If the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are off-track, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, it is emphatically not because the goals are unrealistic. It is because governments in both the rich and poor countries have done too little to provide the "little answers" to which Barnes refers. Vaccinations, clean water and sanitation are vitally important. So too are the big changes required to end fundamental injustices like reform of the international trading system and effective action to combat the impact of man-made climate change on poor people.

In Scotland, the 250,000 demonstrators who marched their way around Edinburgh in July 2005 advocating specific policies to help end poverty have good reason to be angry that the commitments made at the Gleneagles G8 have not been met. 'Twas ever thus with the lives of the poor. Still many rich nations, including the UK, fail to meet the aid target agreed in 1970. There remain poor countries burdened with unpayable and unjust debts. And the Doha development round of trade negotiations has as much life in it as a turkey carcass on Boxing Day.

Despite this, some progress has been made showing that when promises are met, things change. For example, the pressure applied to governments by campaigners over many years has enabled the Zambian government to introduce free health care in rural areas with its cancelled debts thereby benefiting millions of desperately poor Zambians.

At this time of new beginnings, 2008 must be a year when there is the political will and determination to do what it takes to achieve the MDGs. If not, and it goes the way of so many New Year resolutions, we will continue to measure the failure to act in the unnecessary and wholly avoidable deaths of impoverished children at a rate of 30,000 every day.

Paul Chitnis, chief executive, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, Glasgow