VN-conferentie in New York over Afrika

De bijdrage ('intervention') van de minister-president is in het Engels uitgesproken:

Looking at Africa, we see a mixed picture. On the one hand good prospects, thanks to efforts of African and donor governments and economic growth. On the other hand there are multiple threats to development: rising food and fuel prices, climate change, instability within states and between states, and lack of progress on the MDGs. As the MDG Africa Steering Group pointed out, the current picture is far from satisfactory.

Publiek-private samenwerking

The Millennium Development Goals in Africa are an ambitious target. Reaching them will be far from easy, but there is no alternative. We are in this together. We must carry on until we have reached our common goal. One issue I have been advocating this week, together with Prime Minister Rudd of Australia, is the need to involve non-state players as crucial counterparts. Companies, non-governmental organizations and citizens themselves. We simply need more and stronger public-private partnerships.

The Netherlands is firmly committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We are one of the few countries that really spends 0.8% of its GNI on Official Development Aid. In Africa, we spend around euro635 million a year on bilateral aid alone. And this is not counting our contributions through international organisations. For continued support in my country it is crucial that funds are having an impact on poverty reduction, that they are effective.

Good governance

Real progress on human rights, good governance and the fight against corruption is essential. This includes democratisation, free press, and transparent power and wealth-sharing arrangements within African states and societies. They are a precondition for building stable African states in which economic progress is possible. Without this, states will remain potentially fragile.

It is an extra incentive for traditional donors, non-traditional donors like China and India, and African states themselves to give high priority to these good governance issues, alongside sustainable economic development and fair trade.

Please allow me to make a remark on fragile states in Africa, because this issue has been on the agenda so very often in the last couple of years. The regional problems we face in the Great Lakes Region, Sudan, and the Horn of Arica are well known. In addition to this, the example of Kenya and the events in Ivory Coast have shown us that the stability of African states cannot be taken for granted.

Millenniumdoelen 4 en 5

I am particularly worried about progress on MDG 4 and 5. They need extra attention from all actors involved. The high levels of child mortality and the lack of progress on maternal health are clear indicators of the difference between rich and poor countries. We furthermore need a greater focus on improving access to clean water and sanitation. These areas are a priority in our development cooperation programmes.

Only a harmonised approach towards the issues I have mentioned will guarantee full success. Our governments again committed themselves to such a harmonised approach in Accra earlier this month. And it is my sincere hope that we will put this commitment into practice as soon as possible.

Together we can - we must - make a difference.