The Courier

European Development Days, Lisbon, 7th – 9th November 2007.

© EC

Close to the river Tagus, in the vast hall of the Lisbon International Exhibition Centre, NGO staffers, diplomats, African farmers and Heads of State happily mingled in an atmosphere similar to a university campus. This unlikely gathering – a potentially explosive cocktail – met for the second European Development Days (EDD) event in Lisbon, 7-9 November 2007. Following the first pilot-project held in Brussels in 2006, this initiative - the brainchild of European Commissioner for Development, Louis Michel - gathered momentum in the Portuguese capital where a key issue was on the agenda – the impact of climate change on development.

“If we fail to integrate climate change into our development policies right now, the benefit of all the investment we have made will be lost,” stated the Commissioner, setting a sober tone at the opening session of the event that was attended by José Socrates, the Portuguese Prime Minister in charge of the EU Presidency and whose presence marked the Council’s first involvement in the EDD. This call for a responsible approach turned into a cry for help when the President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, highlighted how global warming was threatening the very survival of his archipelago due to the threat of rising sea levels. He made a solemn appeal to developed and developing countries alike to commit themselves to compulsory targets to reduce carbon emissions.

On the eve of the much-anticipated international conference on climate change held in Bali in December, the EDD had provided an ideal opportunity for the EU to show solidarity with poorer countries and to increase pressure on other partners more reluctant to enter into negotiations. “Those who have contributed least to the causes of climate change are the most badly affected by it. I am thinking of the small island states and the African countries, in particular those in the Sahel region. It is important that their voice is heard in Washington, Beijing and New Delhi,” said José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission. This appeal was upheld by the star guest at the EDD 2007, Kofi Annan, who used all his authority to remind the rich countries of their responsibilities. “We can’t afford to fail. We need a post-Kyoto agreement and that must start today, not tomorrow,” insisted the former Secretary-General of the UN.

NGO village

Rather than a political platform, the EDD is first and foremost an opportunity for debate and for those working in the sector to meet the public, who were invited to visit the “NGO village” and take part in discussions. In the hall of the International Exhibition Centre, 650 Lisbon residents of all ages mingled with important figures working on the theme of climate change and from NGOs from North and South. Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change met with representatives of Climate Action Network and Action Aid International. With over 2,100 participants, “Lisbon this week is where Davos meets Porto Alegre,” said José Manuel Barroso enthusiastically.

Climate change was discussed from all angles at a series of roundtables, with a local approach taking priority. The ACP countries were not forgotten, with a debate held specifically on the consequences of global warming for their farmers. “It has been worthwhile coming. It’s an opportunity to exchange know-how, to make contacts and hopefully to find funding for our projects,” said Samuel, a farmer from Ghana. That is also exactly what the EDD is all about, an opportunity for those working in the development sector to meet, exchange views and do business.

“It’s the place to be in the sector, especially for finding partners. It’s an opportunity to do business,” said a representative from Grenade, a media production company specialising in documentaries on developing countries. The stands of Radio France Internationale and France 5 underlined just how important development is to the media. The EDD also provide a great opportunity for students interested in the aid sector to seek out opportunities for their first jobs.

Showcase

The event was also used by countries to showcase their efforts to help poorer countries. All Member States of the EU with the exception of Bulgaria erected exhibition stands on the banks of the Tagus. There was even one from Cuba. The Member States that joined the EU in May 2004 were there and could not be distinguished from the ‘old’ states. “We believe that we are achieving great things in terms of development and it’s important to show it,” said a representative at the Czech Republic stand. In the streets of the village, some stands fitted with state-of-the-art flat screen displays, were impressively designed, although they often belonged to states that have not always been the most generous in terms of development aid.

But the sheer number of initiatives did not eclipse the main message of EDD 2007 – the urgency of helping the poorest countries to fight against climate change. “Some parts of Africa will be hit by extreme climatic events such as floods and storms, not at the end of the century, but in our lifetime,” predicted Kemal Dervis, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. “It is the small people who are going to suffer most from climate change,” said Mamadou Cissokho, President of the Network of Farmers’ Organisations and Producers in West Africa.

Louis Michel was soon turning thoughts into action proposing, during the closing session, a ‘global loan’ to help the poor countries tackle climate change. The Commissioner said: “If we don´t drive this forward through strong political decisions to get immediate results, we will find ourselves in the same place fifteen years from now.” This was a challenge laid down to the decision-makers of Europe and beyond. It was also a reminder that the EDD event is a way for the EU – the largest contributor globally – to influence a development agenda still largely determined by Washington. The 3rd European Development Days event will take place in France in November 2008, probably in Strasbourg, where the much awaited issue will be the promotion of the role of the regions in development.