Cadiz, 5 September 2023
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Buenos días,
Estamos en España y debiera hablar en español, pero el mensaje está dirigido a toda la Unión Europea. Por lo tanto, permítanme que utilice a trozos el inglés, aunque quiero decirles la gran satisfacción que tengo y que tienen todos mis colegas ministros de desarrollo – estoy seguro – de poder celebrar esta reunión aquí, en la bella ciudad de Cádiz.
El objetivo fundamental de esta reunión es relanzar el trabajo [de] cara a los acontecimientos que van a tener lugar pronto en las Naciones Unidas a finales de mes [Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas], y después, la gran cima, el gran encuentro para impulsar los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible.
Allow me to say that there are two words that dominate this meeting.
The first one is the social transition. We talk a lot about the green, the digital, [or] the climate transition. You do not have to forget that there is another transition, which is the social one. The way the climate and the digital transformation will affect societies will create also problems to the social fabric, and both transitions will not be successful unless we care a lot about the social [one].
The Spanish Presidency [of the Council of the European Union] is doing well in saying: ”No, there are not only two. There are three transitions”. The digital, the climate and the social [transitions].
We live in a world full of crisis – debt, food, war, political instability, and a big geopolitical fight for power. In this scenario, many developing countries have been lagging behind, and the big risk is that they cannot fulfil the conditions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
So, a greater effort is needed, and this brings me to the second part of the meeting, the reform of financial multilateral institutions.
We have to play a key role in providing the resources to face instability, to face the debt crisis, to face the exchange rates movements in the world which is being more and more used as a way of political power.
These two things I think could be a good summary of what we are going to discuss today.
And then will come the specific issues, like the situation in Niger. Here in Spain, close to Africa, it is a good occasion to discuss what is happening in Niger and what are the prospects.
I want to say again our support to President [of Niger, Mohammed] Bazoum and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
And the other issue that some Member States want to put on the table is the situation in the [Occupied] Palestinian territories, which is becoming worse and worse. The dire situation in Palestine will be for sure one of the next [focus] for the future Belgian Presidency [of the Council of the European Union].
Thank you.
I want to say something – if you allow me – about a specific case, which is the case of Mr [Johan] Floderus, who is a Swedish citizen who works for the European Union, has been detained illegally by Iran for the last 500 days.
I want to stress that I, personally, all my team, at all levels, the European institutions, in close coordination with the Swedish authorities, which have the responsibility of the consular protection, and with his family, have been pushing the Iranian authorities to release him.
Every time we had a diplomatic meeting at all levels, we have put the issue on the table. Relentlessly, we have been working for the freedom of Mr Floderus. And we will continue doing that, in close contact with the family, respecting their will, and for sure with the Swedish government.
This is very much on our agenda, in our hearts – and we will not stop until Mr Floderus will be free.
Source – EEAS