TRIGGER Project - Key Developments in the Governance of Development Cooperation and Relations with Africa
By Gaby Umbach
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At the Berlin Congo Conference (or West Africa Conference) 14 non-African states establish rules for the partition of Africa (the so-called ‘Scramble for Africa’), laying the ground for the invasion, occupation and colonisation of the African continent through European powers.
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The Berlin Act is signed by 13 European states that attend the Berlin Congo Conference. It establishes the partition of the African continent and the occupation of African states through European powers.
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The World Bank Group’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is created as a global development bank to support developing countries.
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The United Nations Charter asks for the promotion of ‘social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom’. Its Article 55 sets out a socio-economic development vision, requesting ‘higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development’, and ‘solutions of international economic, social, health, and related problems’.
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The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) establishes rules for world trade. It remains in force until 1994.
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The International Bill of Human Rights includes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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The UN resolution A/RES/200 (III) sets up the UN Technical assistance for economic development.
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[UN resolution A/RES/304 (IV)](v) establishes the UN Expanded Programme for Technical Assistance, which is approved in 1950. It provides technical advisory services and training opportunities for developing countries.
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The final report on the establishment of the UN Special Fund for Economic Development (UN resolution A/2728) informs about the idea and set up of a Special Fund for grants-in-aid and for low-interest, long-term loans for developing countries.
The Special Fund is officially establishedin 1959 by UN resolution A/RES/1219 (XII). -
The Bandung Conference is established as an Afro-Asian Conference. It is a non-UN conference and the predecessor of the [Non-Aligned Movement)(https://mea.gov.in/in-focus-article.htm?20349/History+and+Evolution+of+NonAligned+Movement) and the Group of 77.
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Part four of the Treaty of Rome includes the commitment to contribute to prosperity of (former) colonies and overseas countries and territories. It established a European Development policy and the basis for the European Community’s development partnership with African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries.
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The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is established by [UN resolution E/RES/671 A (XXV))(http://undocs.org/en/E/RES/671(XXV)).
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The European Development Fund (EDF) is set-up. It has a geographic focus on overseas territories, third countries, and former colonies with special historical ties with EC (and later EU) member states. It is formally launched in 1959 and is the main source of EC development aid for ACP countries and overseas territories.
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The UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and People is adopted by UN General Assembly.
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The OECD Development Assistance Committee is set up.
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The World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA) is created. It focusses on poverty reduction through the provision of zero/low-interest loans and grants, most of all for least developed countries.
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‘Development first’ becomes a priority for the UN, when the UN integrate seventeen new member states which are newly independent countries. The admission changes the UN’s genetics and moves the reduction of hunger centre stage in development affairs.
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The FAO ‘Freedom from Hunger’ Campaign (UN resolution 1714 (XVI)) focusses on the development of procedures for the supply of surplus food to fight hunger in least developed countries (LDCs)).
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The World Food Programme (WFP) is established by UN resolution 1714 (XVI) on a three-year experimental basis. It is set-up as a voluntary fund of USD100 million.
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The Non-Aligned Movement of developing countries is founded.
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The UN Special Committee on Decolonisation is established to provide suggestions and recommendations on the progress and extent of the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and People.
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The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is established by UN resolution 1521 (XV). It provides a mechanism to address capital-development needs of the LDCs.
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On the proposal of the US President, the First United Nations Development Decade is inaugurated by UN resolution 1710 (XVI). Activities during the decade hall help low-income countries to achieve development, Developing countries shall set own targets of a minimum annual growth rate of 5% of aggregate national income. Measures to eliminate illiteracy, hunger and diseases shall be accelerated.
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The Cairo Conference on Problems of Economic Development is the first action of Group of 75 (later G-77). The Cairo Declaration on Economic Co-operation Among Developing Countries formulates a new cooperation approach. The UN Assembly recommends taking its principles into account when dealing with the economic and social development of developing countries (UN resolution A/RES/1897 (XVIII) Annex).
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The European Economic Community-ACP Yaoundé I Convention is signed. EEC Member States and 17 African countries plus Madagascar establish a preferential trade arrangements providing duty-free access of specified African goods to the EEC market.
