On 29 – 30 January the Informal Meeting of EU Development Ministers will be held under the auspices of the Czech Presidency in the Prague Congress Centre. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kohout was appointed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg to chair the meeting.
In addition to the EU development ministers the meeting will be attended by European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel and representatives of the Committee on Development of the European Parliament.
Moldovan Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanîi, Vice President of the World Bank Philippe le Houerou and Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD Mario Amano have also agreed to attend.
Among the main topics of the meeting are:
Access to local sustainable sources of energy. Access to energy sources is the main prerequisite for initiation of economic activities and decrease of poverty in developing countries. Decentralised energy sources, such as, for instance, solar energy, wind energy or biomass, can be useful, particularly in geographically remote areas. Spreading these technologies also contributes to sustainable development and environment protection. The ministers will therefore discuss ways in which the European Union might further support access to local sustainable sources of energy within the framework of the existing initiatives.
Support of democratic governance of public affairs. More effective help is not the only way to decrease poverty and support development. The primary responsibility for the fate of the developing countries falls on the countries themselves; therefore, the support of quality democratic governance is important. Among its principles are respect for democracy and human rights, effective administration and the rule of law as well as the role of civic society and parliaments. The ministers will evaluate the current initiatives of the European Union for support of democratic governance within the framework of the development cooperation and they will discuss the possibilities of strengthening it.
Financial crisis consequences for developing countries. Although the financial crisis has not had significant consequences for the developing countries yet, the consequences for the real economy will be considerable, whether due to lower trade or a decreased influx of private investments. Therefore it is all the more important that the European Union and other developed countries fulfil their obligations in the area of development aid, from the perspective of quantity as well as quality (effectiveness of aid). During the ongoing debates on the reform of the international financial architecture, the ministers will also evaluate possibilities of taking into consideration developmental aspects, including more influence for the developing countries themselves.
Other topics of the meeting of ministers will include a discussion of the current humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and a discussion of EU cooperation with partners in Eastern Europe.
A press conference will be held after the end of the meeting on 30 January at 14:30 at the Prague Congress Centre where the conclusions of the meeting will be presented. The family photo will be taken on the same day at 9:15.
Main topics will include local sustainable sources of energy, democratic governance, financial crisis consequences for developing countries and the Eastern dimension of development cooperation. Besides the ministers, the negotiations will also be attended by Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, and Josep Borrell Fontelles, the chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Development.
