The European Development Days symbolises the European Union’s determination to enhance public awareness about development cooperation and to strengthen the effectiveness of development assistance. It is essential that European citizens feel committed to engaging in a stronger partnership with developing countries. The European Development Days (EDD) is being held in Lisbon, Portugal from the 7th to the 9th of November 2007.

Further information on EDD and the programme of events can be found on the European Development Days website: http://www.eudevdays.eu/Public/Homepage.php?ID=380

The 2007 edition follows the success of last year’s EDD, the event confirmed the role of Europe, not solely as primary sponsor of development aid, but also as a leader in international thinking on co-operation. The event gave European countries the opportunity to strengthen public awareness of the issues at stake in development.

The theme of this year’s EDD is climate change and the impact of climate change on our ability to provide development assistance. Today, with accumulating scientific proof that climate change has detrimental effects on poverty reduction, the response to climate change is an integral part of the Millennium Development Goals. As a frontrunner in the response to climate change and the provision of development assistance, the European Union, in it’s ‘Consensus on Development’, emphasises environment and biodiversity as key pillars of EU development cooperation.

The aim of the EDD is to bring together all actors from Europe and its partners involved in development to help to improve our ideas, working methods and delivery. The European Development Days serve as a natural platform for launching new initiatives to enhance the synergies we experience in our everyday work.

Contribution of Irish Aid to EDD

Delegates from Irish Aid will be in attendance at the EDD and will make an active contribution to the debate on climate change. Ireland will be represented at the EDD by a stand (Stand 13A) providing information on how Irish Aid is tackling the issue of climate change and the impact it has on development cooperation. A series of publications outline the impact of climate change on Ireland’s overseas development efforts.

A parallel event will be conducted by Irish Aid in partnership with IIED on Wednesday 7 November. The title of the event is:

Climate Change and Pastoralists:
A discussion on support for vulnerable communities preparing for the negative impact of climate change.

It is a look at IIED’s work with pastoralist communities in Tanzania, supported by Irish Aid. The talk will focus on the effort to develop the capacities of government, policy makers and pastoralists to adapt to the challenges of climate change.

The speakers are Dr Saleem Huq, Director, Climate Change Group, IIED and Su Fei Tan, MA, Researcher, Natural Resources Group, IIED.

It will be held in room 1of the Feira Internacional de Lisboa on the 7th November from 16:00 to 18:00.

All are welcome to attend. The discussion will be prefaced by an Irish Aid presentation and followed by a drinks reception.