South Asia Consultation

South Asia Consultation

Poverty Eradication and the Quality of Aid

26 to 29 September 2000

As part of an ongoing process initiated within Eurostep to consult representatives of organisations in developing countries with whom member organisations are working, a meeting took place in Haryana just outside Delhi, India between 26 and 29 September 2000. The meeting brought together some 60 people to discuss approaches and strategies for pursuing poverty eradication within South Asia and the role of aid in this process. Participants included representatives from Eurostep and its member organisations, some based in Europe and some in the region, together with journalists, academics and representatives from civil society organisations from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and India. Representatives from the European Commission delegations in Dhaka and Delhi also participated.

This meeting was the third meeting of its kind in the Eurostep consultation process. The first was held in Kadoma, Zimbabwe in 1996 with a second taking place at Montelimar, Nicaragua in April 1999.

These consultations look at how co-operation can be developed between Eurostep and its member organisations on the one hand, and NGOs and other organisations within the different regions on the other. The aim of this co-operation is to work together towards influencing the development policies and practices of the EU towards that region. This means looking at how the advocacy strategies of the different participants can be linked, and clear alliances built around commonly identified specific objectives.

The South Asian Consultation concluded with a statement of recommendations that set out the principles on which this co-operation could be built together with elements for a common approach.

A full report of the meeting will be produced in due course.

Eurostep South Asia Consultation - Statement of Recommendations (September 2000)