Ethiopian letter: ‘Is it naive to think that we can finance for international development?’

[Part of the Inside:Out series marking European Year for Development 2015]

Is it naive to think that we can find millions of euro for global policies, when Europe is struggling to sort out its own affairs?

It seemed the most incredulous timing, that these two things would occur at the same time. All the preparation, the planning, the endless meetings, bi-laterals, multi-laterals, and here we were. The day had finally come – the Financing for Development summit in Addis Ababa. But back in Ireland, the headlines were of a different financial agreement, one that was happening very far away from where we were.

As we sat around tables in the UN conference centre in Ethiopia, the July humidity setting in, rain pelting down outside, we discussed the millions and trillions that would be needed to finance this new ambitious plan to end hunger and extreme poverty within the next few years.

Meanwhile news alerts went off on people’s phones – news of Greece, of the near catastrophe, the near collapse of the stock market, the civil unrest, the question of democracy put to the test, and then, at last, a deal – a bailout for the Greeks.

In a room probably not that dissimilar to the one we were in, Merkel and Hollande, the major world powers, were sitting around a table in Brussels, discussing how Europe would manage to float its finances. And they had reached a deal. But none of that had been easy and it had come down to the wire. Everything was at stake before there was a deal. As the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, said, it was a “bruising experience” but after long talks, a deal was reached. Over the past few years we have become all too familiar with the words “austerity” “bailout”, “debt”. It has been our reality in Ireland, in many countries across Europe and in the United States.

A sense of worry came over the room. With all of us gathered to finance a whole new global project – a major plan to propel the world forward over the next 15 years - the apparent inability of one of the world's most powerful blocs of countries to sort out a regional issue spread gloom to the already tense negotiations.

Up to €86 billion of financing over three years. That was the Greek bailout agreement. Meanwhile, in Addis, the talk was of trillions – trillions of dollars needed to make this global agenda sustainable. It has been one of the most difficult times in the history of the EU and they had been talking about millions. We were talking about much, much more than that. Was it naïve to think that the world could finance for development to the tune of trillions when Europe was struggling so much with its own affairs? Suddenly, it seemed less hopeful – how could this possibly work?

Addis was full of questions, with no answers about who would pay, or who could pay. The focus turns quickly to the private sector. Perhaps that is where the future of development lies?

But it occurs to me that maybe Greece is what this whole summit is trying to avoid. Greece was about fire-fighting, about coming to the rescue in the 11th hour with everything at stake. In fact, Greece is the ultimate proof that now, more than ever before, we need to invest in our future. It is the example of why sustainable development is so important – why we need stability, security and strong social and economic frameworks around the world. Because the situation in Greece is still relatively minor. Around the world, a record number of people are fleeing from their homes, driven by conflict, persecution, unemployment and sheer hopelessness. Globally, 102 million people (17 times the total number of people on this island) depend on humanitarian aid for survival. Every day, 42,500 people around the world take the difficult decision to leave everything they own, and run for their lives.

In the past, people fleeing their countries would spend an average of 8 years as refugees before they could return home. Now, as crises become more frequent and more protracted, that average has gone up to 20 years. All around the world, millions of teenagers have grown up far away from home, in legal limbo as people with no country.

These issues are knocking on the doors of every country in the world. And the fire-fighting approach is not working. The needs of the growing army of displaced people are vastly exceeding the capacity of the global community to provide for them. It is time to fix the causes of the refugee crisis, not merely its symptoms.

It is in all our interest to create strong, well educated, self-reliant, secure, stable communities around the world. And for this reason we need to plan ahead. If Greece was about fire fighting, Addis is about planning ahead, building strong, solid foundations and frameworks for the future.

This is why we need to build and support strong communities which allow people and countries to reach their full potential and create productivity. And that is what this conference is all about, what this process is all about.

The task at hand is a big one, but it is vital, which is why we need robust mechanisms to ensure it is sustainable. In all of this it is important to remember that the Sustainable Development Goals – these critical global goals – are universal. They apply both north and south of the equator. Development is not something that happens “over there”. Development is the slow and steady approach to global problems that quietly inches its way towards a better world. And over the past 15 years it has inched a long way – halving extreme poverty and ensuring that 91 per cent of children in developing regions have a chance to go to primary school. Who knows what those children will grow up to achieve, what they will contribute to the ideas and innovations of the world. Development is something that affects all of us.

The old adage “a rising tide lifts all boats” is probably a tad overused. It has become cliché. And yet, this phrase is fitting. If we can take this bold step now to invest in the fight against poverty and climate change, then who knows what Greek crises we may avoid in the long run. If we can lift the tide of economies and communities all over the world – we can rise together.

Europe has been on lock down, the world leaders in a room discussing every possibility to keep Greece in the Eurozone, no matter the cost. It is near-sighted for world leaders not to see that the Addis summit is of equal importance for security and economic stability around the globe. Sustainability is the key word in all of this – sustainable growth and development to create happier, healthier, more stable and secure societies around the world. And that is something worth investing in. For all our sakes. Either way, we will pay. Is it not better to pay now, to invest in something good, rather than wait for problems to come down the track. The world is watching the wrong summit. The key to a secure and sustainable future lies in Addis.