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The [United Nations Conference on Trade and Development[(https://unctad.org/en/Pages/Home.aspx) (UNCTAD) is established by UN resolution 1995 (XIX) to promote market opportunities for primary commodity exports; achieve poverty eradication; reduce inequalities and exclusion. At the first session UNCTAD I, the Prebisch report ‘Towards a New Trade Policy for Development’ is adopted.
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The Group of Seventy-Seven (G77) is established to articulate and promote the collective economic interests of its members; to strengthen their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues in the UN system.
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The African Development Bank (AfDB) is established.
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The World Food Programme is extended on a continuing basis by UN resolution 2095 (XX).
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is established by UN resolution 2029 (XX) through the merger of the 1950 Expanded Programme for Technical Assistance and the 1959 United Nations Special Fund.
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The World Campaign against Hunger, Disease and Ignorance is set-up by UN resolution 1943 (XVIII), to be carried out by NGOs in the second half of First United Nations Development Decade.
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The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is created by UN resolution 2152 (XXI). It is mandated to promote industrial development and international industrial cooperation.
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Paul R. Ehrlich’s book ‘The Population Bomb’ analyses the connections between human population, resource exploitation and environment.
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The second session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD II) takes place in New Delhi.
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The World Bank’s Commission on International Development report ‘A New Strategy for Global Development‘, the so-called ‘Pearson Report’, is published. It has been developed by the first international commission to consider a new approach to development and is focused on encouraging research and knowledge in the South. The report leads to the foundation of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in 1970.
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The European Economic Community-ACP Yaounde II Convention is signed. It assigns the biggest share of EDF financial support to French-speaking Africa to build infrastructure in the wake of decolonisation.
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Based on the Pearson Report, the Official Development Assistance (ODA) is set to 0.7% of GNI by the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC).
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The International Development Strategy is adopted by UN resolution 2626 (XXV) as a means of achieving the Second UN Development Decade's goals.
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The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is founded. In its work, it seeks a balance between economic development and environmental resources use and preservation.
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The Collapse of the Gold Standard to which several currencies were pegged shakes the world’s economies.
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The International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination is inaugurated by UN resolution A/RES/2544 (XXIV).
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The Fournex Report on Development and Environment calls for the integration of environmental and development strategies. The report has a critical role in laying the ground for the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm.
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The EEC Generalised Scheme of Preference removes import duties from products coming into the EEC market from developing countries.
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The second United Nations Development Decade begins. Its activities are more extensive than that of the first decade. It reconfirms macroeconomic growth targets at an accelerated rate of 6% per year and 3.5% per capita.
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The UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm introduces the sustainable development paradigm into the global political debate. It has a development and environment focus and is motivated by regional pollution and acid rain problems of northern Europe. The conference led to the establishment of many national environmental protection agencies and provides the foundation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
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The third session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD III) takes place in Santiago de Chile.
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Barbara Ward and René Dubos publish ‘Only one world: The care and maintenance of a small planet’ commissioned for UN Conference on the Human Environment. It is prepared with assistance of an international committee of 152 experts from 58 countries. The report sounds the alarm bell about the impact of human activity on the biosphere, but also transmits the optimism that a shared concern for the planet could lead to a common future.
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The Environnement et Développement du Tiers Monde (ENDA) is created to provide courses and training about the environment and development in Africa. Since 1978 it is an international voluntary non-profit organisation concerned with empowering local peoples, eliminating poverty, and research as well as training for (sustainable) development at all levels.
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The Collapse of Bretton Woods system and the start of Yom Kippur war between Israel and the Arab States shake global governance.
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The Oil embargo is imposed by members the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). It leads to a fall of world commodity prices, global inflation, deterioration of developing countries' balance-of-payments, recession in developed market economies. However, developing countries emerge more powerful
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The UN World Food Conference adopts the Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition. It recognised that food crises affects economic and social development as well as the right to life and human dignity as enshrined in 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It leads to the establishment of the World Food Council.
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The UN Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States is adopted by UN resolution 3281 (XXIX). Its development was initiated by UNCTAD III.
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The UN Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States is adopted by UN resolution 3281 (XXIX). Its development was initiated by UNCTAD III.
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The Latin American World Model / Bariloche Model proposed by the Argentine Fundacion Bariloche calls for growth and equity for the Third World. The world model was developed as a response to the Club of Rome’s ‘Limits of Growth’.
