§ Mr. ClellandTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcome was of the Development Council held on 31 May; and if she will make a statement. [1942]
§ Clare ShortAt its meeting on the 31 May, the Development Council
called for increased poverty focus in EC aid; clear indicators of performance; more effective collaboration with other donors; and coherence between development objectives and other EC policies. It also agreed a mechanism for monitoring performance against such indicators;called for the EU to improve co-ordination with other organisations on conflict issues without adding to bureaucracy; agreed that development adds the vital longer-term perspective to analysis of conflict and highlighted the importance of building national capacity to prevent and resolve conflict;agreed conclusions on Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development; Election Monitoring; EC-UN Partnership; and Follow-up to the EC Development Policy;adopted a Joint Declaration with the Commission on the Global Health Fund.We will be reporting separately on the outcome of the Council to the Chairs of the House of Lords European Union Committee, the Clerks of the International Development Committee and the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee.