MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
29.6.2005
pursuant to Rule 108(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Brian Crowley, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis and Eoin Ryan
on behalf of the UEN Group
on the Global Call to Action Against Poverty: Making Poverty History
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0398/2005
B6‑0402/2005
European Parliament resolution on the Global Call to Action Against Poverty: Making Poverty History
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the United Nations Millennium Declaration adopted by all Member States in September 2000, which laid down the tasks for the international community in joining their efforts towards serious elimination of poverty by 2015,
– having regard to the commitments made by the EU at the Barcelona Summit in March 2002 in advance of the Monterrey Conference,
– having regard to the New York Declaration on Action Against Hunger and Poverty of 20 September 2004, signed by 111 national governments, including all the EU Member States,
– having regard to European Commission communications COM (2005)132, COM(2005)133 and COM(2005)134 of 12 April 2005 on accelerating progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals,
– having regard to the Conclusions on Development of the G8 Finance Ministers meeting in London on 10-11 June 2005,
– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 16-17 June,
– having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas more than one billion people still live below the extreme poverty line of one dollar per day, lacking the means to stay alive in the face of chronic hunger, disease and environmental hazards; 20 000 people die from poverty every day,
B. whereas over 40 countries have been scarred by violent conflict, as a result of which the number of internally displaced people stands at roughly 25 million, nearly one third of whom are beyond the reach of United Nations assistance,
C. whereas in the past 25 years the world has seen the most dramatic reduction in extreme poverty mainly due to progress in East Asia and South Asia,
D. whereas, in order to achieve the MDGs, it is estimated that it will be necessary at least to double the annual international aid contribution (currently USD 50 billion), and whereas two thirds of developing countries spend more on servicing debt than on basic social services,
E. whereas the UN High Level Event in September will bring together Heads of State and Government to carry out a major review of the progress towards achieving the MDGs; recognising the crucial importance of the EU contribution to obtaining tangible results from the Summit,
1. Calls for all Member States to reaffirm their commitment to eradicating poverty and to promoting development and global prosperity; shares the international community’s concern at the slow pace of implementation of the global development agenda;
2. Welcomes the fact that the development of the African continent, which continues to lag behind the rest of the developing world in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, is one of the principal concerns of the European Union agenda; fully supports the main priorities proposed as a basis for the EU-Africa strategic partnership as approved by the European Council;
3. Congratulates the European Council for their agreement on a new collective EU target of an ODA/GNI ratio of 0.56 by 2010 and notes with satisfaction that with this decision the European Union reaffirmed its determination to attain an internationally agreed ODA target ratio of 0.7 % by 2015;
4. Welcomes the active involvement of the new Member States, who joined the EU after 2002, in the Community donor policy and notes with satisfaction their commitment to reaching an ODA/GNI ratio of 0.17 % by 2010 and a ratio of 0.33 % by 2015;
5. Expresses the hope that the Commission and the Council will ensure that the new commitments will be transformed into genuine development cooperation which will entirely benefit the development and the reduction of poverty of those in need; in this context recalls the need to improve the quality and effectiveness of ODA for partner countries;
6. Underlines the urgent need for increased investment in developing countries; in this respect notes the importance of international discussion aimed at identifying innovative and additional sources of finance for public investments and policies which directly address the Millennium Development Goals and set the foundation for private-sector-led growth;
7. Calls on each developing country to recognise its primary responsibility for its own development, including strengthening governance, combating corruption and putting in place the policies and investments to drive private-sector-led growth;
8. Welcomes the G8 proposals for HIPC debt cancellation of outstanding obligations of HIPCs to the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Fund;
9. Stresses that the issue of debt sustainability should be addressed in order to reach a level of debt which would allow a developing country to achieve both the Millennium Development Goals and reach 2015 without an increase in its debt ratios; in this context, notes that for most HIPC countries, this will require exclusively grant-based finance and 100 per cent debt cancellation, while for many heavily indebted non-HIPC and middle-income countries it will require significantly more debt reduction than has yet been on offer;
10. Calls on the EU and the US to assist in the creation and the funding of a common agricultural policy for Africa, in order to encourage sustainable farming practices, to provide for the establishment of an internal agricultural market in Africa, to develop an export strategy for food produce and to guarantee an adequate food supply for all of Africa;
11. Underlines the necessity for the WTO Ministerial Conference planned for December 2005 in Hong Kong to achieve ambitious and balanced results in order to provide developing countries with an opportunity to fully integrate into the global economy; stresses the need to address the issues of market-access barriers and trade-distorting domestic subsidies in the context of trade relations with the developing countries;
12. Calls on international donors including EU Member States to mobilise support for scientific research and development in areas of health, natural resources, environmental management, energy, and climate in order to address the special needs of the poor;
13. Notes the critical role that civil society organisations have to play to be a driving force within countries in pressing development concerns, mobilising broad-based movements and creating grass-roots pressure to hold leaders accountable for their commitments; therefore welcomes the initiative of the worldwide alliance ‘The Global Call to Action Against Poverty’;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the accession countries, the United Nations and the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD.