Brussels, 27/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 26 May, the Foreign Affairs Council (meeting in Brussels in its Development format) re-confirmed the EU's commitment to allocate 0.7% of its GNI collectively to overseas development assistance. It did not give a precise date but said this would be “within the timeframe of the post-2015 agenda”, and it also reconfirmed that it would dedicate a good proportion of this financing to the least developed countries (0.15-0.20% of GNI in the short term and 0.2% within the timeframe of the post-2015 agenda).
This was no small task and it was no foregone conclusion, but realism and a sense of priorities - particularly with regard to Africa - won out (see EUROPE 11320 and 11319).
It took long discussion to succeed in reaching agreement between the four countries that have already achieved 0.7% (Sweden 1.1%, Luxembourg 1.07%, Denmark 0.85% and the UK 0.71% - see EUROPE 11290) and were pushing for a re-commitment as soon as possible, and the others which were more reluctant about the idea of committing to a timeframe without knowing if they will be able to keep to it (the countries that have budget difficulties and the member states that joined the EU after 2002, for whom the assigned 0.33% of GNI goal is a major effort).
The determination of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to reach an agreement paid off as it enabled the Council to decide on the position that the EU will support at the third global conference on development financing (Addis Ababa, 13-16 July). The Addis Ababa conference covers a much wider agenda than this point alone and goes well beyond development alone as it is a universal agenda for the eradication of poverty and sustainable development after 2015.
Through their unanimous conclusions and during their dinner discussions with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the future global partnership after 2015, the ministers gave Ban a message of full support and commitment for an active contribution in order to ensure the success of the Addis Ababa conference. All believe that this international meeting will be decisive for implementing the new partnership for the eradication of poverty and sustainable development post 2015 - a partnership which is to be adopted in New York in September (and for which the EU Council set out the guiding principles in December).
“What we agreed today is a solid basis for EU action and leadership in the upcoming negotiation process. It is a clear sign of the EU's commitment to the eradication of poverty and sustainable development at global level”, Mogherini commented.
In its conclusions, the Council states that the EU and its member states are the biggest global donors and have for years supplied over half the annual overseas development assistance. However, they state that overseas development assistance is not everything.
While Council says that overseas development assistance is crucial for the least developed countries and for states that are fragile and in conflict, it underlines the importance of the following areas for all countries: the effective mobilisation of national and international financial resources; good governance; international cooperation to tackle tax evasion and avoidance; mobilisation of the private sector at national and international levels; developing trade and investment; encouraging science, technology and innovation; and good management of migration and mobility in order to take advantage of the positive effects of migration on sustainable development. (Aminata Niang)