Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of Danish International Development Assistance in Copenhagen

Press release 54/2012
13 March 2012

Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala will participate in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA) in Copenhagen. DANIDA operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

On 15 March, the day before the 50th anniversary celebration, Minister Hautala will participate in panel discussions in a conference organised by the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development CONCORD, with civil society, human rights and development as the topics. The conference will address the EU foreign policy support for enhancement of human rights and operating conditions of civil society organisations, as well as humanitarian assistance.

The theme of the DANIDA anniversary conference, to be held on 16 March, is “Development Policy in a Changing World”. The event will be attended by high-level representatives from developed countries, developing countries, emerging economies, international organisations, the EU and NGOs. Minister Hautala will be one of the panellists in a panel discussion concerning inclusive and sustainable development.

In addition, Minister Hautala will participate in an informal meeting of EU Ministers for Development and a high-level lunch meeting. In both of these, the main topics will be food security situation in the Horn of Africa and the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development to be held in June. In Copenhagen, Hautala will also meet Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

Further information: Milma Kettunen, Press Attaché for the Minister for International Development, tel. +358 40 522 9869, [email protected], and Timo Olkkonen, Head of the General Development Policy and Planning Unit, tel. +358 40 522 9869, [email protected]