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The UN Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order is approved by UN resolution 3201 (S-VI). It includes 20 principles for a new international economic order and reform proposals for the international monetary system and financing development objectives of developing countries, especially least developed and landlocked countries.
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The European Economic Community-ACP Lomé I Convention adopts a partnership principle. It employs a combination of aid, trade and political aspects. Its main characteristics are non-reciprocal preferences for most export form ACP to EEC; equality between partners, respect for sovereignty, mutual interests and interdependence; the right of each state to determine its policies; security of relations based on achievements of cooperation system; and the STABEX system.
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The fourth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD IV) takes place in Nairobi.
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The intergovernmental UN Commission on Human Settlement, a predecessor of UN-Habitat, and the UN Centre for Human Settlements are established.
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UN-Habitat is established.
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The International Anti-Apartheid Year is established by [UN resolution A/RES/32/105 B}(http://undocs.org/en/A/RES/32/105).
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The Conference on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries adopts the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical co-Operation among Developing Countries laying the ground for south-south co-operation.
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The first UN Transport and Communications Decade in Africa is inaugurated by UN resolution E/RES/1978/59.
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The fifth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD V) takes place in Manila.
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The Global 2000 Report on sustainable societal development is released. The report concluded that pollution, overpopulation, global warming, and other environmental issues posed severe threats to the future of humanity. It calls for international cooperation in solving these problems and recognises biodiversity as a critical component for the functioning of the planetary ecosystem.
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A special UN General Assembly session is held on the {new international economic order](https://undocs.org/en/A/S-11/3).
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The Independent Commission on International Development Issues publishes ‘North-South: A Programme for Survival’, the so-called Brandt Report. It contains a call for a new economic relationship between North and South.
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The first UNIDO Industrial Development Decade for Africa begins.
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The European Economic Community -ACP Lomé II Convention is adopted. One of its new features is the SYSMIN system.
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The Third United Nations Development Decade begins and reiterates the demand for a new international economic order and institutional as well as structural changes in international economic relations. It issues an explicit call for poverty and hunger eradication, and commits to food security. It brings forward the notion of ‘fair distribution of benefits’ and pays tribute to the ecological soundness and funding of environmental management.
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The Latin American and international debt crisis threatens the world financial system. It initiates a most difficult decade for Latin America and developing regions.
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The sixth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD VI) takes place in Belgrade.
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The UN World Commission on Environment and Development is created.
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Development Alternatives is created in India. It is the world's first social enterprise dedicated to sustainable development and a research and action organisation striving to deliver socially equitable, environmentally sound and economically scalable development outcomes.
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Ethiopia’s food shortage and hunger crisis spans from 1983 to 1985 with an estimated one million famine deaths; the famine originated in an extreme drought event.
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The Third World Network is founded. It is an independent non-profit international research and advocacy organisation involved in issues relating to development, developing countries and North-South affairs. It takes an activist role for the global South on issues of economics, development, and environment.
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The International Conference on Environment and Economics is held at the OECD. It underlines that the environment and economics should be mutually reinforcing. Its discussions also help shape the UN report ‘Our Common Future’.
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The Live Aid Concert seeks to raise donations to mitigate the Ethiopian food and hunger crisis. It succeeds in raising £150 million.
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The European Economic Community-ACP Lomé III Convention shifts the approach from promotion of industrial development to support for self-reliant development on the basis of self-sufficiency and food security.
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The UN Declaration on the Right to Development is adopted by UN resolution A/RES/41/128.
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The OECD Development Advisory Committee reviews multilateral aid and develops guidelines for the environment and development in bilateral aid policies.
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The UN International Conference on the Relationship between Disarmament and Development takes place in New York.
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The seventh session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD VII) takes place in Geneva.
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The UN World Commission on Environment and Development publishes the ‘Brundtland Report’ ‘Our Common Future’ which places sustainable development on the international political agenda. It is the first explicit definition of sustainable development and establishes links between economic growth, resource depletion and social justice with inter-generational equity introduced into the reflection on the economy.
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The first UN Human Development Report is published by the UN Development Programme. It underlines the human-centred approach to development, introduces a new approach for advancing human well-being and for expanding the richness of human life, and not only of the economy in which humans live. It focuses on people’s opportunities and choices.
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The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is established. It regularly publishes the Earth Negotiations Bulletin as a record of international negotiations on environment and development.
