LONDON, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On 14 June, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) met to discuss cooperation and collaboration on development assistance in the second US-EU High Level Consultative Group Meeting since the 2009 re-launch of the US-EU Development Dialogue. EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs and USAID's Dr. Ravij Shah stated:

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"At a time of economic constraints, we are determined to deepen our cooperation to increase the impact of our aid and to ensure measurable results on the ground. While our aid procedures are different, we share common objectives: eradicating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. By joining forces and strategies, we can achieve meaningful development results, which improve and save lives around the world.  

The US-EU Development Dialogue is covering a number of key areas in which US-EU cooperation adds value to assistance, from food security, climate change, and health to security and development.

We notably agreed to set up a task force of health experts to identify joint work within the framework of the EU's policy on Global Health and the US Global Health Initiative.  Prioritising a core set of indicators to monitor greater gains in global health and strengthening health systems in partner countries in the developing world will be our main priorities. We will further explore possible joint EU and US positions in global health-related initiatives and issues, with a focus on women and child health and on the crisis of health workers.

Avoiding waste and duplication through better coordination of action is another common objective. We have pledged to work together toward success of the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan later this year.  To that end, we have adopted a new US-EU joint work plan on Division of Labor, Transparency and Accountability.  We will make user friendly information about our development assistance available to all and promote transparency in the multilateral institutions.  We will strengthen evaluations of our development activities and we will rationalize who does what in agreement with our developing country partners. With respect to food security, initial progress can be observed in some of the pilot countries which were selected for enhanced cooperation.

We have pledged open-mindedness, to be flexible and focus on timely opportunities in sectors and countries where collaboration will add value. We are aware that any successful results in fighting against poverty rely on strong partner country leadership and joint cooperation rather than working in isolation. We will strive to turn this ambition into concrete actions in partner countries."

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USAID Public Information: 202-712-4810

SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development

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