Saudi- Unrealistic approach

(MENAFN- Arab News) I read with interest the article 'Unrealistic goals' by Bjorn Lomborg (Sept. 16). I agree with the views expressed by the writer. I am not against such initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but these goals are undoubtedly very unrealistic by nature. First of all we cannot use the same yardstick for every country. It is not possible for countries of the Third World to implement policies that the First World countries implement to achieve such objectives. Such initiatives only tend to overburden poor countries which are already struggling to provide its people with the basic amenities of life.

Instead of forcing every country to follow a strict pattern to achieve these goals these initiatives should be tailored to suit the ground realities of every country. For example India may be one of the fastest-growing economies of the world but it is also one of those countries where a majority of its population is forced to defecate in the open. It may be signing deals with countries like Brazil etc on an equal footing but these disparities make a huge difference. One cannot expect the two countries to adopt same policies to achieve a particular goal. Qasim Khan Riyadh