100 posts
Bill Gates: Pleased with European commitment to development aid
According to Bill Gates "Europe's role will shape global action, what happens to people in need." Gates, who recently met the Parliament´s Development Committee, recognises the European´s commitment to development aid. In spite of the European eco...
Aid has to be modernised; EU is not pulling out from middle income countries (MICs)
The European Union, like many other donors, is currently exploring the best ways to fight against poverty around the world. Faced with differentiation between developing countries, some of which have become aid donors themselves while others suffer f...
Enhancing Capacity for Greening Development
"Moving to a greener development path requires incorporating the environment into every aspect of the national planning and budgeting process. A key obstacle for many developing countries in meeting this objective is a lack of capacity for identi...
Main ACP-EU events for the week from 14/11 to 18/11/2011
European Parliament -14-17 November: European Parliament Plenary session (Strasbourg) -14-17 November: Committee Meetings in the European Parliament (Strasbourg) Council of Ministers -14 November: Agriculture and Fisheries Council -14 November: Fore...
New expert group on “EU Platform for External Cooperation and Development”
A European Commission expert group involving the European External Action Service, the European Investment Bank and EU Member States has started its work to study the potential benefits of establishing an EU Platform for External Cooperation and D...
EU urged to give more priority to tackling malnutrition
Adressing a high-level conference on tackling malnutrition, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy insisted that the international community do more on global malnutrition. Given that the 7 billionth citizen recently saw the light of the day...
New Concord report: EU policies seriously undermine developing countries’ rights
EU policies are continuing to seriously undermine rights in developing countries says a new report launched on 7 November by CONCORD, the confederation of European development NGOs. The report shows incoherencies between EU development objectives...
Andris Piebalgs in Uganda to explore innovative financing for agriculture
European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs this week traveled to Uganda for a two-day visit. Together with government and private sector representatives he explored how to improve access to financing for small and medium enterprises...
Antigua partners with EU for emergency docking port
The EU financed a new Emergency Ferry Docking Facility in Antigua to give the island the possibility for a swift reaction if disaster strikes. In 1995, Hurricane Luis hit Antigua and Barbuda while an eruption of the Soufriere Volcano threatened M...
Conference on Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection in Rome
My meeting today with Gianni Letta (pictured above), Under Secretary of State to the presidency of the Council of Ministers and right-hand man of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, took place amid the high drama of a political era drawing to a close i...
The EU supports rural development in Timor Leste
The European Union funded, under the 10 European Development Fund, a € 10 million Enhancing Rural Access Project (ERA) Project to rehabilitate and maintenance of rural roads network of Timor Leste, scheduled for implementation over a period of four...
ACP-EU Carib-Cap Forum III eyes new models for microfinance
The third Carib-Cap Microfinance Forum will take place in the Bahamas next week, bringing together local microfinance institutions (MFIs) and international specialists in talks focused on a “Caribbean model” for encouraging business growth. Fr...
G20 summit in Cannes to tackle food security and development
Combating excessive commodity price volatility and enhancing G20 commitments to development – these are two of the priority areas that the heads of state of the main emerging and developed economies, the Group of 20 or G20, will discuss during t...
ACP-CTO roundtable stresses broadband’s crucial role in development
Heads of ICT regulators in the ACP region emphasized the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) as a driving force behind development, and called for increased broadband penetration in African, Caribbean and Pacific cou...
Agenda for Change unveiled
Yesterday I presented an “Agenda for Change”, my proposals about changes in EU development policy. I am happy to see open and franc discussions about it the media, on Twitter and in other sources. I want to thank everybody for comments, b...
Olivier de Schutter: CAP reform must put an end to dumping
“The CAP is a 50 billion euro contradiction of the EU’s commitment to help put developing world agriculture back on its feet, and will remain so under today’s reform plans. Farm subsidies of this magnitude will always produce distortion...
Main ACP-EU events for the week from 03/10 to 09/10/2011
Council of Ministers -04 October: Economic and Financial Affairs Council -06 October: Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council ACP Group -03-06 October: 24th Session of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly -06/07 October: Green Growth Investment Fo...
