Citizens stand up for development

Stockholm: our correspondent, Joshua Massarenti, reports from Stockholm where he is attending the European Development Days, taking place between October 22-24.

Europeans believe in international cooperation.  This, according to the Eurobarometre released during the European Development Days, according to which 9 out of 10 European citizens still believes development is important.

In these times of economic crisis, the news of the widespread support in the model was received with a sigh of relief.

Claims that Europeans wanted to turn away from the African cause and concentrate on the resolution of their own problems have been firmly shut down.

Indeed, it turns out that 72% of Europeans are in favour of honouring or going beyond existing aid commitments to the developing world.

“This poll clearly shows that citizens expect their governments and the EU Commission to dig deep for development financing,” says EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Karel De Gucht.

“Even in the context of the economic crisis, I appeal again to the EU Member States to stick to their commitments to increase development aid up to € 69 billion by 2010 to meet the mid term target of the Millennium Development Goals”.

The road ahead seems to be severely steep. 

In 2008, member states had released 49 billion Euros for aid to development.  A figure which will not easily be surpassed in the current climate of economic crisis this year.

Some countries – amongst which famously Italy, which was attacked at the G8 last July for this exact reason – have justified their diminutive donations to international development by precisely using the pretext of the current financial difficulties.

The media will have to act as vigil here. 

If anything  else, they will be able to count on the support of 42% of European citizens who are convinced that mass media coverage of countries affected by poverty needs to increase.

By Joshua Massarenti – Afronline