Ontwikkelingshulp conferentie in het teken van klimaatverandering, de economische crisis en de rol van democratie (en)

Almost 6 000 people have now registered for European Development Days, the huge annual event on development and development assistance that kicks off on Thursday at Stockholm International Fairs. Among the participants are President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and financier George Soros, as well as members of the public. The number of people attending is set to be the highest yet at EDD.

European Development Days is being held for the fourth year in a row. The main organiser is the European Commission. The meeting is the largest during the Swedish Presidency of the EU. From 22 to 24 October, people from all corners of the world will be participating in debates on development and development assistance. EDD is an open forum for development assistance policy and international issues that brings together experts, politicians, heads of state and government, Nobel laureates and members of the public. Representatives of 250 different organisations will be attending. This year’s theme is “Citizenship and Development”, with special focus on three issues – the global economic crisis, the importance of democracy for development, and the effects of climate change.

“EDD will gather a fantastic group of leaders, thinkers, experts and development assistance workers from literally all over the world. It is a unique opportunity to really listen to those who are worst hit by the economic crisis, the lack of democracy and climate change,” says Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson. Ms Carlsson will be hosting EDD together with European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Karel de Gucht i.

Key players attending

The list of participants includes a series of key players in the area of development and development assistance. In total 15 heads of state and government and over 60 ministers are expected to attend the meeting. Participants include IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Jean Ping, Nobel Laureates Mario Molina and Mohammed Yunus, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Amr Moussa, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt. The welcome address will be delivered by Crown Princess Victoria, followed by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt i and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso i. Sweden’s Commissioner Margot Wallström i will also participate.

The discussions at Stockholm International Fairs will take place over the three days in large plenary meetings as well as in smaller seminars, with subjects ranging from the EU aid model to buying land in developing countries and green growth. Debates, events and exhibitions will take place simultaneously all over the exhibition halls.

“The EU is one of the main actors in international development cooperation and we must be prepared to constantly reform our development policy and make it more effective. We therefore want to use these days to find out what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong and how we can improve”, says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.

Will be webcast

The meeting at the Stockholm International Fairs exhibition hall is open to the public. Advance registration is now closed, but it is also possible to register on site at Stockholm International Fairs from 20 October. Find out more on the European Commission’s website www.eudevdays.eu.

A large number of the events at the exhibition hall will be webcast live here on the Swedish Presidency website and on www.eudevdays.eu. At the same time, there will be some 40 side activities taking place all over Stockholm, led by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). One event taking place at Kulturhuset in central Stockholm is the presentation of the Youth Development Prize, awarded to young people from all over Europe who have shown commitment to development issues. From 21 to 25 October, the Ubuntu film festival, about Africa and Europe, will also be taking place at two cinemas in the city.

To find out more about what is happening during European Development Days, see the links on the right.