European Development Ministers had an exchange of views on Monday 26 November in Brussels on the future financial architecture for development, proposed by the European Commission last May in the context of the EU's 2021-2027 draft budget.
As a reminder, the unique Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) would take the lion's share with €89.2 billion of the €123 billion proposed for financing External Action (heading 6 of the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, see EUROPE 12041).
They stressed that this unique instrument, which is intended to increase efficiency, fully reflects the EU’s two main priorities, namely Africa and neighbouring countries.
Franco-German agreement on geographical and thematic priorities. Ministers heard the presentation of a Franco-German document showing the convergence of views of these two Member States on geographical priorities, with a particular focus on Africa, and thematic priorities as follows: - climate change and the environment; - human development (education, gender, gender balance, health, nutrition); - human rights; - areas of fragility; - migration.
However, this document does not say anything at this stage about the tools that would be mobilised in the multiannual financial framework.
France wants to maintain an EDF. France, for its part, wants to give priority to sub-Saharan Africa and wants an important role for Member States and flexibility in governance both to be preserved. In other words, this Member State wishes to maintain a European Development Fund (EDF) outside the NDICI instrument.
Ministers were informed that the rapporteurs of the Development and Foreign Affairs Committees are in the process of finalising their draft joint report. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)