On Wednesday 15 June 2016, Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, Romain Schneider, participated in the 10th edition of the European Development Days, organised by the European Commission in Brussels.

The opening ceremony was attended by numerous high international figures, alongside European leaders. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, called on the European Union and its Member States to remain committed to development cooperation and emphasised the importance of public assistance to development and the threshold of 0.7% GNI to reach. This was cited as particularly important now that it involves implementing the decisions of the major conferences of 2015 with the sustainable development goals and the commitments of the COP 21.

Speeches were also given by many partner countries of the EU, including Kenya, Mauritius, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic.

Minister Schneider participated in a panel on the future of relations between the EU and the 79 countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) and the Cotonous Agreement which binds the two groups.

The Minister spoke in favour of maintaining a global agreement, but with enhanced regionalisation and a greater role for civil society and the private sector on both sides to fix the level of joint ambition. He also called for maintaining a financial instrument of a similar size to the current European Development Fund but budgeted by the EU, with the funds to be allocated in a much more differentiated manner according to the development level of the beneficiary countries compared to the present situation.

Romain Schneider met with David Nabarro, Special Adviser to the UNSG, on the implementation of the Agenda 2030. He explained how Luxembourg is gearing up to meet new sustainable development goals. The debate will continue this July in New York amongst UN bodies.

Finally, Minister Schneider met Félix Moloua, Minister of the Economy, Planning and International Cooperation of the Central African Republic, to take stock of the bilateral cooperation of the two countries, both in humanitarian terms as well as the field of security.

Minister Molova warmly thanked Luxembourg for its commitment, including in facilitating the smooth running of the elections in CAR. Luxembourg was invited to attend a conference of CAR's partners in November in Brussels.

 

Photo by EU (Romain Schneider)