Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-17-Speech-3-105"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2001-01-17"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:VOTE2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20010117.4.3-105"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2001-01-17-Speech-3-1062
lpv:speaker	lp:Gerard Collins2
lpv:spoken text	". I am pleased to join with our colleagues in the Development Committee in adding my full support for the Commission’s proposal for a new Cooperation Agreement with Bangladesh. This new agreement is a further sign of our continuing wish to strengthen our relations with Bangladesh. I hope it will leave the way open for the Bangladesh government to also intensify their efforts to develop the potential of SAARC as a further means of boosting the economy and creating jobs in the region. The report by Mr Van den Bos and the Miranda resolution clearly set out the main characteristics of the Bangladesh economy and the many challenges facing the government, its institutions, its politicians and its people. Bangladesh is one of the poorest developing countries. Almost half of its population of 127 million people is living below the poverty line. It has lived with and is constantly faced with the dangers of flooding and cyclones. Despite this, it has managed to show some improvement in the standard of living over the past 25 years. Economic reforms in the 1990s have recorded significant achievements with GDP, on average, rising to 4.8% during the 1994-1999 period. Bangladesh is very dependent on foreign aid. The EU is a major provider of aid-17% of all funds. The EU is its biggest trading partner. In 1998 we imported 45% of its exports. Bangladesh has a trade surplus with the EU. Almost a billion euros have been provided by the EU since 1976 for EU-financed projects: EUR 660 million were provided for food and humanitarian aid; EUR 185 million were provided for the alleviation of poverty and for agriculture. I fully endorse the objectives of the EU-financed programmes to: Help raise the incomes and improve the food security of the poor; help to improve access of very poor women and children to quality health and public health services; improve the access of these children to education. This is of fundamental importance to the future of Bangladesh. I was particularly pleased that Bangladesh joined the ILO’s programme for the abolition of child labour in 1984 and that « significant progress » has been recorded since then. I welcome these efforts and look forward to further progress in this regard. I want to fully endorse the main objectives of the agreement, namely: support for sustainable economic development, especially as regards the poorest in society, women and children. The Development Committee’s resolution stresses the importance of the up-coming general election in Bangladesh in November of this year. The European Union should respond favourably to the invitations received from both the government and the opposition to send election monitors as was the case in the 1996 and 1991 general elections. I hope that members of the European Parliament will form part of the team."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; UEN (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Fianna Fáil Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 chair; Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Collins (UEN ),"1 "in writing"1

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