Sumario: February 6, 2002: Statement by Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid, at the Plenary Session of the European Parliament, Strasbourg. International Conference on Financing for Development, Monterrey, Mexico, 18-22 March 2002.
The Commission attaches great importance to the Conference. We are convinced that in the current international context, we cannot approach the Financing for Development (FfD) Conference on a "business as usual" basis: this time we need concrete action.
The present crisis will impact on economic development worldwide and it will be once again the poorest who will pay the highest price. We must counter this tendency by making sure that globalization works for the poor and not against the poor.
In this context, the FfD Conference represents a key opportunity for the international community to enter into a new "global deal" on the assumption that a safer world for all will only be possible if there is a strong signal on the renewed commitment in the fight against poverty.
After the agreement reached in the Preparatory Committee on the final document for the Conference, we should focus our attention on positive initiatives that the EU could take in key areas and on the input we can make in the political declaration in Monterrey.
Action is needed on the volume of Official Development Assistance (ODA): we have to agree on concrete steps to double ODA flows within the next five years, in order to be able to achieve the Millennium development goals. ODA must also be more efficient: we have to complete the work on untying of aid in time for the Conference.
All themes will stay on the agenda whether they are the subjects of a consensus or not in Monterrey. This goes particularly for global public goods.
In our view, Monterrey and Johannesburg are closely linked as both look at ways and means to implement the Millennium Declaration and the International Development targets which we strongly support. Both are also related to the launch of trade negotiations in Doha.
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