Brussels, 20/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - It is to the island of Madeira, off the coast of Africa, that the Portuguese EU presidency has summoned the EU27 development ministers for an informal Development Council session on 21-22 September. Focus will be on Africa, with a view to the second Europe-Africa summit to be held in Lisbon on 8-9 December.
Points on the agenda of the meeting largely deal with matters of common concern to both Europe and Africa such as links between security and development in a globalised world, the new challenges facing humanitarian aid, the future of EU-Africa trade relations dictated by the need to comply with WTO regulations, the future and very first common EU-Africa strategy to be adopted in Lisbon, and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Louis Michel, Development Commissioner, and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson will be there to represent the European Commission.
How to improve the EU's response to fragile situations? Ministers will answer this question during the first working session that will continue with an exchange of views on ways to improve consistency between EU development and security policies. The Portuguese minister for national defence, Nuno Severiano Teixeira, will take the floor.
New stakes of humanitarian aid is the second theme to be covered by ministers, who will have an opportunity to give their views on the European consensus on humanitarian aid aimed at increased coordination and effectiveness in the European crisis response worldwide (EUROPE 9445). Louis Michel will have an opportunity to receive the first reactions to the idea of sealing a new alliance between the EU and developing countries to help the least advanced counties to adjust to climate change (EUROPE 9504). United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres will speak on “Europe and the challenges of the international development architecture”.
Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), painfully negotiated between the EU and the ACP states, will certainly be the hottest subject, with all questions allowed regarding the buffer date of 1 January 2008 enforcement. The speech by Jorge Sampaio, UN Director of the millennium project, will place EPAs in the context of development that they are supposed to promote. (an)