Panel intervention by EU Ambassador Deike Potzel at the Biennial panel discussion on the right to development
63rd session of the Human Rights Council
Biennial panel discussion on the right to development, 11 September
Theme: Commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development
EU intervention
Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,
Thank you for the invitation to join this panel to reaffirm: For the European Union, development is an inalienable, universal right — indivisible from human dignity. It is a responsibility, and solidary in action. It is not just a principle; it is a practice, a promise, and a partnership. And for 40 years we have been commitment to this vision.
This conviction is rooted in the Declaration itself as it puts individuals as the central actors, drivers and beneficiaries of development. States, as duty bearers, carry the primary responsibility for realising all human rights, including the right to development. This is not a technical formula.
It is a statement about where legitimacy originates from — and it shapes what the EU does, at home and abroad.
Development, in our view, is only truly sustainable when economic progress walks hand in hand with the promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms, and democracy. Neither development can be reduced to economic metrics alone, nor can development be a precondition for the fulfilment of human rights. They are simultaneous and mutually reinforcing.
At the very foundation are good governance and the rule of law. Transparent and accountable institutions, fight against corruption, independent judiciary, meaningful participation of populations, including, civil society, are what allow development gains to sustain. Equally, there can be no genuine development without gender equality. Development that leaves half of humanity behind is neither sustainable nor just. Ensuring women's and girls' equal access to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, land and property rights, and to full and participation in political and public life, is not a separate agenda.
What does this mean for the EU in practice?
Sustainable development is at the heart of EU’s policies, both at home and abroad. Our approach is holistic: we seek to eradicate poverty, end discrimination, and reduce inequalities, guided by the 2030 Agenda and the principle of leaving no one behind. How resources are raised, allocated and spent is a question of who benefits, and who is consulted. Financing strategies must be assessed by their contribution to the realisation of human rights, including the right to development.
But I also want to focus on what this commitment means beyond our own borders.
Last year, the EU together with its Member States, that are members of the OECD, provided a combined USD 112.5 billion in ODA.
This figure is a testament of our collective commitment. It represents very close to 50 percent — essentially one out of every two dollars — of all development assistance provided last year by every DAC donor country in the world.
Why do we do this? Because we believe the right to development is measured in resources as much as in resolutions.
So how do we deliver?
Our support is not just financial; it is transformational. Through the Global Gateway strategy, we have already mobilised over EUR 306 billion in just four years, to boosting sustainable development and funding projects that span digital connectivity, climate resilience, health, education, and energy.
These projects are designed to respond more coherently to global challenges. They contribute to the practical realisation of many human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights.
One of the best examples is the “Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technology Products in Africa”-project promoting local manufacturing of vaccines in Africa (Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana). This includes regulatory strengthening, access to finance for SMEs working on biotechnology development, support to development of MSc and PhD programmes in biotechnology at the University of Rwanda and clinical trials, Green energy sources for production plants and including wastewater treatment infrastructure.
As you see, we support building capacity, resilience, and opportunity.
And why does this matter?
The right to development is about creating societies where everyonecan participate, contribute, and thrive. It is about ensuring that development is inclusive, sustainable, and aligned with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
Chair,
As we mark 40 years of the Declaration on the Right to Development, let us remember that the right to development is a daily action. The EU continues to honour that.
I thank you, Chair.