News

On 23 November, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Neris Germanas took part in a video conference of the EU Development Ministers. The meeting focused on the issue of debt relief, notably in the context of the COVID-19 global response and recovery effort. In addition, Development Ministers discussed how to promote gender equality in the light of the forthcoming Joint Communication on the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III: An Ambitious Agenda for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in EU External Action.

The Foreign Vice-Minister Germanas voiced his support for the EU’s consistent effort to promote gender equality in all external action, especially during these difficult times of the pandemic. “We have consistently contributed to the EU's concerted effort to empower women and girls. Gender equality is among the long-term priorities of Lithuania’s development cooperation,” said Germanas.

Development Ministers were informed about the latest state of play regarding negotiations on the post-Cotonou Agreement that would provide the basis for future relations between the EU and ACP partner countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Lithuania also presented its position regarding the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), drew attention to nuclear safety standards and called for providing for a posibility in the new NDICI instrument to review support to the EU partner countries that failed to comply with these standards.