Brussels, 17/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - The 27 EU ministers responsible for development welcome efforts made by the European Commission to enhance its annual report on improving EU development and external assistance policies, but considers it is still possible to do better. In light of the 2009 report established by the Commission for the previous year, the Council, which met in Brussels on Monday 17 November, above all welcomed the emphasis placed on eliminating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as well as on highlighting the importance of the Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) agenda. It also welcomed inclusion in the report of featured articles on the Africa-EU partnership, and the inclusion of sections devoted to the implementation of budgetary assistance and electoral observation.
In its conclusions, the Council encourages the Commission to continue its efforts to improve this annual report, by giving greater detail of progress accomplished in terms of division of labour, indicating more consistently how EU cooperation works in countries in a fragile situation, and identifying more clearly the lessons drawn from experience. The Commission is also encouraged to pay special attention to strengthening its results-oriented monitoring and its reporting on human rights, democratic governance, gender equality, climate change, the impact of the global and financial crisis on development, the EU-Africa strategy, the role of middle-income countries (MICs) in tackling global issues, the involvement of non-state actors and local authorities in development, as well as innovative sources of financing. (A.N./transl.jl)