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Brussels, Belgium, 18 September 2024 —  Following Ursula von der Leyen’s this morning of her proposed College of Commissioners, the ̽����ѡ (̽����ѡ) seeks assurances that the world’s most fragile contexts “will not slip through the cracks”.

Harlem Désir, ̽����ѡ’s Senior Vice President Europe, says:

“At a time when conflict, climate change and economic shocks are creating a new geography of crisis, bold EU leadership is needed more than ever. Yet, the vision for the coming five years for the European Commission does not appear to prioritise this new reality. While we welcome the announcement of the Ursula von der Leyen’s College of Commissioners, it is important to ensure that the priority placed on the EU’s economic interests through external cooperation goes hand-in-hand with efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which must remain a guiding principle of EU foreign policies, and of its department for International Partnerships in particular.

Responsibility for advancing the SDGs cannot sit solely with the new Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, neither can it be an afterthought. It must be a red thread connecting the EU’s policies in the Mediterranean, crisis management, humanitarian aid, climate, security and international partnerships. 

We look forward to learning more about how von der Leyen’s proposed new team intends to keep advancing the EU’s commitment to the SDGs and ending extreme poverty. We will be looking to the European Parliament for a strong position on this throughout the upcoming hearings of the proposed Commissioners. As the new mandate begins, we will be seeking assurances that the most fragile contexts hosting the vast majority of the world’s poor will not slip through the cracks.”