Western Europe

OECD 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. Busan, South Korea

IFC's Executive Vice President and CEO Lars Thunell, Vice President Nena Stoiljkovic, Director Sergio Pimenta, Senior Manager Hyun-Chan Cho, Special Representative for Western Europe Imoni Akpofure and Investment Officer Katherine Koh attended the OECD and Korea hosted 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. Delegates met to review progress on implementing the principles of the Paris Declaration, and discussed how to maintain the relevance of the aid effectiveness agenda in the context of the evolving development landscape. Culminating in the signing of the Busan Partnership Agreement for Effective Development Cooperation by ministers of developed and developing nations, emerging economies, providers of South-South and triangular cooperation and civil society, the HLF-4 marks a critical turning point in development cooperation. 

Mr. Thunell spoke at the Private Sector Forum and the Plenary Private Sector Event, at which he presented the Joint Statement endorsed by 37 parties from the public and the private sectors entitled "Expanding and Enhancing Public and Private Co-operation for Broad-based, Inclusive and Sustainable Growth", available in both English and French. IFC clients XacBank from Mongolia and Bank South Pacific from Papau New Guinea also spoke. In addition, IFC, CGAP and Sida organized a side-event on "Innovative Ways to Leverage Private Funding". Nena Stoiljkovic spoke at the Thematic Session on the Private Sector, as well as at a German-sponsored side-event on Inclusive Business.

This month's European Voice published a letter from Lars Thunell.  Mr. Thunell writes that this year's Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan was the first of these forums at which the private sector was invited to the table. For registered members, read the article on the European Voice website, or download a PDF copy.