Minister Väyrynen: Too much of EU and Western countries’ development cooperation takes place through the public sector
Press release 355/2008
26 September, 2008
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen participated in the High-Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals, held on 25 September in conjunction with the UN General Assembly. The minister spoke at the Roundtable Discussion on Poverty and Hunger, where he highlighted the effectiveness of development cooperation.
“Too much of the development cooperation efforts of the EU and Northern donors takes place through the public sector. We have neglected the development of infrastructure, and of agriculture and the productive private sector, although we would have a lot to give in these sectors,” the minister stressed.
Väyrynen also stated that Southern-Southern cooperation between emerging and developing countries should place more weight on the social sector.
“Emerging countries would have good experiences to offer, for instance, in developing their own education and health care systems. I believe that these experiences could be applied directly to conditions in poor developing countries.”
In his address the minister also underscored the principles of sustainable development
“Development that is sustainable economically, socially and environmentally is both a goal and a necessary precondition for rapid and effective poverty reduction. If even one of these pillars is neglected, we will fail in our goals,” the minister emphasised.
Minister Väyrynen attended the opening week of the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 24–25 September. He also took part in a panel on climate change that was convened by Rajendra Pachaur, Chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In addition, the minister participated in the meeting of the Nordic development cooperation ministers.
Additional information: Päivi Nevala, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, mobile tel. + 358 40 753 4375, and Director General Ritva Koukku-Ronde, mobile tel. +358 40 830 4868