The conflict in Georgia will be the focus of the session of the EU Council this afternoon in Brussels, followed by a debate within the European Parliament about the same issue. But the 27 member states will be engaged on other fronts as well, this week. From September 2nd to 4th, Accra (Ghana) will host the third Forum on the effectiveness of aids, related to the solemn 2005 "Declaration of Paris". "The donors of the Committee for aid to development, over one half of which are Europeans, as well as the partner countries, will take stock of the progress accomplished and will define what measures have to be taken to go on", explains a note from the current presidency of the EU. "The European Union has a special place in this process, because it contributes over one half of public aids to the world’s development". "In its capacity as the president of the EU Council, France has the mission to give prominence to the actions carried out by donors to increase the effectiveness of aids", not least on the basis of the conclusions of the Council of May 2008 and the guidelines adopted in July on this subject. France intends to find more effective responses "to the specific needs of the recipients", also taking into consideration the so-called "orphan" countries, i.e. those that so far have been left with no international aids. (continued)
