Brussels, 23/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - The 28 member states of the EU and the 79 countries of the ACP (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) are in favour of a universal and robust general framework for development beyond 2015, to add to and complete the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The common declaration on this subject adopted in Nairobi on Friday 20 June by the ACP-EU Council of Ministers stresses the need for a framework of this kind, based around a single raft of objectives to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development, whilst taking account of the capacities and levels of development of each country.
The new framework should include the three dimensions of sustainable development in a balanced way - economic dimension, social dimension and environmental dimension. To this end, the two parties recommend that additional emphasis be laid on the need to provide decent living conditions for all, by means of universal healthcare, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, the sustainable exploitation and management of natural resources, good governance, making use of the recommended framework as a tool to reduce inequality, create decent jobs and promote more sustainable consumption, production and structural economic transformation models.
The text stresses the need to answer the specific questions of the ACP countries, particularly the small developing island states, the least developed countries, landlocked countries and areas in post-conflict situations. It also stresses the challenges facing the middle-income countries. Climate change is seen as one of the main threats to the vulnerable ACP states, as it brings with it short- and long-term risks to efforts to promote development. Both sides call for the cross-cutting issue of climate change to be included in the global framework of development post-2015.
The EU and the ACP countries call on all countries and the international community to help to mobilise the funding required for the development programme post-2015, by public funds and also via private financial and investment flows. All of the developed countries which have not yet done so are called upon to honour the commitment they made to allocate 0.7% of their gross national income to public development aid (PDA). (AN)