With six years to go, the world has a mixed record with regard to the achievement of the MDGs – a set of time‐bound quantitative development targets the world set for itself in 2000 to reduce human poverty. The progress towards the MDGs has been halted because of recent food, fuel and financial crises. This article portrays a picture for beyond 2015. It identifies six distinctive issues: sets of goals and targets; assessment of needs; policies and strategies; resources and coordination; monitoring progress and gaps; reporting. The article argues that beyond 2015, the present set of MDG goals and targets will need to be re‐evaluated and reminds us that the 2010 review of the MDGs provides a unique opportunity to the whole world not only to accelerate MDG efforts for 2010–15, but also to initiate a discussion of these issues in preparation for beyond 2015.