The European Development Days are a yearly event hosted jointly by the European Commission and the EU Presidency in order to showcase the EU continuing and enduring commitment to development.
For its fourth year, it brought some 4 000 people and 1 500 organisations from the development community together on an equal footing. Delegates from 125 countries were represented, including heads of state and leading world figures, Nobel prizewinners among them.
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 provided 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, Democracy, Adapting to Climate Change, Promoting Energy Efficiency and Global Recession were the main topics for discussion.
Delegates also got the chance to meet potentially hundreds of organisations taking part in the Development Village – a professional fair organised alongside European Development Days. The EIB held, this year again, a stand in the village to promote its lending activities in the developing world.
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/