Which term is used to describe a universal set of goals and targets guiding development policy over about 15 years?

• A. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• B. Millennium Development Goals
• C. Global Development Framework
• D. Development Policy Guidelines

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how a universal, time-bound set of goals shapes development policy across all countries. The Sustainable Development Goals are the standard answer because they were adopted in 2015 as a universal framework meant for all nations, not just a subset, and they cover a broad, integrated agenda across social, economic, and environmental dimensions. They set 17 goals with 169 targets to be achieved by 2030, giving governments a common horizon of roughly fifteen years to guide policy, investments, and reforms. This universal, horizon-based structure is what distinguishes them from other options and makes them the best fit for describing a long-term, globally coordinated development agenda. By contrast, the Millennium Development Goals spanned 2000 to 2015 and were focused more on development priorities for many low- and middle-income countries, rather than a universal, all-nations framework for a shared timeframe. The other terms don’t correspond to a widely adopted, time-bound global plan, so they don’t fit as well.