Meeting online, PES development ministers met with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen to exchange on the valuable role the NDICI-Global Europe instrument will play in building stability and prosperity for Europe’s neighbouring regions, and beyond.
EU cooperation with middle-income countries, human development, and coronavirus vaccines were also topics on the agenda for the PES meeting.
The newly appointed Chair of the Development ministerial network, Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Francisco André, said:
“The NDICI-Global Europe instrument is a big success for our drive to build a fairer world. With this tool, the EU can more effectively work to eradicate poverty, fight climate change and support democracy, the Rule of Law and respect for human rights. It puts sustainable development and human development at the centre of the EU’s global efforts. We congratulate Commissioner Urpilainen for her role in securing this significant success.
“There is a desperate need now for the EU to live up to its role as a global actor. For many people across the world, the pandemic has made their lives harder. The COVID crisis has reversed decades of progress in many areas related to human development. More people are in extreme poverty and existing inequalities in wealth, gender, and race are getting worse. It is important that the EU continues to share vaccines with those in need around the world, maintaining its position as the biggest donor to COVAX, and showing solidarity with those battling the virus.
“Now is the time to really embrace Global Europe to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and support low and lower-middle-income countries, particularly in our sister continent of Africa. We congratulate commissioner Urpilainen for her leadership in the successful outcome on this file.”
Last Week, MEP gave their backing for the Global Europe fund, which will be used to support sustainable development in EU neighbourhood countries, Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Pacific and the Caribbean.
The meeting was attended by:
- Francisco André, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, EU Council Presidency, Portugal
- Meryame Kitir, Minister for Development Cooperation, Belgium
- Franz Fayot, Minister of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs and Minister of the Economy, Luxembourg
- Ángeles Moreno Bau, Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Spain
- Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, European Commission
- Udo Bullmann, MEP, S&D Group Coordinator on Development, European Parliament
- Giacomo Filibeck, Deputy Secretary General, PES
