The Fifth Edition of a programme dubbed European Development Days (EDD) opened on Monday with EU member countries reminding themselves that development aid must go hand in hand with good
policies at the recipient country.
The European Development Days is a forum for discussing European Development Policies with all the EU member countries, as well as some
members of developing countries.
Mr Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, addressing the opening ceremony, noted that all countries must ensure that there were effective, coherent and sustainable policies which were also people oriented, adding, "Governments must always be accountable to their
citizens."
He explained that at the level of the European Union, policies were based on partnership and not on dependence from a country receiving aid, emphasizing that the success of EU policies in developing countries depended
first on the government and also the policies in the country.
Mr Buzek is also the President of Poland.
Mr Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, reiterated the need for countries that received aid from the EU to have good policies at the country level and pointed out that the EU's concern was how to make development aid more effective.
"On our part we want to modernize aid and help act as catalyst for growth," he stressed and added that it was important for the EU to also
increase trade with Africa.
Dr Lesley-Anne Knight, European Union Ambassador of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, said extreme poverty in Europe had always been overlooked.
She said one in six citizens lived at the risk of poverty in Europe and it was important that issues of poverty eradication were seen in a
global light.
"Eradication of poverty should be seen as a moral duty of all governments, it is about values, it is about compassion," she said, calling on the EU to reshape their economies.
The year 2010 has been designated as EU year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.
Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that the IMF was strengthening its monitoring strategy, especially of low income countries.
He advised countries to strengthen their domestic revenue and encourage private sector growth and activities.
Hannah Asomaning, GNA Special Correspondent, Brussels