Campaign.