EDC2020 project launch conference

On 2 June 2008 the EDC2020 project was launched at Residence Palace in Brussels.

During the opening session, Jean-Luc Maurer, President of EADI, described the genesis of the project and placed it within the associations context and its predecessor EDC2010. Jean-Michel Baer, Director of the Directorate Science, Economy and Society at DG Research held the key note speech and pointed out the importance of EDC2020 to the European Commission. Finally, Simon Maxwell, Director of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), presented the initial working paper and the thematic framework of the project.

Jean-Michel Baer and Simon Maxwell

Project issues such as "New actors in international development", "Energy security, democracy and development" and "Climate change and development" were discussed with 80 conference participants during three thematic panels. The work package leaders Sven Grimm, Richard Youngs and Leo Peskett outlined the project issues and engaged in first panel discussions with Yang Guang (CASS), Ana Maria Gomes (European Parliament), Jos van Gennip (SID Netherlands), Imme Scholz (DIE), Merylyn Hedger (IDS) and Walter Kennes (DG Environment).