This conference comes at an opportune time. When the EU is working ever more closely with the UN on conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance, and post-conflict rehabilitation. More generally, as the world's largest donor of development aid and humanitarian assistance, the EU is a main supporter of developing countries' efforts to achieve the agreed international targets for development and poverty reduction. The General Assembly's choice of Brussels as the venue later this year for the Third Conference on the Least Developed Countries, is a clear sign of the shared commitment of the UN and the EU to reduce poverty and facilitate sustainable development. It is also appropriate that this conference take place in Tokyo.
Japan is the largest single-country donor of development assistance.
At the G8 Summit last year, Japan took a leading role in launching the Okinawa Initiative against Infectious Diseases and a Package to address the International Digital Divide. At Okinawa, the European Commission President Romano Prodi warmly welcomed the Japanese proposals. This shared attitude towards our broader responsibilities is relevant to EU-Japan bilateral relations as well. An Action Plan to be adopted in the next few months setting the scene for the things we want to do together over the next ten years. Promoting peace and security and strengthened co-operation in the areas of development and humanitarian assistance will be key elements.