Belgium: Fair trade week from 5 to 15 October
The Belgian Cooperation is celebrating Fair Trade Week 2011 from 5 to 15 October. On 5 October, it will st art a brand new Fair Trade Week campaign. With the slogan “Replace from now on 1 product by 1 fair trade product!”, the Belgian Cooperat...
L’Afrique du Sud, entre start up et townships
J’ai ouvert mon site web en février 2010 par une phrase de Nelson Mandela, qui rappelait que la lutte contre la pauvreté ne passait pas par la charité mais par l’accès à la liberté. J’en ai fait l’une des mes priorités...
How can the EU best support the development challenges of South Sudan?
“Independence in South Sudan has come as the result of a long struggle. The country is now free, but destroyed. War has devastated the south, and nothing has been developed – everything must be built from scratch.” A strong message delivered by...
Aid still benefits companies from donor countries
Aid from the world's richest donors continues to benefit companies from their own countries, despite decade-old commitments to "untie" aid and hand over control to developing country governments, according to a new report.
Humanitarian aid for the Horn of Africa, Sudan and South Sudan
The 3109th Council meeting on General Affairs held in Brussels on 12 September 2011 approved an extra EUR 60 million for humanitarian and food aid in the Horn of Africa and EUR 40 million for Sudan and South Sudan. For the Horn of Africa (the c...
From Myanmar with hope Part II – Aung San Suu Kyi
Facing the worst often brings the best out of people, so through my work I meet outstanding individuals from all walks of life. But never before had I had a chance to meet a living legend, so I was excited to visit Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Pea...
Webstreamed now: Brussels Briefing on Rural transformations
Today from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can follow our Brussels Briefing on “Nutrition security in ACP countries” in our live webstream by clicking here (and here, if you are viewing from inside the Commission). Should it freeze, please reload th...
Suivez en direct le webstream du Briefing « Transformation rurale »
Aujourd’hui de 8h30 à 13h, vous pouvez suivre notre Briefing sur le développement à Bruxelles au sujet des « Leviers de la transformation rurale en Afrique » à partir du live webstream ici (si vous nous suivez depuis la...
Follow our event 'EU aid: what is it for?' online
Tonight we will be holding a joint event with the ODI on EU external aid, following our report on the subject earlier in the year, "EU external aid: who is it for?".The speakers are:Baroness Glenys Kinnock, Opposition Spokesperson for the Department...
Brussels could save €4 billion in development aid
The EU, which is the world's biggest aid donor and gives over €53 billion a year to developing countries, could save €4 billion by managing more effectively the grants and loans it provides to help reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium...
Lesotho: Commissioner Piebalgs to to announce €15 million aid for water access
European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs will arrive for a two-day visit in Lesotho on 12 September. The visit takes place in the context of the country's preparations for local and parliamentary elections while dealing with the effects o...
Why we are helping in North Korea
You may have seen on the news today that the European Commission is giving food aid in North Korea. It was not an easy decision. In a country that is almost entirely sealed off from the outside world we wanted to answer two important questions: first...
One in six people have no access to clean water
Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right, but it is not a fact in many parts of the world. Contaminated water causes 1.5 million deaths a year, 2.5 billion people live without basic sanitation and one in six people does not have acces...
The Food Issue
The amount of food that goes to waste each year is staggering, with disposal numbers of 1.3 billion tons each year according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Our “buy one get one for free” lifestyle in Western countries al...
“Hidden Disaster”: The EU’s actually pretty good comic on its humanitarian work
I hate the European Union’s PR efforts. Over-generalizing very slightly, they could be characterized as “universally shit”. The Commission in particular is guilty of funding high-budget bizarre and even incomprehensible videos, whe...
Everybody on board
Development policy is about helping the most vulnerable people on the planet; it is about creating sustainable environment and providing job opportunities, schools and hospitals so people have decent lives. There is no disagreement about this. Deve...
"The Mauritius Miracle" by Joseph Stiglitz
Suppose someone were to describe a small country that provided free education through university for all of its citizens, transportation for school children, and free health care – including heart...
