The African Development Bank Group President, Donald Kaberuka, participated in the third edition of the 'European Development Days' from November 15-17, 2008, in Strasbourg, France. Four African heads of state - Presidents Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, Marc Ravalomanan of Madagascar and Thomas Yayi Boni of Benin - attended the gathering.

Mr. Kaberuka participated in discussions on development issues and cooperation in Africa and the world. "Local Authorities and Development" was the theme of the 2008 edition of the European Development Days. More than 300 participants from all the continents, representatives of various international organizations and associations, non-governmental organizations, as well as the private sector attended the event. Other eminent guests included the African Union Commission's President, Jean Ping, the Secretary of La francophonie International Organization, Abdoul Diouf as well as the Chairperson of the Green Belt Movement and the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai.

Mr. Kaberuka also contributed on to the Ideas for Development blog titled: "How will the Financial Crisis Affect the South, and how can European Aid help developing countries to tackle this Challenge?" Interacting with the web community, Mr. Kaberuka explained that the "G20 meeting this weekend was a good beginning. However, Africa's effective representation and its interests remain unresolved. It is essential to have a common understanding for a solution acceptable to all from the preparatory phase of the next international meetings". He explained that that "the world was not only going through a financial crisis but also an economic one...a global solution has to be found with the poor and not for the poor: an inclusive solution".

The European Development Days followed the African Ministerial Conference on the Financial Crisis organized on November 12, 2008, in Tunis, by the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The Tunis meeting enabled Africa to adopt a common position on the global financial crisis and to convey the continent's expectations and concerns to the G20 summit held on November 15 in Washington D.C.

Live from the EDD: President Kaberuka blogging

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