Windhoek — Namibia has formed a pact with El Salvador to work together towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other developmental targets. Foreign ministers for the two countries signed the cooperation agreement during the third International Ministerial Conference on Developmental Cooperation with Middle Income Countries.

Marco Hausiku, Namibian Foreign Minister, said the cooperation agreement would allow the two countries "to learn from each other" as they work towards the achievement of the MDGs.

The Foreign Minister of El Salvador, Marisol Arqueta de Barillas, described the agreement as a stepping stone towards a better coordinated approach to the implementation of the MDG.

"We could not have found a better partner than Namibia," said de Barillas.

A group of 22 middle income countries are having a three-day conference in Windhoek where they are looking at ways to accelerate the achievements of internationally agreed development goals.

For instance, middle income countries say development cooperation should be directed at expanding policy space for the recipient countries to design and execute their own development strategies. They also want the international community to reduce conditions attached to such cooperation and genuinely support ownership and leadership of the development process of the beneficiary.

"This calls for development cooperation based on constant dialogue between the two sides of the development partnership while implementing the principles of aid effectiveness," said the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Libertina Amathila, who opened the conference on behalf of President Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Middle income countries are also seeking to have the assessment of their economies based on a different formula and that international development goals take into account the unique characteristics of each country.

Delegates said the categorisation of middle income countries on a criterion of per capita income does not always accurately reflect the actual peculiarities and needs of those countries.

"This designation does not portray the complete picture of social and other conditions in our respective countries. In many cases, there is a disproportionate distribution of wealth and income with some sections leading opulent lives while others endure abject poverty," said Amathila.

"We are brought together by our common desire to get the commitment of the international community to support the development efforts of the middle income countries through transparent and predictable instruments," said Amathila.

The conference also discussed the enhancement of competitiveness among middle income countries, financing of human and institutional capacity building, energy for sustainable development and these countries' wellbeing beyond 2015.

Middle income countries want international institutions such as the United Nations System, the Bretton-Woods Institution and other bilateral development cooperation partners to initiate programmes aimed at supporting efforts to reduce poverty and achieve stronger economic growth and sustainable development.