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The gap between developed and developing countries continues to widen. Living standards in developing countries get worse and their position in world trade weakens.
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The [UN Declaration on International Economic Cooperation]((https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/93860?ln=en) (UN resolution A/RES/S-18/3 seeks to boost economic growth and development of developing countries making it the most important challenge for the 1990s.
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The first International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism is inaugurated by UN resolution A/RES/43/47.
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European Community-ACP Lomé IV Convention stretches over a 10 year period. It emphasise the promotion of human rights, democracy, good governance; the position of women; the protection of environment; decentralised cooperation; the diversification of ACP economies; the promotion of private sector; and regional cooperation as important features of development cooperation.
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The fourth United Nations Development Decade begins. Poverty and sustainability become more central to the global development dialogue, as do the eradication of poverty and hunger; adult illiteracy; basic education for women: and the ‘runaway population growth’ in developing countries. It spreads the notion of ‘sustainable’ development, and acknowledges environmental deterioration caused by development projects.
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The second UN Transport and Communications Decade in Africa is inaugurated by UN resolution A/RES/43/179.
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The Business Council for Sustainable Development is established upon the request of the Secretary-General of UN Conference on Environment and Development.
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The UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro defines the 21st century agenda for environment and development, the ‘Agenda 21’, a global actions plan on sustainable development. It underlines the need to change consumption and production patterns.
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The book ‘Changing Course’ by Stephan Schmidheiny and the Business Council for Sustainable Development establishes the idea of business interests in promoting sustainable development practices.
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The UN Secretary-General's report ‘Enhancing International Cooperation for Development: The Role of the UN System’ is published.
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The eighth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD VIII) takes place in Cartagena.
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The UN Commission on Sustainable Development is established to ensure follow-up to the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), to enhance international cooperation, and to enhance intergovernmental decision-making capacity.
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Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk receive the Nobel Peace Prize ‘for peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa’.
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The US President’s Council for Sustainable Development is active under President B. Clinton. In its 1996 report it focusses on ‘Sustainable America: A New Consensus for Prosperity, Opportunity, and a Healthy Environment for the Future’.
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The second UNIDO Industrial Development Decade for Africa begins.
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The outbreak of several armed conflicts in Africa require UN peacekeeping operations and humanitarian support.
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The UN Secretary-General’s report ‘Agenda for Development’ is published.
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The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) adopts its Programme of Action.
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The World Summit for Social Development is the first occasion at which the international community expresses a clear commitment to eradicate absolute poverty.
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Ken Saro-Wiwa is assassinated in Nigeria. His execution draws international attention to the link between human rights, environmental justice, security, and economic growth.
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The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is created through merger of the Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Industry Council for the Environment.
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The EU launches its Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP; also know as the ‘Barcelona Process’).
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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is established. It formally acknowledges the link between trade, environment and development link.
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The World Food Summit debates the imperative of eradicating hunger.
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The UN International Year against Poverty is inaugurated.
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The ninth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD IX) takes place in Midrand.
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At the Earth Summit +5 the UN General Assembly reviews the implementation of the decisions of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The summit states that unbalanced progress has been made in implementing the Agenda 21, but ends without significant new commitments.
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The Asian Financial Crisis raises questions about currency speculation and the need for government economic reforms. The parallel environmental crisis and land-clearing fires intensified by an El Niño induced drought exacerbate the crisis situation.
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The UN Agenda for Development (A/RES/51/240) presents the first integrated focus on development. It features a multidimensional approach of achieving higher standard of life for all and includes all aspects and related elements of development, such as peace, economic growth, environmental protection, social justice and democracy.
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The first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (UN resolution A/RES/50/107) focusses on the eradication of absolute poverty and a substantial reduction of poverty around the world.
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The UNCTAD Partners for Development Summit takes place in Lyon.
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The [third World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference] in Seattle (https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min99_e/min99_e.htm) is accompanied by protests against the negative effects of globalisation and growth of global corporations. It sees conflicts among WTO delegates that substantially disturb the negotiations.
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The Dow Jones Sustainability Index is the first global sustainability index. It tracks leading corporate sustainability practices and provides guidance to investors looking for companies that follow sustainable development principles.
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The South Africa-EU Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement (TDCA) is adopted.
