Development assistance - Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne’s participation in the informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers (Development) (video conference, 14 June 2021)

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Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, took part in the informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers (Development) on June 14. This meeting was devoted to cooperation by the EU and its member states with Middle Income Countries (MICs), as well as the human development challenges relating to health, education and youth.

France is equipping itself with the means to address global inequalities more effectively and to protect global public goods through the draft programming law on solidarity-based development and the fight against global inequalities put forward by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

During this meeting, the ministers welcomed the entry into force of the regulation relating to the EU’s new external action instrument: the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-Global Europe).

The minister of state highlighted the need to support Middle Income Countries (MICs) in their transition toward more resilient and sustainable growth models and to continue to work together to ensure the preservation of global public goods (climate, biodiversity, health, education). The minister of state reaffirmed the need to allocate official development assistance through donations to the most vulnerable countries, especially the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which have been hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis. European coordination within the framework of “Team Europe” will make it possible to increase the effectiveness of European action in support of these countries.

With respect to issues relating to global health and access to vaccines, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne reaffirmed the need for a global, coordinated and mutually supportive response. He expressed France’s support for the COVAX facility and the “Team Europe” initiative relating to the manufacture of and access to vaccines, medications and health technologies in Africa. He welcomed the commitment made by the G7 heads of state and government at the Carbis Bay summit to donate at least 870 million vaccine doses over the next year, with the aim of delivering half of them by the end of this year, while France will share 60 million does in 2021.

With respect to education, the minister of state called on the EU to continue its major commitment, with a special focus on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), mainly in Africa, as well as fragile and conflict-affected states, and the education of girls and teacher training. In this respect, he underscored the special role of women and young people as agents of change, development and innovation.