On the margins of the Twelfth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XII) in Ghana, dr. Žiga Turk, the Slovenian Minister for Growth, and Andrej Šter, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with representatives of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) and Committee on Development (DEVE). They discussed Conclusions of UNCTAD, migrations and development. Minister Turk said: “We have to strive for good governance, rule of law, transparency, respect for human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women.” Minister Turk also attended the roundtable Globalization, development and poverty reduction: their social and gender dimensions.

In the name of EU minister Turk pointed out that the reduction of poverty in the developing countries is the core overarching objectives of the EU development policy. "The European Consensus on Development also emphasizes EU commitment to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms, peace, democracy, gender equality, the rule of law, solidarity and justice, and pays special attention to the needs of Africa and Least Developed Countries."

Furthermore, minister Turk emphasized that European Union recognizes that gender equality and women’s empowerment are of fundamental importance for the achievement of sustainable and equitable development and the eradication of poverty. The joint European Union commitment to gender equality and women empowerment is strengthened in the Conclusions on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development Cooperation, adopted by the General Affairs and External Relations Council in May 2007.

In these Conclusions the Council recognizes that women’s economic empowerment and women's enjoyment of human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing and underlines the importance of equal access of women to employment and economic resources, decent work, education, vocational training, information, communication and markets, as a means to further the advancement and empowerment of women and girls.

Minister Turk finished hid speech by saying that gender equality and women’s empowerment should be mainstreamed into all UNCTAD’s policies and practices. UNCTAD should strengthen its work on the linkages between trade and internationally agreed development goals and objectives, in particular the Millennium Development Goals.