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The negotiations on the OECD Multilateral Agreement on Investment fail. It included standards for the liberalisation of investment regimes and investment protection and dispute settlement procedures. It never entered into force due to civil society protests and disagreement among governments over the scope of exceptions.
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The first Africa-Europe Summit establishes the Africa-EU Partnership. It adopts the Cairo Declaration as a formal political channel through which the EU and the African Union engage in political and policy dialogues and establish cooperative relationship.
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The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is established
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The tenth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ((UNCTAD X](https://unctad.org/meeting/tenth-session-united-nations-conference-trade-and-development-unctad-x)) takes place in Bangkok.
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The UN Millennium Summit establishes 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDG). MDG7 advocates for the integration of the sustainable development concept into national policies. The summit also adopts time-bound and measurable goals for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women.
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At the end of the 1990s, developing countries liberalise their economies and integrate into world economy.
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The EU-ACP Cotonou Agreement frames EU-ACP relations for two decades. It includes civil society actors, the private sector, trade unions, parliaments and local authorities and gives priority to poverty eradication and sustainable development.
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The African Union launches its New Partnership for Africa’s Development Programme (NEPAD)
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The final declaration of the fourth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference recognises environmental and development concerns.
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The World Summit on Sustainable Development takes place in Johannesburg a decade after the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) under the impression of a widespread frustration over the lack of national progress. It promotes ‘partnerships’ as a non-negotiated approach to achieving sustainability.
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The World Food Summit+5 examines the progress made towards the eradication of hunger.
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The EU launches its European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).
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The eleventh session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XI) takes place in São Paulo.
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Wangari Muta Maathai is awarded Nobel Peace Prize “for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace”. She is the founder of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya.
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The African Peace Facility (APF) is established under the Africa-EU Partnership. It is the main source of support to efforts made by the AU and African regional economic communities in peace and security.
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The UN Millennium Project presents the report on ‘Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals’ (‘Sachs report’).
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The EU's Global Approach to Migration (GAM) is adopted.
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The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness is adopted.
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The International Year of Deserts and Desertification shall raise global awareness about the issue.
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The second EU-Africa Summit gathers heads of states from both sides and adopts the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and First Action Plan as well as the Lisbon Declaration. It also sees numerous side events of various political and civil society actors and levels.
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The Africa-EU Infrastructure Trust Fund (AITF) is established.
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The UN Development Cooperation Forum is launched.
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The first EP-PAP Summit takes place between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament.
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The twelfth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XII) takes place in Accra.
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The Union for the Mediterranean re-launches the Barcelona Process to promote economic integration across 15 neighbours to the EU’s south in North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans region.
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The Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development reviews the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus and adopts the Doha Declaration.
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The first Joint Africa-EU Strategy and Action Plan (2008 - 2010) are officially launched.
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The Accra Agenda for Development Action is adopted.
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The second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty is inaugurated by UN resolution A/RES/62/205. It focusses on the eradication of absolute poverty and on the substantial reduction of poverty in the world.
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The first High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (A/CONF.215/2; A/RES/64/222) takes place in Nairobi.
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The third Africa-EU Summit adopts the Tripoli Declaration. Its Action Plan 2011-13 identifies the cooperation towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals in Africa as priority area. It also sees numerous side events with civil society and political engagement.
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The second EP-PAP Summit takes plac between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament.
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The second Joint Africa-EU Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2013) is launched.
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The new UN Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification (A/RES/62/195; A/RES/64/201) is inaugurated.
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The EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel is adopted.
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The EU Agenda for Change is adopted.
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The fifth EU and AU Commissions College-to-College meeting takes place.
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The EU Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM) is adopted.
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The fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) adopts the Istanbul Programme of Action for the decade 2011-2020.
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The International Year for People of African Descent (A/RES/64/169) starts.
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The EU Strategic Framework for the Horn of Africa is adopted.
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The thirteenth session of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) takes place in Doha.
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The UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 starts the process to define the Sustainable Development Goals for the 2015 reform of the MDG.
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The United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is established to give political impetus to the UN sustainable development agenda.
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The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation is constituted.
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The Post-2015 Development Agenda establishes a process to define the future global development framework to succeed the MDG.
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The EU Pan-African Programme is set up. It is financed by the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), which is a financial instrument within the EU budget for funding aid to developing countries to complement the EDF which is outside the EU budget.
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The sixth EU and AU Commissions College-to-College meeting takes place.
