The event aims to make development aid more effective, to build a global coalition against poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Through frank and sometimes controversial debates on pressing issues, such as governance, poverty and environmental sustainability, the European Development Days provide unprecedented opportunities for sharing ideas and launching innovative partnerships.

Each year, a set of themes and overarching ideas are nominated to once again stoke the fires of debate. This year, the EDDs focused on democracy and development in the wake of the recent Arab Spring events and the proposals of the European Commission for a new EU development policy.

The EIB alongside Business Europe thus held on December 15^th a high level panel on the power of the private sector in the development process. Among the main speakers, the panel welcomed Tamsyn Barton, Director General for Lending Operations outside Europe at the EIB, Jacques Delmoitiez, President Europe, Africa, and Middle East at BASF, Adrian van den Hoven, Director for International Affairs at BusinessEurope, Tashmia Ismael, Faculty & ‘Base of the Pyramid’ Hub Manager at Gordon Institute of Business Science, South Africa, and Klaus Rudischhauser, Director, DG Development Cooperation at the European Commission.

For 40 years the European Investment Bank has been a development partner in Africa. In addition, it supports investment in 20 Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), mainly in the Caribbean and Pacific, which have constitutional links with certain EU Member States.

For more information about the event, visit the European Development Days website on: http://www.eudevdays.eu/