| Piebalgs: EU must spend more to achieve MDGs |
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Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs urged Member States to draw up plans for increasing their development aid, and making it more effective, ahead of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Review Summit in New York in September. The Commission has released an “April package” of proposals for stepping up EU development efforts to get the MDGs back on track for the 2015 deadline. After relative increases in 2008, EU development aid fell following the financial crisis, but the EU remains the world’s largest aid donor. “Europe must remain the main and most credible leader in the fight against poverty,” said Mr. Piebalgs. “We have to respect our promises of more and better aid.” The Commission’s proposals also include: introducing binding measures at national level to ensure delivering on aid commitments; setting up country-by-country reporting standards for multinational corporations; consolidating European representation at the IMF and the World Bank in a single European seat; and measures to address capital flight from developing countries. These actions have been welcomed by NGO network Eurodad. However, Eurodad has also criticised the “April package” for failing to offer stronger commitments on key issues, and for not committing to make climate change adaptation finance additional to existing ODA. “...The “April package” turns a blind eye to key issues on aid, capital flight, developing countries’ debt and the reform of the International Financial Institutions which are fundamental to support the world’s poorest countries’ recovery from the crisis, and to put in place reforms that contribute effectively to the achievement of the MDGs,” said Eurodad. Sources:
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