The great age of engineering is now. This message was central to UNESCO’s first-ever report on the role of engineering in development, released in October – less than a month after the Millennium Development Goals summit in New York.
Jeffrey Sachs, a renowned MDG advocate, is among those who share the belief that infrastructure is central to the achievement of the eight goals. At an MDG summit side event he hosted Sept. 21, the Columbia University professor noted that infrastructure – such as electricity, transport and information and communication technology – has lasting effects on economic growth, water and sanitation systems, as well as maternal and child health.
The growing importance of infrastructure in attaining the MDGs has, in effect, increased the profile of engineers and, subsequently, the range of jobs for these professionals in international development. But the expert pool is not yet sufficient to meet the demand for engineering services in aid work.
About the author
Eliza Villarino
Eliza Villarino currently manages one of today’s leading publications on humanitarian aid, global health and international development, the weekly GDB. At Devex, she has helped grow a global newsroom, with talented journalists from major development hubs such as Washington, D.C, London and Brussels. She regularly writes about innovations in global development.
