Foreign Affairs Council, 12/05/2016, 12 May 2016

Main results

Six months after the Valletta Summit, we took stock of our combined approach, EU and member states together, with our partner countries. Through high level dialogues on migration in particular, we are beginning to achieve results, in a partnership beneficial for all - countries of origin, transit and destination. Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. 

Migration and development

Ministers focused on the implementation of the Valletta action plan six months after its adoption. They took note of the state of play of the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Projects worth more than EUR 750 million in favour of the Sahel and Lake Chad regions, as well as the Horn of Africa have already been approved.

They also reviewed the state of play of  high-level dialogues with partner countries. The Council also discussed the internally displaced persons and forced displacement, and exchanged views on how to best support refugees and displaced people in long lasting crises.

• Council conclusions on the EU approach to forced displacement and development
• Finding solutions to migratory pressures (background information)

Revision of the European consensus on development 

The Council had an orientation debate on the revision of the European consensus on Development in light of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, and two thematic discussions one on joint programming and the other on the engagement of the private sector.

The High Representative underlined that the EU should continue to be visible and engaged in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. She also stressed the importance of working together - EU and members states together - to make development instruments more effective on the ground. Today's commitment of the Council to step up joint programming of EU and member states' development assistance is a major progress in this regard.

• Council conclusions on stepping up Joint Programming
• Council conclusions on responsible global value chains

Afghanistan

Over lunch, EU development ministers were joined by Afghan minister for Finance, Eklil Ahmad Hakimi. Minister Hakimi presented the new Afghan national development framework outlining the government's reform agenda in the run-up to the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan on 5 October 2016. Ministers welcomed the progress made on reforms and encouraged the continuation of their swift implementation. The High Representative underlined the EU's continued engagement in Afghanistan, both politically and financially with a high level of development assistance of EUR 200 million per year until 2020.

• Council Conclusions on Afghanistan
• Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, 4-5 October 2016