MEP Interview: Working Towards Change

Following a critical report from the European Court of Auditors in 2007 on how the Commission delivers technical cooperation, EuropeAid embarked on a programme of reform.

Following a critical report from the European Court of Auditors in 2007 on how the Commission delivers technical cooperation, EuropeAid embarked on a programme of reform.

Some two years on that reform is well underway with the implementation of the Backbone Strategy.

But how is progress being viewed at the European Parliament in Brussels? MEP Bart Staes, from the Belgian Green Party, was the rapporteur on the European Parliament working document that followed the Court of Auditors report and he is on the Parliamentary Committee that is reviewing the TC reform. He told Capacity4Dev.eu that the Backbone Strategy has gone some way to answering the criticisms of the Court of Auditors.

"The Backbone Strategy gives answers to the remarks being made by parliament and by the Court of Auditors," said Mr Staes in a video interview with Capacity4Dev.eu. "One of the main problems in technical assistance for instance was how to work with consultants, how to make sure there is transparency and the Backbone Strategy gives an answer to that."

That Backbone Strategy seeks to address both the criticisms from within European institutions while also embodying the principles of the Aid Effectiveness Agenda, as expressed in the Paris Declaration of 2005 and confirmed in the Accra Agenda for Action adopted in 2008.

Though Mr Staes said that the reform is still in its early stages, he expressed optimism that there is a real willingness to work towards change, with the ultimate goal of strengthening capacity to such an extent that aid is no longer needed.

"Successful technical cooperation is cooperation that is really helpful that solves problems for people," said Mr Staes. "And where Europe and European help can disappear after a while - I think that's the most important - giving people the capacity to build their own futures themselves."

In the future, Mr Staes believes tackling climate change will have to become a priority issue for donors.

"Climate change threatens poor people," said Mr Staes "and they are not the countries that are responsible for what is happening on planet Earth. So helping developing countries to adapt themselves to make sure that they can face the threats being faced by climate change is one of the main tasks we will have to face."