The Millennium Project was directed by Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs. The bulk of its analytical work was carried out by ten Task Forces with support from a small secretariat team based at UNDP headquarters in New York. . The Task Forces comprised a total of more than 250 experts from around the world including: researchers and scientists; policymakers; representatives of NGOs, UN agencies, the World Bank, IMF and the private sector. All Task Force Members volunteered their time and e ach Task Force was chaired by 2-5 Task Force Coordinators who led the research effort. In January 2005 each Task Force presented its own detailed recommendations in a series of final Task Force report, all of which contributed to the UN Millennium Project's synthesis report, Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Recommend strategies for poverty reduction and economic development, with particular emphasis on the least developed countries. As a cross-cutting task force, address the linkages between economic development and issues such as health, education, population, employment, gender equality, conflict and environmental resource management.
Recommend a set of interventions that countries can choose from to help provide universal access to high-quality education. The Task Force was also tasked with developing an operational framework of action to promote gender equality and empower women.
Recommend an operational framework for halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, and other major diseases in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies to provide access to affordable, essential drugs in developing countries.
Make recommendations to integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources.
Recommend a framework for an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system necessary to correct the trade imbalance and give developing countries greater economic growth potential and a more effective capacity to defeat poverty.
As of Jan 1, 2007, the advisory work formerly carried out by the Millennium Project secretariat team is being continued by an MDG Support team integrated under the United Nations Development Program.
