About: development

Europe helping Mayotte to reduce its high cost of living

Mayotte, one of the EU’s least developed regions, lies in the middle of the Indian Ocean. EU cohesion policy supports the French department by encouraging local production and trade. EURACTIV France reports.

EU countries top development policy charts

EU countries lead the way when it comes to development policy, according to a new report by a US-based think-tank. Eleven EU countries dominate the top-12 of the Commitment to Development Index published by the Center for Global Development on Tuesday (18 September).

EU unlocks €800 million for African investment vehicle

The EU’s much vaunted private investment vehicle in Africa has moved a step closer to becoming reality after €800 million was unlocked to leverage multi-billion euro investments on the continent.

A ”facelift” to the EIB: the EU financial arm needs forward-looking reforms

The European Investment Bank (EIB) celebrates this year its 60th anniversary. But the 1958-founded EU body and bank should now look forward and commit to becoming a more sustainable, accountable and transparent institution, writes Xavier Sol.

Africa-Europe ties need a reset – but not just because of migration

Europe and Africa need a partnership which should focus on the new realities in both regions. Europe can become the region's main partner during its transformative revolution if it listens to civil society representatives, writes Shada Islam.

Finance, Cotonou and women set to dominate European Development Days

As far as global development goes, few events can match the reach of European Development Days, whose Brussels edition will gather 8,000 development policy professionals this week.

Migration control must be at heart of next EU-Africa pact, says EU

The EU will put migration and security at the heart of its agenda in talks on a successor to the Cotonou Agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific nations (ACP), a leading EU official said on Monday (26 March).

EU politicising development aid to build Fortress Europe

EU investments should not be used to blackmail or externalise borders. Particularly if the EU really wants to tackle the root causes of forced migration, writes Xabier Benito Ziluaga.

Ethiopian ambassador: Development partners should work in term with our policies

Ethiopia’s Ambassador Teshome Toga Chanaka spoke to EURACTIV’s Georgi Gotev in a video interview: “We don’t believe in imposition of development policies because something that is imposed without your will won’t last long.  This is exactly what has happened in the past in Africa and Ethiopia would like to see that come to an end."

Mayor of Gaziantep: EU owes Turkey more money

The European Union “doesn’t understand Turkey” and does not deliver what it has promised in terms of aid to the refugees from Syria, Fatma Şahin, the mayor of the Turkish city of Gaziantep, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

EU unveils strategy to stabilise Iraq following territorial defeat of ISIS

The EU's foreign affairs chief and the European Commission adopted yesterday (8 January) a Joint Communication proposing an EU strategy for Iraq in order to address the many challenges the country faces following the territorial defeat of Islamic State.

Development through agriculture, the farmer’s way

Belgian farmer Remy Schiffeleers founded the association "Farmers Without Borders" 30 years ago, inviting young farmers from Benin, Senegal, Mali come to Belgium and learn how to produce goat cheese.

S&D chief: ‘Employment for young Africans is a huge challenge’

On the eve of the EU-Africa Summit, Gianni Pittella says that European short-termism in migration policy will not address its root causes, and looks at agribusiness to leverage the continent out of poverty - 'but not at any cost'.

NGOs decry France’s shortcomings in education aid

Around 264 million children worldwide don’t go to school. The Education Coalition in France denounces the country's lack of education focus on development aid programs. EURACTIV France reports.

EU-India relations come full-circle

For more than a decade, the EU and India partnership had been slow-moving and fragmented, struggling to maintain momentum. The last EU-India summit however shows EU-India relations have come full circle, writes Gauri Khandekar.

Rajeev Kher: ‘A social business does not remain a social business forever’

Social businesses are supposed to address social and environmental issues. But when the social issue is resolved, the social business becomes a business like any other, according to Indian social entrepreneur Rajeev Kher.

World Bank: More than reconstruction, post-conflict Syria will need development aid

The economic disorganisation of Syrian society, lost connectivity and destruction of business networks has an impact on GDP 20 times bigger than the destruction of buildings, World Bank officials have told EURACTIV.com.

Macron’s aid promises deemed insufficient

French President Emmanuel Macron announced a “considerable effort” to increase the budget dedicated to development aid from now until 2022. But surprisingly, the budget for 2018 will remain unchanged. And the focus on security enrages NGOs. EURACTIV France reports.

Arancha González: ‘Fair’ is a bit of a difficult word

In an exclusive interview, the International Trade Centre's executive director managed expectations about fair trade, as well as broaching the subject of child labour and transparency in the value chain.

Mimica: Private sector has a key role in reaching the SDGs

The massive need for investment in projects of public interest in developing countries cannot be met by the public sector alone, this is why the involvement of the private sector in reaching the SDGs is key, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview.

Ethiopia’s huge honey production potential in search of modern techniques

The beehives of Ethiopia, Africa's top honey producer, make about a quarter of the continent's honey, but travellers who come to sample the liquid gold often find there isn't enough to go around .

EU’s ‘New Consensus on Development’ puts migration control centre-stage

The EU's New Consensus on Development is meant to plot a roadmap to meeting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Instead, the draft proposal appears to prioritise migration control and military operations, writes Johannes Trimmel.

EU’s New Consensus on Development needs support

With national discourse becoming increasingly insular, few politicians are brave enough to make the case for multilateralism on the domestic stage. But the need for multilateral action and effective support of development and growth outside Europe has never been greater, argues Werner Hoyer.