Interests of development countries taken better into account in decision-making
Development Policy Committee: Vanhanen's government has taken steps in the right direction in its development policy
Press release
March 1, 2007
"Development policy has consolidated its position at the core of international politics. For the past four years, development questions have also been taken better into account by the Finnish State administration than before," Gunvor Kronman, Chairperson of the Development Policy Committee, says.
The Development Policy Committee handed over its annual statement to Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomäki in Helsinki on Thursday. In its statement, the committee examines implementation of development policy during its whole term in office, from 2003 to 2007. This statement is the last one the committee gives during its term.
The Development Policy Committee is an advisory body on Finland's development policy – i.e. not only development cooperation – appointed by the Council of State. The starting points for the committee work included the development policy programme approved by the government in February 2004 as well as Finland's commitment to the UN Millennium Development Goals. The committee members represent political parties, labour unions, NGOs and academia. Furthermore, experts from thirteen ministries have participated in the committee's activities.
Consistency has to be written down in the government programme
According to the committee statement, the greatest challenges to worldwide welfare – such as security threats, terrorism, aids, and environmental threats – are all global. Management of global challenges requires work in many different sectors in order for the common goals to be reached. This consistency is important from the point of view of the development countries in particular.
The consistency of development policy means that the interests of development countries are taken into account in all essential areas of policy; in practice for instance, when drafting free trade agreements or deciding about labour-related immigration. The committee proposes that the next government make a commitment to consistency in development policy. This target should be clearly written down in the government programme. The working methods of State administration aimed to implement consistency in development policy should be improved. The government should establish a ministerial working group of global affairs in order to secure dialogue and consistency between different sectors.
The European Union is the main arena for systematic promotion of development policy. As holder of the EU Presidency, Finland was profiled as a country actively advocating consistency in development policy. According to the committee, Finland should continue its active work for promotion of consistency in development policy within the EU both when the Union is laying down new policy lines and in its various organs.
Reaching development goals also in the best interest of Finland in the long run
Finland's own interests are at the core of the Finnish politics, but the question is how these interests are defined. Promotion of global security, equality and democracy should be seen as activities benefiting also Finland, not only as charity work. "If we don't pay enough attention to alleviation of human suffering and reduction of poverty, in the long run, this will work against Finland's own interests," Kronman points out.
Next government should reach the 0.7 percent target of the GNI
According to the committee, the next government must keep the internationally made financing commitments and increase significantly the appropriations allocated for development cooperation. According to the committee, the 0.7 per cent share of the gross national income recommended by the UN should be reached by the end of the next government term. "The 0.43 per cent share of the GNI allocated for development cooperation in 2007 is far from this target," Chairperson Kronman reminds.
Additional information: Chairperson Gunvor Kronman, tel. +358 (0)40 745 1738, and Secretary-General Eeva Rask, tel. +358 (0)44 339 7496, Development Policy Committee