Climate change: Piebalgs in Vanuatu to launch €25.4 million worth projects
Between 3 and 4 March, 2011, European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, will participate in Conference on Climate Change in Vanuatu and sign an Action Plan to enhance Pacific-EU cooperation on climate change. Some of the small Pac...
3rd European Forum on Sustainable Development
The 3rd European Forum on Sustainable Development will be held in Palencia, Spain from 29th March-1st April 2011. This forum is an initiative by the European Commission and EU Presidency with the support of France, Germany, Ireland, the Gl...
EU development policy - less talk, more action?
The EU's member states need to take a critical look at their own policy objectives and implementation strategies, and how these fit within a broader European context. It is easy to criticize the European Union (EU). Its detractors disparage it for...
EU Development Assistance for Basic Education in Sub-Saharan Africa
EU assistance achieved some of the expected improvements in basic education in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, but less than intended, according to a special report published last week by the European Court of Auditors.
Kristalina’s blog
Did you know?… You can follow the travel missions, views and statements of the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva from her online blog: http://blogs.ec.europa.eu...
Council adopts recommendation on European Development Fund
The Council adopted a recommendation to the European Parliament on the discharge to be given to the Commission in respect of the implementation of operations under the 8th, 9th and 10th European development funds for the financial year 2009 (5469/...
Progressive development of Kazakhstan in the Islamic world
Starting in June 2011 Kazakhstan will chair the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). For the first time in its 42-year-long life, the OIC will be led by a state positioning itself as the Central Asian leader with ample experience in bridging...
Commissioner Piebalgs at the African Union Summit
EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs attended the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on 30/31 January. Leaders met to discuss the theme of the summit - "Greater Unity and Integration through Shared Values". The European Union is working i...
Jamaica is Number One for IDB and EU
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is easily Jamaica's biggest supporter among the international financial institutions. During 2010, the IDB provided us with a total of US$630m, making the IDB's Jamaica programme the largest loan programme in...
A new DG for Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid
The European Commission can now speak with one voice on development and cooperation issues: since the 3rd of January , the new Directorate-General, DG DEVCO formally began its work, and will be responsible for designing European development policy an...
The EC approves 13 programmes supporting Intra-ACP cooperation
The European Commission has formally approved a package of 13 programmes in the fields of health, climate change (environment and disaster risk reduction), education and culture, trade and private sector development, agriculture and rural development...
The EU supports the adaptation of the sugar industries in Belize, Swaziland, Congo
On the 22 of December 2010 the European Commission has approved three financing decisions in favour of Belize (EUR 18 791 000), Swaziland (EUR 12 057 000) and Congo (EUR 1 059 000) to support their sugar sector in the framework of the Accompanying Me...
European Report on Development -Social protection
Social protection can help reduce poverty and vulnerability and promote development and inclusive growth in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a report which was commissioned by the EU. To unleash the full potential of social protection, African countr...
The Commission reviews EU's humanitarian aid strategy, and acts to improve it
On November 8 the European Commission adopted the mid-term review that looks at the implementation of one of the European Union's landmark policy statements – the 2007 Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, which sets out the EU's common vision, approach a...
A Story of Ignorance - How to spend an (EU) aid budget
No really, over the past week the EU has been having what it calls its Development days.Here is Commissioner Piebalgs baffling on about how wonderful they are. What he fails to mention is the terribly important fashion show, (pic right) which ha...
EU needs to specify the volume of development finance
The European Union needs to spell out the sources and the volume of money it is providing for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) development programme, the President of National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS, Ken Ukaoha has said.
EU approved EUR 28,3 millions to enhance Caribbean Regional Private Sector
The European Commission approved EUR 28,3 million grant financing for a Regional Private Sector Development Programme, to be executed over 5 years in the Caribbean region."This programme will contribute to the gradual integration of the Caribbean For...
Is international aid bad?
Here are my comments on whether aid is badWhy aid is not badThis was not something I came up with, but a conversation I stumbled on. The argument that was made against it was that it distorts local economic incentives. It's the same argument as the o...
