Brussels, 7-8 June 2017.

In line with the Agenda 2030 and the New European Consensus on Development, the forum this year focused on Investing in Development putting special emphasis in the three main crosscutting issues: gender equality, youth and private sector.

EDD 2017 highlighted the importance to increase and improve investments with the objective of achieving inclusive and sustainable growth and creating decent jobs for all. With more than 120 sessions including high-level discussions and debates, projects presentation, brainstorming sessions, the EDD Global Village, and an exciting Cultural Programme, this edition of EDD was the most successful edition yet!

We talk about decent job creation – how do you do that without education? We would like to see every African child in school by 2020
Thomas Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson African Union Commission

Photos:  DAY 1   DAY 2
Password for download: EDD2017

Brussels, 3-4 June 2015.

Sustainability was at the heart of the dialogue, with an important emphasis placed on themes relating to climate change and disaster risks, renewable energy and sustainable consumption and production.

What comes first? Stability or development? We do it together.
Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development

Brussels, 16-17 October 2012.

EDD 2012’s topics reflected the shattering reality of the situation: in 2012, around 16% of the world’s population were hungry and lived in poverty. The forum was articulated around the topics: building resilience, engaging the private sector and empowering people.

EDD 2012 participants shared success stories and best practices, discussed the potential of the private sector in transforming African economies, debated what constitutes inclusive business models, and looked at how best to boost innovation and move towards green and inclusive growth.

I share the ream of a day when poverty is a thing of the past. Not just in terms of income, but also in terms of access to healthcare and social and political rights.
Joyce Banda, President of Malawi

Brussels, 6-7 December 2010.

Held in the context of the economic crisis forcing nations to find cost-effective solutions in every domain, EDD 2010 addressed subjects such as governance, human rights, natural resources management, access to energy, and many other topics which are still at the heart of the development sector today.

With its billion inhabitants, human resources, mining and energy resources and unexploited arable land, Africa is poised to become a giant.
Jacques Chirac, former President of France

Strasbourg, 15-17 November 2008.

EDD 2008 took place at the halfway point of the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals. Participants stressed throughout the forum the importance of local action to meet the MDGs.

The message was one of cohesion; meeting the MDGs hinges on the involvement of every level of society. EDD 2008 called for a greater role for Europe’s local authorities in development and showed how they too could contribute to good governance and democracy and support essential services like education and health.

Once the new government is formed, we will get the business commuity together to invest in Zimbabwe. There are a number of different areas where we can invest, whether it's mobile phones, financial services or the airline industry. We will sit down with the new government and work out how we can help. Richard Branson and Morgan Tsvangirai, joint press conference