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The UN General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals works on defining specific goals for the SDGs and on a proposal for SDGs that form the basis of the agenda for the post-2015 SDG process.
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The EU Counter-terrorism Action Plan for the Horn of Africa and Yemen is communicated.
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The fourth EU-Africa Summit adopts the Brussels Declaration. Its side and preparatory events include political and civil society actors and a wide range of topics.
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The One Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is launched by China.
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The third EP-PAP Summit takes place between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament.
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The EU Strategy on the Gulf of Guinea is presented.
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The EU Southern Mediterranean Investment Coordination Initiative (AMICI) is set up.
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The EU-Africa Roadmap 2014-2017 officially starts.
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The [EU Declaration on Migration and Mobility}(http://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/sites/default/files/userfiles/20140401_stand_alone_declaration_migration.pdf) is adopted.
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The UN Sustainable Development Summit adopts the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with 17 SDGs and 169 targets. The Agenda addresses the world as a whole and moves away from developed-developing country divide to development.
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The seventh EU and AU Commissions College-to-College meeting takes place.
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The African Union’s Peace and Security Council and the EU's Political and Security Committee visit Mali.
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The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Partnerships Forum for sustainable development is set up
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The EU Sahel Strategy Regional Action Plan 2015-2020 is adopted.
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The EU Gulf of Guinea Action Plan 2015-2020 is adopted.
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The EU Horn of Africa Regional Action Plan 2015-2020 is adopted.
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The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa) is launched by European and African partners.
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The European Agenda on Migration is adopted.
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The Global Compact for Migration is established. It contains a Global Compact’s Africa Strategy.
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The EU Commission Communication on a ‘Proposal for a new European Consensus on Development: Our World, our Dignity, our Future’ is published.
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The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (A/RES/70/259) begins.
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The AU-EU Agriculture Ministers Conference focusses on ‘Making Sustainable Agriculture a future for youth in Africa’.
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The European Consensus on Development is reached.
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The fifth AU-EU Summit adopts the Abidjan Declaration that defines four new joint priorities: Education, science, technology and skills development; Peace, security and governance; Migration and mobility; Mobilising Investments for African structural and sustainable transformation. The summit is anticipated by numerous preparatory events.
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The fourth EP-PAP Summit takes place between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament.
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The EU High Representative and the EU Commission issue the ‘Joint communication to the European Parliament and the Council for a renewed impetus of the Africa-EU Partnership’.
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The EU’s Malta declaration on the external aspects of migration is published.
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The Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Development and Jobs is launched. It presents an economic strategy for EU-Africa relations; defines job creation as key target and African and European investments as a main tool. Its focus is on areas with the greatest potential for jobs and added-value creation. Four strategic sectoral Task Forces of African and European experts provide recommendations in key areas.
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The United Nations development system is comprehensively reviewed. The review focusses on operational activities of UN system for development (A/RES/72/279).
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The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is founded to establish a continental free trade area.
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The EU adopts its negotiating mandate for post-2020 ACP-EU relations agreement to succeed the Cotonou Agreement.
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The negotiations on a post-Cotonou framework on the future relations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States are formally opened.
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The ninth EU and AU Commissions College-to-College meeting takes place.
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The third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (UN resolution A/RES/72/233) begins. It continues to focus on the eradication of absolute poverty and substantial reduction of poverty in the world.
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At the UN SDG Summit, the High Level Political Forum adopts a political declaration inter alia to inaugurate the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development. Main aims are to mobilize financing, enhance national implementation, and strengthen institutions for the SDG.
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The regional One Planet Summit in Nairobi seeks “to identify innovative solutions for the energy transition and the preservation of forests in Africa. With several Heads of State and Government attending, leaders of the initiatives taken as part of the One Planet movement announced their commitments for the continent”.
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The EU Commission’s Joint Communication ‘Towards a Comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ aims to further develop the partnership with Africa The Africa-Europe Alliance becomes the economic pillar of the new strategy.
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The UN establishes a Special UN Envoy on Financing 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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The Tenth EU and AU Commissions College-to-College meeting focusses on sustainable development and jobs; climate change; digitisation; peace and governance; mobility and migration.
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The UN initiates the Decade of action and delivery for the SDG to boost and support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
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The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) enters into force.
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The EU Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument is established.
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