EU pressed to act on combating world malnutrition
Former EU commissioner Mario Monti has called for urgent action to combat the rising death toll caused by malnutrition. Addressing a conference in parliament on Tuesday, the Italian said one billion people in the world were undernourished and some 36...
The future of the EU development policy after UN Summit on MDGs
Today I delivered a keynote speech at the conference organised by the umbrella organisations for European NGOs, Concord. The theme of the conference was “The Millennium Development Goals after the UN Summit: Moving Forward or Backwards?”...
Europe approves € 500 million of food aid for the needy for 2011
Food aid plans submitted by Member States for the 2011 Aid for the Needy Scheme were voted in the Single CMO Management Committee. Next year 20 Member States will use the scheme – with the Czech Republic participating for the first time. Originally...
Piebalgs proposes 10% increase in funding to the Global Fund
Tomorrow, Andris Piebalgs, the European Commissioner for Development, will participate in the Third Voluntary Replenishment Pledging Conference of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in New York. Two weeks after the UN High-level...
Commissioner Piebalgs' first visit to Rwanda to assess EU's aid impact
Commissioner Piebalgs' first visit to Rwanda to assess EU's aid impact on the ground and sign €52 million financial agreements on regional cooperation and governance. From 28 to 30 September, EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs will pay...
EPA: views from the EU Council
The 31st Council meeting on Foreign Affairs held in Brussels on September 2010 held an exchange of views on the situation and the way forward as regards the negotiation of economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with African, Caribbean and Pacific (AC...
“Born in ‘89″ shows anger of post-Communist generation
A strike on the London Underground marks a rude reminder that the holidays are over, and grim reality returns. But the transport chaos in London failed to disrupt a special occasion at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Deve...
How ECHO delivers EU aid - a process illustrated in comic book form
Except for the regular invoices and ever-increasing bills, it’s always nice to receive some mail in your post box, and today I received a nice parcel from Luxembourg dispatched from the EU bookshop.At the heart of the protective cardboard shell was...
Georgieva to update MEPs on EU's Pakistan aid response as Parliament returns from summer recess
The rain has arrived which means that the summer recess is coming to an end, and the European Parliament resumes its business next week with the Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva due to appear before the Parliament’s Development Committee to up...
EU gives 45m Euros to promote peace, development in Great Lakes region
The European Union is granting 45 million Euros for a program to promote regional integration of the three countries comprising the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), APA learns here from a statement issued here Sunday.
Somalia humanitarian crisis eases
The number of people needing humanitarian assistance in Somalia has dropped by 25 percent to 2 million in the last six months, easing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to a UN study published today.
Humanitarian aid and the economic crisis
I was pleased to hear EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva announce a further €30 million of aid for those affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan.There are those who believe that, given the economic situation in Britain and...
Are you staring at the EU’s ass?
Look at this little fellow… …and try telling me that he wouldn’t look better with this logo stuck to his furry flank: What, you may ask, am I going on about? Here we go: this week, the EU’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid...
Worth a Thousand Words
This, according to How Big Really?, is how Pakistan’s floods would look if they covered the UK: Donate...
Land access, land acquisitions and rural development
Land is an asset of enormous importance for billions of rural dwellers in the developing world, and especially in ACP countries. The nature of property rights and their degree of security vary greatly, depending on competition for land, the degree of...
Security of Humanitarian aid workers
Security represents one of the most challenging issues for the humanitarian community. The conditions in which humanitarian workers operate have become increasingly dangerous. Humanitarian emblems and flags which traditionally provided a shield for h...
Don't shoot, I'm a humanitarian worker!
On World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, the European Commission honours humanitarian workers who have lost their lives or freedom, or have been injured during the course of their work. The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid departmen...
Aid yes, but be sure to wave the EU flag
A famous Chinese proverb says: "When the finger points at the moon, the foolish man looks at the finger". We don't know if EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Kristalina Georgieva (in action in the picture) is familiar with Chinese proverbs, but thi...
