Development Policy Forum in Detail
Nowadays, the industrial and developing countries locate the duty for safeguarding the natural basis of our lives in a community of security and responsibility. We are bound – politically, economically, ecologically, and socially - closer than ever to the fate of the developing countries. For this reason, in Europe too, securing the future requires a global approach. In this sense, national development policy is a major plank in a global structural policy, playing a positive role in the overarching task the international community faces in shaping globalization so that global risks are cushioned and all countries, whatever their level of development, can utilize the chances it offers. In this context, international cooperation is unmistakably subject to a growing dynamic process. The key challenge faced by the Development Policy Forum (EF) in political dialogue is ensure this process is shaped and successfully advanced through partnership.
The measures undertaken by the EF use open dialogue to define perspectives on action with development cooperation partners and establish possible constructive solutions. The potential offered by the participants’ knowledge and experience is intended to provide a basis for generating further steps towards a sustainable development policy. The EF conferences are designed to facilitate the intensive involvement of all participants.
The conference themes adopted by the EF are aligned with the priorities in international development policy and development trends. In terms of themes and content, the EF conference program covers a number of overarching key areas. Moreover, conferences may also take up specific topics in greater depth or focus on particular regions. Between September 2004 and December 2005, there are 19 individual measures planned. These can be divided into the following key areas:
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Marking the 5th anniversary of ratifying the Millennium Declaration (September 2005)
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Reform of the United Nations’ structures
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Development policy in an expanded European Union
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Development policy in the field of the new security policy
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Themed conferences on Global Public Goods, WTO Framework Agreements, World Information Summit 2005, migration policy, the World Development Report
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Conferences with a regional emphasis on Latin America, Africa, and the Arab world.
The EF offers national and international actors in politics, industry and civil society the opportunity of exchanging opinions and information. Integrating cooperation partners, i.e., the European Union (EU), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations (UN), and the German Institute for Development Policy (DIE), in this process is intended to anchor the positions adopted by German development cooperation in the international arena.
At present, the EF has hosted more than 5000 leading figures from Germany and abroad at its conferences.
