The Courier

Lisbon is the venue for the second round of European Development Days that take place from 7 to 9 November. This is unique event – a Porto Alegre or Davos of Development Policy – brings together all the key players in the field. In this interview, the architect of the initiative, Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development, explains the background to the event and his hopes for the future, as well as commenting on the next EU-Africa summit and the Economic Partnership Agreements with the ACP countries.

What lessons did you take from the first European Development Days (EDD) and why have you decided to organise this second event in Lisbon?

The first lesson is that thanks to this event, there is now a forum that brings together all the players in the development ‘family’: Heads of State, NGOs, professional experts, the European Commission, not-for-profit organisations and the business world.

I am also aware that Europe is at the forefront of development and is happy to be so, both as the world’s largest donor of development aid (48 billion euros in 2006 – 56% of the global total – and equal to €100 for every citizen of Europe) and as the leader of international thinking on cooperation with its partners, wherever and whoever they may be. To have, above all, a dialogue with our partners on the great issues of development: to put an end to poverty; to build constructive and balanced relationships.

In doing so, I recall the words of the Reverend Desmond Tutu: “The only way we can hope to be prosperous, ultimately, is together”.

So you ask, “why hold a second event in Lisbon?”. My response? Because the world needs dialogue in order to find answers to global problems – in particular to those brought about by climate change.

Why this theme?

Because it’s urgent! Climate change is accelerating bringing with it the possibility of unprecedented catastrophes. We must anticipate the problems to come and begin to act against them while we can. We have a duty to talk about it, we cannot use the excuse that we did not know about it. All of us have our responsibilities in this. Europe today is leading the way with direct action on pollution, specific commitments, new regulations, finance for renewable energies programmes and so on. Our message, which I want the politicians to take to heart is, “we must act now!”.

In practical terms, the Commission has proposed a new global alliance on climate change, specifically to assist poorer countries in coming to terms with the phenomenon. This to include helping them adapt to changing climatic conditions ; reduce emissions caused by deforestation ; help developing countries take advantage of the global carbon trading market ; help them to better prepare for natural catastrophes and to integrate climate change into cooperation strategies for both development and combating poverty.

The European Development Days in Lisbon will be the opportunity to debate all these issues. From there, we can develop innovative projects to meet the challenges of climate change: limiting emissions and developing renewable energy processes (solar, wind power, biomass, hydroelectric).
Not forgetting our goal of combating poverty too!

Finally, it is not only up to the Commission to make concrete proposals. They should come from everyone involved – from the development ‘family’ and other in the international community.

At the next EU-Africa summit the major issue will be the partnership between the two continents. What are the Commission’s priorities in this regard?

Everyone should be aware that Africa and Europe must map out together the path their common future is to take: the path of peace, of prosperity and solidarity. We have to cooperate with Africa both as partners and as neighbours.

As far as foreign relations are concerned, Africa is the Commission’s priority. Look at the figures: 60% of the total aid received by the continent comes from Europe, 85% of African agricultural exports are bought by Europe and 65% of the contributions to funds for fighting HIV, tuberculosis and malaria come from the EU. Our eight priorities reflect the challenges facing us: peace and security; climate change; realisation of the Millennium goals for development, governance, democracy and human rights; migration, mobility and employment; science, the information society and space.

Additionally, the European Union hopes to reinforce its partnership with the African Union and set the example that the prosperity we enjoy in Europe was created because nation states decided to co-operate and work together.

But I also want to send out a strong message to Africa that they need to sweep away many of the old clichés about the continent! Africa is changing. Africa today is a place of unique natural resources, of cultural diversity, of developing technology. It is also a place of arts, music, biodiversity, sport and youth. Africa is indeed full of promise. Just look at Nelson Mandela. What an example to the rest of us in the world!

There is some uncertainty hanging over the summit, namely the participation of the President of Zimbabwe. What is your feeling on this issue?

My feeling is this summit is very important. This discussion between two continents is necessary and is long awaited.

The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and the ACP regions are due to be signed at the end of the year. Some African and European NGOs are concerned that this will weaken still further the ACP economies. How would you answer them?

Aid is not the be all and end all of development. The poorest countries must find ways to integrate themselves into the world economy and use their assets to eradicate poverty. Look for example at the Asian countries. They have managed, step by step, to embrace globalisation, strategically position themselves in certain sectors, progressively open their markets and then finally compete with the major economic powers.

Our approach with the EPAs is a gradual one. It involves establishing regional markets between ACP countries, and to then open the EU to exports from these countries (an asymmetric, non-automatic reciprocity) at a pace which suits each side. It is an approach that must be intelligent, responsible and focused on development. With these agreements, our commercial relationships with the ACP countries become compatible with the WTO. In making this happen, the Commission is playing its part with a vision of a globalised – yet regulated – world, based on clear rules.

As we can recall, by adopting a regional strategy, a Europe ravaged by two world wars was able to rebuild itself. For today’s challenges, as with those of Europe in the past, this must be accompanied by considerable development aid – a Marshall Plan for these countries. As part of this, an extra two billion euros of aid per year from now until 2010 is anticipated (the 10th European Development Fund for 2008–2013 will increase this by 35%).

In making this work, we must cushion the social impact of change and reform so that the benefits are much greater than the cost of adaptation. Simply put, it is necessary to create wealth in order to then redistribute it. This is the spirit of the Economic Partnership Agreements, – to be both constructive and optimistic.
It is also something I personally believe in very strongly.

I have just returned from the Pacific Islands Forum, where I signed the first Country Strategy Documents with 13 states and I can, therefore, tell you from first hand experience not only how important, but how welcome Europe’s presence is.

Hand-in-hand with our partners in the Pacific we are responding in practical terms to global problems (the environment, security, biodiversity, climate change, energy and so on) as well as using our influence to achieve political stability and a return to the rule of law and democracy in places like the Fiji Islands.

Louis Michel, the willing optimist

Having imposed his direct style of working on numerous missions to the four corners of the globe – in the Congo this earned him the nickname ‘Captain Haddock’, Louis Michel, for three years European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, rarely needs any further introduction.

He expresses his opinions in very plain language, leaving no one indifferent to his views. Rejecting, for example, the arguments of opponents of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), he is also critical of those in favour of systematic sanctions against ACP countries suspected of reneging on clauses in the Cotonou Agreement. And although a determined advocate of budgetary aid he wants to make certain that partners have a strong sense of their own responsibilities. Above all, he sees his role as that of the man of politics, he was as head of the Mouvement Réformateur (liberal party) of Belgium, where he acted as Foreign Minister. “I am not a political eunuch!” he once claimed during a hearing before the European Parliament.

The Commissioner also has a strong, ongoing commitment to Africa, going back to when he was head of Belgian foreign affairs in 1999, when he fought hard for the re-establishment of peace in central Africa. Louis Michel is a man who believes strongly in what he terms “willing optimism”. Those who know him well know that Africa lies at the heart of his professional life. His official EU website perhaps best sums up his views, “It is not the impossible that gives cause for despair, but the failure to achieve the possible ...”

François Misser