The EU Ministers of Development met to discuss cooperation with Middle Income Countries

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco André, took part in the informal meeting of the EU’s Ministers of Development, today (EU).

The Ministers discussed cooperation between the EU and Middle Income Countries, which includes partners from Africa and Latin America, regions that were badly hit by the current pandemic, whose socioeconomic recovery will be backed by the EU. This discussion was held on the day when Global Europe – the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument entered into force, the largest EU foreign action instrument, with around 79.5 billion euros, adopted during the Portuguese Presidency. This will enable us to strengthen partnerships and investment in Africa and other regions in the fields of human development and climate and digital transition, among others.

The importance of strengthening the European Commitment to Human Development was also discussed, in its dual scale of Education and Health, top priorities for several of our partner countries. This is a field where EU action can make a real difference in people’s lives, and where civil society takes on an essential and decisive role in obtaining results.

The Ministers also discussed the need to speed up universal access to COVID-19 vaccines, underlying the urgency in supporting the distribution of vaccines in partner countries, namely in Africa.

Today, the conclusions on the European Financial Architecture for Development were also approved, one of the top priorities in International Partnerships, with the aim of boosting the capacity for investment and impact of cooperation for development in partner countries, focusing on the European Investment Bank’s role.

The conclusions on cooperation with Middle Income Countries were also adopted, as well as on Human Development and the EU’s humanitarian goals.