PFD Inaugural addresses

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The official opening session of the Second Policy Forum on Development is taking place now in the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. Christophe Rouillon of the Committee of the Regions and Mayor of Coulaines, France, welcomed the Members of the PFD. Director General of DG DEVCO and PFD Chair Fernando de Melo and Fabio Cassesse on behalf of the Italian EU Presidency then addressed the group. The post-2015 agenda, work toward the sustainable development goals and urbanisation figured widely in the presentations of the panel.

Linda McAven, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Committe on Development, reminded the audience of other key issues of development and the need for continued aid in global partnership, including Ebola and climate change. PFD Co-Chairs Jacqueline Moustache Belle (on behalf of local authorities) and Jorge Balbis (on behalf of civil society) discussed the active role of PFD members and the advances already made in this first year of the PFD, the active participation of all members in formulating this meeting and the importance of continuing to use this forum for real change.