European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Christos Stylianides, who is also the Union’s coordinator for combating Ebola, on Friday declared the opening of the European Year for Development 2015 at the Greek foreign ministry in Athens.

Cyprus’ EU Commissioner was joined by Greek Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs Nikos Chountis.

With the central motto “Our World, Our Dignity, Our Future”, the “European Year for Development 2015” (EYD2015) is dedicated to raising European citizens’ awareness and their participation in the public debate on the promotion of the strong commitment of the EU and its member states to eradicating poverty throughout the world.

According to an announcement by the ministry, 2015 is a watershed year, not just for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but also for the completion of the talks on the UN’s post-2015 development agenda and the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key events in the global debate on Global development include the UN General Assembly, in September, and the new International Climate Change Agreement meeting set to take place in Paris late this year.