The first decade of the 21st century has been marked by the growing realisation that rapid economic growth and globalisation on their own cannot stimulate equitable and sustainable development in poor countries. Most of these countries still face a multitude of challenges, including worsening poverty, food and energy scarcity, environmental degradation and social strife and conflict.
Enhanced understanding of these problems, their inter-linkages and their global impacts has led to intensified efforts to improve multilateral cooperation and governance in such areas as security, migration, environmental protection, trade and finance. A central element of these international initiatives is the redefinition of traditional relations between donors and developing countries, based on mutual respect and “common but differentiated responsibility” for addressing global problems.
It is within this interdependent and evolving global context that ECDPM works to support organic, sustainable development in the South. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in facilitating dialogue between the European Union and countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP), ECDPM is guided by two strategic objectives: (i) strengthening the capacity of public and private sector actors in developing countries to better manage their development policies and international cooperation and (ii) supporting the reform of Europe’s political and institutional framework to enhance international cooperation and respond effectively to the development challenges of our time.
ECDPM’s work is organised around three thematic policy areas: (i) development policy and international relations, (ii) economic and trade cooperation and (iii) governance. Programmes in these thematic areas pay specific attention to policy processes that are critical for improved international cooperation. Providing overall support to the three programmes are units geared towards knowledge management and communications, institutional relations and policy innovation.
