The European Development Days came to a close in Brussels on 8 June after two days of discussions on innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges
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As part of #EDD17, the European Union and its member states signed a new overarching development policy aiming to tackle climate change, migration and security problems.
Along with European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, present at the signature ceremony was Bangladeshi social entrepreneur and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Speaking in an interview live on Parliament’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, the UN advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals described the EU’s role in eradicating poverty worldwide as “absolutely, extremely important”.
Muhammad Yunus speaking at the European Development Days on 8 June
He added: “Everything we do, whether on poverty, climate, employment, has to be together. And we have to come up with innovative solutions for everyone.”
“The whole world is a very small place. You cannot survive in isolation in our global village. You cannot leave other people behind.”
On the issue of climate change, he said “if one part of the world keeps on destroying the planet, with an ‘I don’t care attitude’, remember it is your home and your home will be destroyed too.” He spoke also of the risk of climate change to low-lying, densely populated countries like Bangladesh.
“We have to resolve climate change and that is why the Paris agreement is so important.”
Mr Yunus pointed out that “all the wealth of the world is concentrated in a few hands, 1% of the world’s population own 99% of the wealth of the entire world”. This inequality is only getting bigger, he said. “We are not living in a sustainable world. It is a ticking time bomb, and will explode.”
Mr Yunus and the Grameen microcredit bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for efforts in advancing economic and social opportunities for the poor.
“We can create the world that we want if we put our mind to it.”
Speaking at the European Development Days and at a joint meeting of Parliament’s environment and development committees, he stressed the importance of entrepreneurship and social business: “If you try to get the objective of charity and put a business behind it, suddenly the money comes back. [...] Each human being is a problem solver. We are inventors; we are job creators. That is our creative power.”
Collectively, the EU and its member states are the world's largest aid donor
He ended the interview on Parliament’s Facebook and Twitter accounts on a positive note: “We can create the world that we want if we put our mind to it.”
Catch up on the full interview with Muhammad Yunus and European Parliament member Elly Schlein by clicking here.
Over half of global development aid comes from the EU and its member states, making them collectively the world's largest aid donor. Click here for more on Parliament’s work on development issues.
