Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The European Union public aid for development (PAD) for developing countries, particularly those from Africa, will be increased by 40% by 2015, the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, said on Monday in Addis Ababa. Speaking to the press at the just-ended 16th African Union summit, he said most of the 27 European countries will devote the agreed 0.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for PAD by 2015.

“Four out of the 27 European countries have already devoted 1% of their GDP to the aid for Third World countries. Several others are doing the same and we hope that by 2015, all member countries will reach the 0.7% of their GDP,” Mr Piebalgs said.

According to him, the return to economic growth should enable Europe to honour its promise to increase PAD in a bid to help Third World countries to implement their adaptation policies to climate change.

'We need to mobilise again for more development aid with the challenge of climate change. In this context, the Commission  strongly backs the initiative made by French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to tax international financial transactions. Actually, we rely on the double French chairmanship of G-20 and G-8 for the idea to materialise,' the European Commissioner said.

The AU summit, which ended on Monday, had president Sarkozy as its guest of honour who vowed to convince G-8 and G-20 to help Africa.

Pana 02/02/2011