Despite technological progress, economic growth, positive globalisation effects, transcending the borders of nation states and interconnection, modern societies still tolerate unequal opportunities and uneven economic development. Therefore, the international community is challenged to use globalisation for the benefit of humanity and to equally distribute both the advantages and disadvantages of this process.
Development cooperation is one of the most important means of better directing globalisation, as well as multiplying and evenly distributing its advantages and benefits. Each developed country is responsible for balanced global growth. Development cooperation is not only an expression of solidarity by developed countries with developing countries – it is also vital to the interests of us all. In the role of the country presiding over the Council of the EU, Slovenia feels particularly responsible for effectively supporting the efforts of developing countries, especially the least developed.
At the session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2000, the leaders of 189 countries adopted the Millennium Development Goals and committed to put them into practice by 2015. In 2008 we are entering the second half of the 15-year period in which the Millennium Development Goals should be attained. The international community has achieved a certain progress; however, the Millennium Development Goals can be realised within the time limit only if all international development cooperation players consistently fulfil the commitments laid down in the Millennium Declaration.
Ensuring official development assistance is an international commitment of the Republic of Slovenia, which officially became a development assistance donor with its accession to the EU and graduation at the World Bank in 2004.
Financing development assistance
In 2005, Slovenia allocated 0.11% of its GNI (EUR 28 million) to official development assistance (ODA), and in 2006 0.12% of GNI (EUR 35 million). The initial data about the funds allocated in 2007 show that they amounted to 0.13% of GNI. In accordance with the Monterrey Consensus and EU Council conclusions of May 2005 which were upheld by the European Consensus on Development in December 2005 Slovenia – as well as other new EU Member States – will strive to allocate 0.27% of GNI until 2010 and 0.33% of GNI until 2015 to ODA. Slovenia channels ODA through multilateral and bilateral mechanisms.
Multilateral assistance:
Bilateral assistance:
Bilaterally, Slovenia allocates the majority of its funds to Western Balkan and Eastern European countries. Slovenia has signed bilateral development cooperation agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Albania. Agreements with Montenegro and Ukraine are being drafted.
Slovenia channels bilateral development cooperation through non-governmental organisations and organisations founded by the Slovenian government. Slovenia is active in assisting victims of armed conflicts in the region (Foundation "Together" – Regional Center for Psychosocial Well-being of Children), the area of demining (International Trust Fund for Demining - ITF), capacity building in the area of public finance (Centre of Excellence in Finance - CEF), training and educating entrepreneurs (International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises - ICPE), and assistance to countries in drawing closer to the European Union (Centre for European Perspective - CEP).
As an EU Member State, Slovenia is also expanding its activities to other continents and world regions. Slovenia's development cooperation with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP countries) and other developing countries takes place through EU and UN mechanisms.
International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance Act
On 23 June 2006, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance Act, which systemically regulates this domain. The Government drafts a proposal for a resolution on international development cooperation by the Republic of Slovenia, which is to be adopted by the National Assembly.
Priorities of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency in the field of development cooperation
Within the Trio, Germany, Portugal and Slovenia prepared the joint 18-month presidency programme on development cooperation, which defines joint presidency priorities and priority areas for each Member State.
Particular attention within the programme is devoted to Africa being a priority of European development policy; it will be necessary to direct additional efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Attention will be devoted particularly to the fight against poverty, ensuring political, economic and social stability, and mitigating negative effects of migration. As the country presiding over the EU, Slovenia will begin preparations for the implementation of the EU-Africa Joint Strategy adopted at the EU-Africa Summit in December 2007 in Lisbon. The action plan for strategy implementation envisages eight Africa-EU partnerships, which reflect the strategic priorities of both continents: peace and security; governance and human rights; trade and regional integration; Millennium Development Goals; climate change; migration, mobility and employment; and science, information society and space.
Negotiations to conclude Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) will continue during Slovenia's EU Council Presidency. EPAs are agreements between the EU and the regions of sub-Saharan Africa (four regions: Central, Southern, Western and Eastern), the Pacific and the Caribbean. EPAs are a development cooperation instrument and include important trade-related provisions and provisions in the area of services, investment, intellectual property, procurement, competition rules, environmental protection etc. EPAs could not be concluded until 1 January 2008, when the trade regime of the Cotonou Agreement ceased to apply. Therefore, temporary agreements were signed with ACP regions or countries, which mostly include only trade-related provisions that are in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organisation. The aim is to conclude comprehensive EPAs that would promote the regional integration of ACP countries and contribute to their integration into the world economy. Comprehensive EPAs can contribute to achieving the development objectives of ACP countries, whereby negotiations should be conducted so as to maximise the development effect of EPAs.
Efforts to fulfil and implement EU commitments will continue, among them the Millennium Development Goals, European Consensus on Development and Monterrey Commitments. Activities in the area of the division of labour, aid effectiveness and policy coherence for development will continue as well.
