The recognition that development is a common challenge for the entire world was the dominant message from the opening session of the EDD13. "A clear vision of an interdependent world, in which problems in one place affect us all" was how Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, summarised the ambition.
Sharing a platform with prime ministers and presidents from developing countries, she spoke of negotiating the future "not as north, south, east, west, poor, rich but as members of one humanity with a common destiny".
The message found its echo in the remarks of senior European Union figures. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, said "the fight against poverty and the fight for sustainability" are "two sides of the same coin one cannot be achieved without the other". He went on: "Together I believe we have what it takes to [...] succeed in our fight against poverty, for sustainability, for human dignity- because development is also a matter of human rights".
Taking the example of climate change, "probably the most pressing global issue the defining challenge of our time", Barroso underlined that since "by definition it does not respect borders, we have a fundamental shared interest in tackling it together."
And Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development, added: "The global challenges we face require global answers and global actions."
EDD13 is providing a forum for bringing together a wide range of ideas to help create a vision for the post-2015 agenda. It is the EU's contribution to seeking a coherent and comprehensive response to the universal challenges of poverty eradication and development that is sustainable in economic, social and environmental terms.
Stressing the need for joint efforts in tackling the challenges of development, Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Niger, said he welcomed this "opportunity to share our experiences".
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, also urged a move towards "inclusive development", expressing the ambition that this EDD13 will lead to a word "where human beings live in dignity, equality and prosperity".
José Maria Pereira Neves, Prime Minister of Cape Verde, spoke of the need for sustainable solutions and a common approach. "Cape Verde and Africa need partnerships with the international community [...] This is a win-win situation it's in both of our interests."
The emphasis was on a shared agenda, in acknowledgement of the necessity to shift from viewing development as an issue for poorer countries to a challenge for the entire world.
Sirleaf took a strategic view of the challenge: "Where does Africa want to be 30 years from now, and where does the world want to be 30 years from now?", she asked expressing the hope for "a new world of true partnership".
The challenges remain. Sirleaf noted that for all the progress towards meeting some of the MDGs: "Two years from the 2015 deadline, Africa's progress remains uneven".
And as Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica, pointed out: "We still live in a world divided by power and wealth". But she too recognised an "emerging global reality".
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About EDD13
How should European address global poverty and sustainable development post-2015? That is the question at the heart of European Development Days 2013 the annual event organised by the European Commission. This year the debate is focusing on what should succeed the Millennium Development Goals, which expire in 2015.
At EDD13, more than 5,000 members of the development community are helping to clarify the next steps for Europe in creating a new development agenda, in discussions with representatives of developing and developed country governments, international agencies, NGOs and academia, politicians and officials from the Europe Union.
They are exploring how the EU can help to promote basic living standards, human rights and justice, inclusive sustainable growth, and new partnerships for development. Sessions are examining issues relating to health, food security, and education; gender equality women's empowerment; problems of peace security and fragile states; democratic governance; land and livelihoods; employment decent work; social protection; climate change; trade the private sector; and financing that goes beyond official development assistance.
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Contacts:
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E-mail: press@eudevdays.eu