African leaders called on developed countries to continue providing financial aid despite the crisis. Most speakers saw this as an opportunity for developed and African countries to understand each other well.

His Excellency Blaise Compaore, the President of Republic of Burkina Faso and current chairman of ECOWAS and UEMOA said the financial crisis will affect developed countries and African countries as well. For example banking is limited and the financial crisis is likely to affect banks where there is borrowing to a large extent. Liquidity is drying up and the flow of capital in Africa may diminish further and led to reduction in financial development funds. This also implies that few remittances will be sent back home by Africans leaving in developed countries.

He noted that there is need for creation of a framework of action that is consultative and including Africa. Poor countries have to be part and parcel of the process. He called on development partners not to diminish development aid which in turn will affect project financing. African leaders should however, also take a share of their responsibility; tap into domestic resources and find new innovative solutions especially more appropriate agricultural policies.

Other African leaders, including the President of Madagascar, His Excellency Marc Ravalomanana and the President of Mali, His Excellency, Amadou Toumani Toure retaliated the call for Africa to rise to these challenges; shoulder its responsibility and show the international community world that African leaders are committed and determined.

Capacity should be built to promote development and the crisis should spur Africa to stimulate development. More investment, infrastructure, access to markets, promotion of agro business and processing facilities should be put in place to ensure that in the long run to the food crisis is overcome.

Partnership between African countries and developed countries should include public and private sectors and the partners should reveal their responsibilities and perform them. There is need to establish a new financial structure and Africa should be included in the dialogue.

On decentralised cooperation and local government, the President of the Africa Union His Excellency, Jean Ping from Addis Ababa noted that despite the fact that African countries have undertaken decentralisation policies due to external pressure, it brings decisions closes to the people/ultimate beneficiaries of development services. However, the state still has a role to play. Stake holders need to internalise the model, own and play their role. The grass roots should play their role in policies that affect them.

The President of the European Union, Alian Joyandent called on development partners to act faster to find solutions to the looming financial and said there is a lot of work to do together. He reaffirmed that the European Union will remain committed to allocation and mobilisation of funds, development of good programs and ensures that there is a good climate for development. Priority will be given to African countries / funding for development and the donors will meet their commitment even in the financial crisis.

He also said the G20 has begun meetings and hoped to it would draw inspiration for development, for rebalance between the north and the south to remain a key issue. He called on the assembly do technical work/ be good assembly in combating poverty.

The EDD had a number of events including exhibitions by development practitioners in which WOUGNET participated in partnership with the Centre for Technical Agriculture (CTA), Brussels.