93 states met in Paris on 28 February and 1 March 2006 on the occasion of the ministerial conference on Innovative Financing for Development organised at the initiative of the President of the French Republic, Mr Jacques Chirac, with Mr Denis Sassou Ngesso, President of the Congo Republic, Chairman of the African Union, Mr Toumani Toure, President of the Republic of Mali, Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the Organisation of United Nations, and Mrs Graca Machel in attendance. International and non-governmental organisations were involved in this event and are listed in the annex.

This conference marks a new step towards rallying the support of the international community for innovative financing for development. It follows the World Leaders’ Meeting for Action against Hunger and Poverty organised by the United Nations at the initiative of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in September 2004 and the subsequent signing of the Declaration on Innovative Sources of Financing for Development by 79 countries in September 2005.

The idea of innovative financing for development is now an issue on the agenda of all major international forums and its principle has gained broad support on the part of the international community. Substantive technical work has provided solid bases for action, as shown by the Report of the Technical Group on Innovative Financing Mechanism presented in New York in September 2004.

Constitution of the Leading Group

Chair’s summary

Link to the website of the Conference of Paris of 2006, in French