The EU ministers for development and the United States to discuss enhanced transatlantic cooperation

Press release 271/2009
20 October 2009

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will participate in a meeting between the EU ministers for development and the executives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to be organised in Stockholm on 21 October. In their meeting, the participants will discuss the possibility of enhanced EU-US development policy dialogue.

The objective of the initiative launched by Minister Väyrynen in January 2009 concerning transatlantic development policy partnership is to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development, and especially to better observe the interests of the poorest countries.

Active efforts have been made during the year to promote the initiative both within the EU and between the EU and the United States. The goal is to have the issue included on the agenda of the next EU-USA Summit, to be held at the beginning of November.

The meeting between the EU and the United States will be preceded by an informal meeting of EU ministers for development the themes of which include democracy, climate change, coherence of development policy, and aid effectiveness, all belonging among the development policy priorities of the Swedish EU Presidency.

In addition, Minister Väyrynen will participate in the opening event of the European Development Days on 22 October. The key topics of the event, organised for the fourth time, include the economic recession and the climate change, as well as the challenges of democracy and development. Several NGOs and other sectors from Finland will also participate in the event with expected attendance of approximately 5,000 people from 125 countries.

Additional information: Press Attaché to the Minister Annika Saarikko, tel. +358 400 739 824, Advisor to the Minister Päivi Nevala, tel. +358 40 753 4375, and Counsellor Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury, tel. +358 40 721 7159