On Thursday 9 April, the Concord network of European NGOs called on European decision-makers to define a clearer path for sustainable international cooperation, as the latest figures published by the OECD confirm that official development assistance (ODA) will continue to fall in 2025, for the third year running. According to this preliminary data, 17 EU Member States have reduced their contributions, continuing a downward trend that began in 2023 (see EUROPE 13624/6).
Concord believes that these cuts, which particularly affect the least developed countries and fragile contexts, reflect a shift in European priorities. The organisation points out that the proportion of aid earmarked for these countries remains limited, even though inequalities are increasing, and condemns the gradual reorientation of cooperation policy in favour of European economic interests, to the detriment of human development objectives.
In the context of the current discussions on the EU’s next long-term budget for the 2028-2034 period (see EUROPE 13805/16), NGOs are warning against this “paradigm shift” which is likely to entrench this development (see EUROPE 13494/1; 13445/1). They call on the European institutions and the Member States to reverse this trend, by reaffirming the central role of ODA in the fight against poverty and inequality, and by guaranteeing funding commensurate with global priorities.
See preliminary data from the OECD: https://aeur.eu/f/lif (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)