The EU Development Directors General Meeting took place on 15 December 2021, with the following agenda:
Agenda item 1: Delivering the Africa-Europe Investment package and the Health and Education packages
During this session, an overall state of play of preparations for the EU-AU Summit was presented and focused discussion on the core contribution that Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) can make to the implementation the Africa-Europe Investment package and Health and Education packages. The delivery of these packages is critical for African partners and is a first part of the Global Gateway outside Europe.
Agenda item 2: Migration
Agenda item 2: MigrationThis session set out, on the one hand, the current state of play of the mobility package, a critical deliverable of the EU-AU Summit and, on the other hand, focused discussion on migration TEIs, in particular the regional TEIs on a Comprehensive Migration approach on the Atlantic/Western Mediterranean route and the Central Mediterranean route and the Afghan displacement situation.
The Director General of Hellenic Aid, Mr. Alexandros Diakopoulos participated in the EU Meeting. During the first session of the Meeting, Mr. Diakopoulos expressed Greece’s willing to explore further the possibility to participate in TEIs in: (a) Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative, especially regarding North Africa region, (b) Africa-EU Digital Economy and Society Partnership and (c) investing in Young Business in Africa. As regards Energy and Digitalization, Greece is already working closely in these areas with Egypt and Cyprus.
In his second intervention on migration, he expressed Greece’s interest in the EU Regional Team Europe Initiative on the Afghan displacement situation and referred to Greece’s contribution of 100.000 euros to OCHA (United Nations for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), following a recent UN appeal for Afghanistan.