16 October 2008: The UN team in Brussels has released its
third annual report, which details UN/EU partnership achievements. The report
is based on inputs collected from UN country offices around the world. Emphasis
is placed on the support that the UN and EU provide to national development
strategies and initiatives related to strengthening national capacities.

The
report details how UN/EU cooperation has positively impacted hundreds of
millions people in the areas of humanitarian assistance, sustainable livelihoods,
democratic inclusive processes and policy formulation. The report places
special emphasis on issues related to human rights, as the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 60th anniversary, and the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) vis-à-vis emerging
challenges such as high food and energy prices and climate change. The report
also recalls that the 2007 European Development Days focused on climate change,
and takes stock of such events. [Improving
Lives: Results from the partnership of the United Nations and the European
Commission in 2007]