| International Aid |
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"Europe is the biggest world donor, counting for 60% of global aid for Development. This is something...that must remain a reality, even and above all in times of economic crisis...My key words will be ambition, efficiency, and partnership. I won't succeed alone. I'll need to work with governments, international organizations, NGOs, our third countries partners..."
– Andris Piebalgs "I can see a more pro-active approach in building partnerships in the areas of humanitarian aid and crisis response, as in future more action will be needed as a consequence of disasters...At the heart of humanitarian aid lies its neutrality and care for people who need help. We should never allow humanitarian aid to be captured by those who abuse power."
- Kristalina Georgieva The European Commission and the EU Member States combined constitute the world's largest single donor in the struggle against poverty. The massive European commitment to development, over $50 billion per year, accounts for more than half of all official development aid to more than 160 countries spanning the globe from the EU’s neighbors to Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. In addition to regular development aid, the EU is a leading donor of emergency and humanitarian aid. The EU Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection Directorate General [formerly the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)] provides food, medical supplies, water purification systems, shelter and other essential items to disaster victims around the world. The EU and Development Policy The EU is constantly striving for progress in the fight against poverty and toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of 8 development targets to be achieved by 2015. This effort tackles poverty reduction, universal primary education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases and environmental sustainability—while establishing a global partnership for development. Development is a task that is shared between the European Union and its Member States. The EU's Development Directorate General (DG) has as its mandate to enhance EU international aid policies in all developing countries worldwide. DG Development provides policy guidance on development policy and oversees the programming of aid in the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) countries and the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT). The Cotonou Agreement provides the framework for a 20-year partnership for development aid to 77 ACP countries, funded mainly by the European Development Fund. EU specialized programs include the clearing of landmines in an attempt to eradicate the suffering of thousands of victims every year and enable countries to escape the confines of post-conflict poverty and chaos. The Role of the Delegation of the European Union in Washington The Delegation in Washington serves as liaison between the European Union and the United States in the development assistance area, covering cooperation with US Government agencies such as the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), international financial institutions such as the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a broad range of Washington-based NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and think-tanks. The Delegation facilitates this work by providing information from both sides of the Atlantic, helping to identify areas of common interest and organizing official visits from the European Commission's Brussels headquarters. European Union Delegation, Washington, DC, Staff USEFUL Links: European Commission Websites
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| Last Updated on Monday, 20 September 2010 09:59 |