Brussels, 23/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - According to the results of a new Eurobarometer survey published on 23 November, the economic crisis has not affected EU citizens' support for the world's poorest. 84% of respondents supported the principle of development aid for assisting the poorest people across the world out of poverty.
The most overwhelming support was in Sweden with 97%, Cyprus (95%), Luxembourg, Germany and Finland (92%), while 84% wanted EU development aid to be geared to good governance and human rights, and 62% was in favour of increasing European official development aid to at least 0.7% of EU GNI by 2015. Fifty percent were ready to contribute from their own pockets, mainly for purchasing fair trade products that are to the benefit of developing countries. Another major result showed that European youth (15-24 years of age) had the greatest commitment to assisting the poor regions of the world. Nine young people out of ten consider it important to help the world's poor, 41% take the view that this action is of great importance, compared to 35% of persons aged over 40 who take the same view.
Speaking just days before the fourth UN Forum on Aid Effectiveness (Busan, South Korea 29 November to 1 December - see EUROPE N.10495), Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said that Europeans are sending a clear message to EU political officials and to the world as a whole. Even in these difficult economic times, he added, they remain firmly determined to help others out of poverty. Their generosity, Piebalgs said, must go hand in hand with political responsibility.
The survey also reveals that: - 70% of respondents believe sub-Saharan Africa is the part of the world most in need of aid to fight poverty, followed by the Middle East and North Africa (33%); - 80% are in favour of linking development with other EU policies such as migration, trade or access to energy; - 42% believe that aid effectiveness can mainly be increased by working more closely with developing countries, while 36% prefer improved cooperation with other donor countries, such as the USA and Australia. This special Eurobarometer survey No375, entitled “Making a difference in the world: Europeans and the future of development aid”, was carried out in the 27 EU member states in September 2011 among a representative sample of 26,856 citizens of over 15 years of age. (AN/transl.jl)