International development community meets for first European Development Days

The most important players of the international Development community will meet in Brussels between the 13th and the 17th of November for the First edition of the European Development Days (EDD) organized by the Directorate General for Development of the European Commission, under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. This first edition will focus on the African continent and the challenges in terms of governance as main topics and will include an EU-Africa Business Forum.

The list of participants is already impressive and includes no less than 16 African Heads of State and Government; the President of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz; several Heads of UN Funds and Agencies; Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers and ambassadors from the EU Member States; representatives from NGOs, from the African and European business communities, development experts from national Development agencies and other relevant speakers.

The objectives of this new initiative are enhancing public awareness about development cooperation issues and strengthening the effectiveness of EU development assistance in view of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The EDD also want also to send a positive message about "Africa on the move".

As Development involves much more than politics and economics, the European Development Days will include a wide range of events scattered throughout Brussels: a Millennium Campaign ("No Excuse 2015-Voices against poverty"), an African Art Exhibition, an African Comic Strip Exhibition, a Youth Art Contest for school students throughout Europe with the subject "Africa on the Move", an African Film Festival, a "Development village" and a debates between representatives of African and European journalists and media.

A specific website for these Development Days has been launched today and registration for participants and journalists has to be made online:
http://www.eudevdays.eu/opencms/Homepage_en.html

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