Vienna, 13 February 2006

 

 

Dear Colleague!

 

Being convinced that issues of development co-operation can often be dealt with in a more authentic and sustainable manner in the regions concerned, the decision-makers in the Austrian Parliament agreed to abstain from organising a meeting of the Chairpersons of Development Policy Committees of the national parliaments under the Austrian EU Presidency in Vienna.

In view of the above considerations, a seminar on „The New European Union and the New EU Strategy for Africa: Towards a Euro-African Pact to Accelerate Africa’s Development“, organised by the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) in co-operation with the Austrian Parliament, will be held on 25 and 26 May 2006 in Capetown, South Africa. The objective of the seminar is to continue the dialogue with the new EU Member States on the establishment of their own development co-operation structures.

 

For information regarding the contents, objectives and potential participants of the seminar, please refer to the enclosed draft terms of reference.

 

As I already announced on the occasion of the conference of Chairpersons of Development-Policy Committees in London last November, the Austrian Parliament and AWEPA are strongly in favour of the committee chairpersons participating in the Capetown seminar.

 

To register for the conference, please return the enclosed form to AWEPA Amsterdam in time.

 

Meanwhile, I remain with best regards,

 

Petra Bayr

Chairperson of the Development Policy Sub-Committee

of the Austrian National Council