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Here Our Aid Really Has an Cooperation and More Sustainable Development European Commission European Development Days 2006-2013 8 years of policy debates from the European Consensus to the post-2015 agenda Brussels, 2014 Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers European Development Days to your questions about the European Union. 2006-2013 Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. 8 years of policy debates from the European Consensus to the post-2015 agenda More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014 ISBN 978-92-79-38970-2 doi: 10.2841/47722 Forward by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. © European Union, 2014 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. This book has been published by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid in August 2014. Printed in Belgium Printed on elemental chlorine-free bleached paper (ECF) European Commission The European Development Days: a partnership of strong values and bold ideas JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO President of the European Commission European values and the EDDs proud to say, were rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. And they have combined with our When I addressed the European Development Days commitment to development in framing our efforts in Brussels in December 2010 I stated my belief in to help fellow citizens around the world, whose a Europe that is open and committed to the values needs are so much greater than ours. of development, freedom and solidarity. These values have been central to the European project European citizens support our development efforts ever since its inception and continue to permeate because they understand that, in our modern world, the European Union’s policies and activities to this we have the technology and resources to defeat day. They are an intrinsic part of what makes us poverty. As I said at the European Development Europeans. They have also been at the heart of the Days in 2011, all human beings aspire to a dignified European Development Days, which have become life for themselves and their children. It is frankly a key fixture in the world’s development calendar in unacceptable and incredible that we can send people less than a decade. into space but cannot send all our children to school; that while so many of us enjoy levels of wealth It was a decade ago that the European Union took previous generations could only dream of, so many on the largest and most ambitious enlargement others struggle to find work and can barely afford to project in its history. Solidarity, freedom and a sense put food on the table, heat their homes or get decent of common purpose underpinned this project, as healthcare for themselves or their families. they have every other enlargement project before or since. They have enabled us to turn a continent left That is why our poverty eradication efforts must divided and poor by war into a strong, prosperous continue. And it is why solidarity and freedom have and peaceful Union – efforts which, I am immensely been recurring themes at the EDDs. 4 5 Importance of aid I am proud that we have made good on the pledge Governance and democracy: I am happy to say that we are close to achieving I announced in my opening speech at our very first vital to human development an ambitious external dimension of the next Of course, the official development assistance EDDs in 2006 – to forge a stronger, more political seven-year budget that would express a strong EU we provide is a vital part of our development partnership with Africa. This strategic partnership, As someone who grew up in a dictatorship I know commitment on democracy and human rights. cooperation and poverty eradication efforts. We too, is based on shared values, interests and objectives. how poor governance and lack of freedom can wear have succeeded in maintaining high levels of aid It covers an array of areas, from peace and security people down, stifle opportunity, choke potential. The European Instrument for Democracy and in the European Union’s budget for 2014 to 2020 to social and human development and economic and Societies that deny people their basic rights are also Human Rights is our main tool in this area. Last for the next 7 years. Our aid budget, amounting to trade cooperation. And it strives to bring Africa and preventing them from creating wealth and building week, an agreement was reached to increase its 50.1 billion euro, will be mostly targeted towards Europe closer together through stronger economic decent lives for themselves and their families as funding for 2014-2020 by 21 per cent compared to the poorest countries where our aid really has an cooperation and more sustainable development. valuable and valued members of the community. In the current budget. The part of it that is dedicated to added value. Indeed, 70 per cent of EU bilateral All in all, the time has therefore come for us to move doing so, these societies are unwittingly sowing the human rights and their defenders … has doubled its cooperation will be allocated to least developed on from traditional donor-recipient relationships seeds of their own failure. share, from 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the program. and other low-income countries. We are very proud and embrace a shared long-term vision with our Moreover, one of the financial instruments within that the European Union and its Member States partners in a globalised world. The debates around development and governance EU budget to channel development aid, the together remain the world’s leading donor. I have issues have provided the European Development Development Cooperation Instrument, will contain given my personal backing to a robust and well- Days with some of their most moving testimonies from 2014 an additional and new objective: It will funded EU development policy because I have seen Beyond aid down the years. At the inaugural EDDs in 2006 we use a rights-based approach that includes human with my own eyes the transformational results that welcomed Mo Ibrahim Prize laureate Festus Mogae rights in all EU development cooperation activities. aid can bring. These broader, strategic partnerships will see us open alongside anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond De facto this will transform the DCI into a pro- up trade links and help countries lay the foundations Tutu. Aung San Suu Kyi spoke to the 2010 EDDs democracy and human rights instrument. This is The Lisbon Treaty that guides all European Union for growth and prosperity to which all people can via a video address, just a few weeks after her a major achievement that actually goes beyond action has clearly made poverty eradication the main contribute and from which all can benefit. We want release from house arrest. And then, a year later, we the 40 per cent that you are referring to. aim of EU development policy. It has encouraged us to build stronger partnerships with civil society and gathered in Warsaw with the Arab Spring still fresh to continue looking outwards, even when economic new players like the private sector. We are looking in our minds. In grappling with the sometimes thorny subject difficulties have made it tempting for us to look in to help boost domestic resource mobilisation in our of governance on more than one occasion, the on ourselves. partner countries. And we are pursuing innovative As we have learnt from these freedom leaders, European Development Days have once again In looking outwards we have seen a changed development financing methods to get more from building "deep democracy" is a complex task. It showed that they are at the cutting edge of the world in which the EU’s development priorities the development resources we put in. relies on many factors: free elections, institutional development debate. They never shy away from must change as well. As a development minister in So aid is just part of the story. Development is not and legislative reform, a pluralistic system of parties, even the most challenging development debates. Portugal I witnessed how development cooperation just about numbers, but also about values. As I said an independent judiciary and respect for the rule of And they contribute hugely to shaping the based on real partnership, with partner countries at the 2011 EDDs in Warsaw, good governance, law, fundamental freedoms and minority rights, the development community’s responses on a wide making their own development choices, can make a human rights democracy and the rule of law are key fight against discrimination, the independence of range of topical and recurring issues, not least real difference to people’s lives. to the European vision of development. the media, the fight against corruption, transparency global public goods. Take climate change, for and accountability. Putting these principles into instance, which has featured prominently in almost Accordingly, with more advanced countries we are Accordingly, the European Union has been steadfast practice remains a challenge for many countries. all editions of the European Development Days, exploring more relevant, modern, mutually beneficial in its support for good governance and democracy But it is a challenge that must be overcome, because but which took centre stage along with sustainable partnerships, so that we can focus our development as a cornerstone of development, making it a pillar to build such a system is to sow important seeds for development at the second EDDs in Lisbon in priorities on those who need our help most.
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