Asia-Europe development cooperation takes centre stage as Commissioner Piebalgs opens ASEM Development Conference II
An Asia-Europe Partnership for Sustainable Development will be the driving theme behind the high-level ASEM Development Conference II, taking place on 26 and 27 May 2010, in Indonesia. Co-hosted by the Republic of Indonesia and the European Commission, the event is taking place in the run-up to the 8th Summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) being hosted by Belgium on 4-5 October 2010.
Some 180 participants from ASEM member countries (27 EU Member States and 16 Asian Countries, the ASEAN secretariat and the European Commission), think-tanks and civil society will take part in a wide-ranging debate on the future of international cooperation for development, as well as more focused discussions on low-carbon development and the roles of social cohesion and policy coherence in development.
As part of his first visit to Asia, Commissioner Piebalgs will make a key-note speech at the conference, taking the opportunity to set out and discuss the European Commission's "Asia Agenda". The Commissioner said, "EU and Asia have to join forces to reach the Millennium Development Goals and trigger opportunities for growth and jobs in the region. Too many people still live in poverty, child and maternal mortality is too high, and climate change threatens to reduce living standard. Our actions must be a catalyst for change".