The European Commission is drafting a communication, "EU Aid: Delivering more, better and faster – Tracking our commitments" (the EU's contribution to achieving Millennium Development Goals). EU Council conclusions will be drawn up based on this Communication. Council conclusions will also be important for the preparation of the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (September 2008 in Accra) and the international conference "Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus", which will be held in Doha at the end of 2008.
For the EU as the world's leading provider of development aid, it is important to fulfil commitments from Monterrey in the light of achieving the MDGs and improving the EU's visibility as a global player. As every year, the European Commission will draw up a report on fulfilling the Monterrey Commitments of its Member States and the European Commission.
The situation of children and women in armed conflict was defined as the Trio presidency priority in the 18-month programme of the first Trio and as a special priority of Slovenia's EU Council Presidency in the area of development cooperation and humanitarian assistance. Our goal is to improve the EU's response to the difficult situation of both vulnerable groups in armed conflicts by means of development cooperation mechanisms, and to ensure synergy between security and development, which will consolidate the EU's contribution towards attaining the MDGs.
The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) published a study, Enhancing the EU Response to Children Affected by Armed Conflict with Particular Reference to Development Policy. Recommendations by this study and the relevant material by the European Commission will serve as a basis for drawing up the conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council in the configuration of ministers of development of EU Member States (GAERC), when it meets in Brussels on 26 and 27 May 2008.
During Slovenia's EU Presidency, a study on the situation of women in armed conflict with particular reference to EU development will be made together with Germany and Austria.
During its EU Council Presidency, Slovenia will also make preparations for the XII Ministerial meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XII), to be held in Accra, Ghana, from 20 to 25 April 2008. The meeting will focus on addressing the opportunities and challenges of globalisation for development. Member States will discuss how to ensure that developing countries benefit from globalisation for faster economic progress and poverty reduction. EU Member States and Slovenia, as the country holding the EU presidency, will work to engage UNCTAD towards achieving the MDGs, reducing poverty through sustainable development, and promoting gender equality and the stable and democratic development of Africa.
Events of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency in the field of international development cooperation:
Presentation of the study entitled "Enhancing the EU Response to Children Affected by Armed Conflict with Particular Reference to Development Policy", Brussels, 11 January 2008 Presentation of Slovenia's EU Presidency programme at the Committee on Development of the European Parliament, 28 January 2008 Conference on the Challenges of EU-27 Development Policy – hosting a technical seminar on the European Development Fund, Brdo, 17–18 February 2008 Informal meeting of the Humanitarian Aid Committee (HAC), Brdo, 6–7 March 2008 Joint Parliamentary Assembly EU-ACP, Ljubljana, 15–20 March 2008 UNCTAD XII, Accra (Ghana), 20–25 April 2008 Session of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in the EU MS development ministers format, Brussels, 26–27 May 2008 International conference on the topic of the role of non-governmental organisations in awareness raising and education for development, Brdo, 8–10 June 2008 Council of Ministers EU-ACP, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia), 12–13 June 2008
Cooperation with non-governmental organisations
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia is cooperating with non-governmental organisations in the field of development cooperation. In 2005 a Slovenian platform of non-governmental organisations for development and humanitarian aid, SLOGA was created. SLOGA has a representative on the Expert Council for International Development Cooperation and participates in drafting the Resolution on International Development Cooperation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs earmarked EUR 34,000 for the systemic operation of SLOGA in 2007.
In 2007 the Ministry carried out two projects in cooperation with non-governmental organisations,
Rehabilitation of Chernobyl children:
In Slovenia the project "Rehabilitation of Chernobyl Children 2006" took place, intended for the rehabilitation of 30 children, victims of the Chernobyl catastrophe 20 years ago; Rehabilitation of children from B&H
This year was the second time that the government co-financed a project involving children from B&H, which is carried out by the Association of Bosnian and Herzegovinian Students in Slovenia (BH4) and the Slovenian Red Cross;
which were intended for children and took place mostly at Debeli Rtič. Slovenia has been carrying out similar projects for several years.
In 2006 the Ministry also carried out the project "Intercultural dialogue among Israeli, Palestinian and Slovenian students": From 12 to 21 July 2006, Israeli and Palestinian students were invited to Slovenia in order to participate together with Slovenian students in the project "Intercultural dialogue among Israeli, Palestinian and Slovenian students". The purpose of the project was to initiate dialogue between community representatives, as well as to encourage tolerance and respect by means of debates and workshops. The government earmarked SIT 5 million for the implementation of the project.
Slovenia is taking part in the Regional Partnership Programme (RPP) which is aimed at encouraging and improving projects in the field of development cooperation in Central European countries. Non-governmental organisations from the new Member States cooperating with Austrian partners in the implementation of their project can participate in the call for applications within the three-year RPP; the programme is financed by Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs earmarks EUR 33,383 each year for the RPP. Several Slovenian projects covering the fields of development cooperation and awareness raising have been selected in two calls for applications. |
