We expect Mimica to secure EU leadership in shaping the Post-2015 Development Agenda

"As the world’s largest provider of development aid, the EU should lead the fight against poverty while continuing an ambitious approach to development, using all the EU’s instruments and in full respect of the principles of good governance, transparency and ownership", said Davor Ivo Stier MEP, EPP Group Spokesman in the European Parliament's Development Committee.

Stier underlined that Commissioner-designate Mimica, if appointed, will have a truly demanding role when negotiating on behalf of the EU in the United Nations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. "We believe that poverty reduction, good governance and a human rights-based approach should be the priorities of the Post-2015 Development Agenda and that Commissioner-Designate for International Cooperation and Development should insist on these priorities on behalf of EU during the process of negotiations."

"While economic benchmarks are important, they will not solve the development problem without more attention to good governance. We cannot have more sustainable growth globally without more capable states", said Stier and added that the EPP Group is not completely satisfied with the lack of importance given to good governance in the conclusions of the Open Working Group of UN.

"Therefore, in the upcoming intergovernmental negotiations, we need Mimica to insist on good governance and a human rights-based approach really becoming the underlying concept of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.  At today's Hearing, Mimica committed himself to doing this as well as taking Parliament's view on the Post-2015 Agenda into serious consideration. We expect him to follow up on these commitments if appointed", concluded Davor Ivo Stier who will represent the EPP Group at the Evaluation meeting of Coordinators in the Development Committee.