UAE co-hosts Tidewater meeting in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi / WAM

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) co-hosted in Abu Dhabi the Tidewater Development Cooperation Meeting, with the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Tidewater Meeting convenes ministers and heads of major bilateral and multilateral aid agencies and development banks each year for a strategic conference on development cooperation. This year, the meeting was attended by more than 30 delegates from over 20 jurisdictions. The UAE was the first country in the Arab region to host the annual event, which dates back to 1968 when the first meeting was held at the Tidewater Inn in Maryland in the United States.
Over two days, delegates discussed major issues and emerging trends in development cooperation, and were able to agree in a number of areas on how to respond and strengthen the work of the international community. This year, the meeting focused on the role of development cooperation with refugees and preventative diplomacy, strengthening international cooperation in delivering aid to Yemen, the changing role of the DAC in the era of the 2030 Agenda, El Nino in Southern Africa, and results-based aid in development finance.
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said, “The UAE is pleased to be given the opportunity this year to co-host the Tidewater Meeting with the DAC of OECD. Over the past few days, we have had in-depth discussions on a number of development topics, and we look forward to working with our colleagues globally to overcome a number of challenges we face in international
development.”
OECD is an intergovernmental economic organisation of 35 countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seeking answers to common problems, identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members.
Since 1968, the DAC of OECD has co-hosted the Tidewater Meeting with a major donor country. A key feature of the Tidewater Meeting is its informal nature, which is designed to facilitate candid discussions amongst the participants. Over the years, the meeting has contributed to emerging global consensus on a number of
issues.