Development NGOs warn EU ministers against their ‘fixation’ with the private sector

EurActiv ^ | 12/12/2014 - 16:57 | Georgi Gotev

[Olog-hai]

EU development ministers met today (12 December) in Brussels and adopted a “perspective” to boost the role of the private sector in the field of development cooperation. But leading NGOs warned that placing the private sector at the center of EU development policy “shows ministers have failed to acknowledge its limitations”.

EU ministers adopted Council Conclusions, which contain strong language in favor of engaging more with the private sector. Ministers state that the private sector “is emerging as an increasingly active player in the development field”, and describe its role as “key” for implementing the future sustainable development goals.

Ministers essentially endorse a recent paper by the Commission on how to better work with the private sector, and make the EU executive responsible for applying this approach at sub-national, national, regional and global levels.

Ministers support the use of innovative financial instruments, such as the blending of funding, to leverage private financing. …

[BenLurkin]

Want Europeans to develop the third world?

Re-establish their imperial holdings.

Seriously.

[Olog-hai]

That is what the EU is wanting to do. But for the purpose of being imperialistic, despite what Barroso claimed seven years ago. The founders of the EU wanted to be a “third power” between the USSR and USA originally. Now with the USA practically out of the way, it's back to the Old World empires.

[Seruzawa]

Oh yes. The western world has thrown trillions of dollars away in Africa via NGOs. Nothing improved there but NGO staffers are very will paid. I can see their fear of the private sector.

“Development ministers seem charmed by the prospects of private finance flows and have failed to provide guarantees that ensure businesses will play by the rules and that their investment will benefit the poorest in society,” Jeune said.

As if the money thrown at NGOs ever has benefited the poorest in society.

The NGOs provided an example of failed PPP with a new huge hospital in Maseru, Lesotho’s capital, supported by the World Bank’s private-sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The costs of running the hospital and paying the loans on it are eating up half of Lesotho’s entire health budget.

The other half keeps Maseru's politicians in limos. Any bets?

[BenLurkin]

The British Empire was the greatest instrument for advancing civilization in the history of the planet.

The other Euro empires — less so.

[Olog-hai]

The British one is the missing old-world empire. They did counterbalance the harmful effects of the continental ones, at least for as long as they were around.

[Moltke]

As proven by using a few pen-strokes to re-draw the map of the Middle East from Turkey to Saudi Arabia. Job Well Done! /s