One of the most dangerous jobs in the world
The picture you see attached is one of the images used for eye-catching banners that are currently exhibited on two main buildings in the heart of the European district in Brussels. They demand the attention of EU officials, Members of the European P...
The month that’s in it (II)
Well that was a tawdry exchange, wasn’t it? A phone-call would have sufficed. But no, that would be so discreet as to be pointless. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, currently holidaying in the Cote d’Azur, needles the European Commission Preside...
Iringa Gets Sh40 Billion for Water
The European Union (EU), in collaboration with the German Institute KfW, have provided more than Sh40 billion (Euro 23.42m) to fund a water supply and sanitation project that will benefit more than 200,000 people in Iringa Municipality.
UNICEF aid info for Pakistan
Bağış için bizi arayın (0312-290 33 13 ya da 0212-252 52 22) Banka Hesap Numaralarımız Türkiye İş Bankası Ank. Çankaya Şubesi Şube Kodu: 4238 1006 TL 1007 $ 1008 € IBANTR740006400000142380001006TL TR090006400000242380001007$ TR7900064...
EU to Spend Sh10 Billion on Local Projects
The European Union will spend Sh10 billion in Kenya this year for various projects, the Head of European Union delegation to Kenya, Eric Van Linden, has said. Mr Van Linden said Kenya is a priority in EU's development policy and strategy, and followi...
The month that’s in it
Ah, the depths of August. The EU capital is a shadow of its usual self. Parking spaces are easily found. Crossing the Rue de la Loi road in front of the European Commission’s main building is less of an adventure. Commission spokespeople – few in...
Is the EU a step closer to establishing an aid 'Rapid Reaction Force'?
The concept of creating an EU Rapid Reaction Force to deal with natural disasters is not a new one, but it now seems the idea is gaining powerful momentum in Brussels soon after it was revealed the French President Nicolas Sarkozy wrote to Commission...
No decision yet on extension to EDF funding after 2013
An extension to the current European Development Fund (EDF), enjoyed by all the 14 Forum Island Countries that are members of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) is not clear, once it expires in 2013.
Pacific ACP leaders conclude meeting on EU assistance and trade
The 8th meeting of the Pacific ACP Leaders was held in Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu Tuesday 3rd August to discuss the progress of European Union assistance through the European Development Fund (EDF) to the region as well as trade issues.
Special Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid
A special Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid reveals a high level of solidarity among EU citizens with victims of conflict and natural disasters outside the Union. Eight out of ten citizens (79%) think it is important that the EU funds humanita...
Special Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid
A special Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid reveals a high level of solidarity among EU citizens with victims of conflict and natural disasters outside the Union. Eight out of ten citizens (79%) think it is important that the EU funds humanita...
Europeans and Humanitarian Aid. A New Report
Humanitarian Aid A special Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid reveals a high level of solidarity among EU citizens with victims of conflict and natural disasters outside the Union. Eight out of ten citizens (79%) think it is important that the...
Commission releases €14.9 million for food security to Niger
Given the worsening food crisis in the Sahel, the Commission today agreed to disburse €14.9 million for food security in Niger, the worst affected country in the area. This follows the Commission's recent proposal to resume aid to Niger for €458...
It used to be trade then conquest
But now it might seem to be aid then conquest.The story of British India can be boiled down (with all sorts of caveats) into the move from the trading relationship of the East India Company which morphed over time into a military relatuionship throug...
EU helps Malawi to improve 1,500 km of rural feeder roads
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Malawi has agreed to finance contracts worth €13.15 million (approximately MWK 2.7 billion) to improve rural feeder roads in the southern African country. In a press release made available to Nyasa Times o, the...
Dominican banana exports to Europe jump 25%
The country’s leading banana producers announced a 25% jump in exports to Europe to more than 58 million dollars in the first half and expect to top US$160 million in 2010. Last year producers exported to Europe 280,000 metric tons of bananas and e...
EU Commission Plants 5000 Trees
The European Commission in Tanzania last week launched the first ever tree planting programme at a tea research institute in Iringa in southern Tanzania to 'offset the carbon emissions caused by its European offices, Umoja House, in Dar es Salaam.
