Europe was until now the champion of aid to poor countries, but it is turning its back on them. From the Netherlands to Germany, via Finland and Sweden, cuts in development aid budgets are increasing, with the risk of pushing the most disadvantaged nations into crisis and betraying the commitments of the world, and especially of the States. Europeans. And it is in France where the reduction, revealed by the government in its finance bill for 2025, is most dizzying. It foresees a cut of 1,300 million euros, to which is added an additional saving announced at the end of October by the Executive of 641 million euros, that is, a reduction of 34% in the mission of public development aid, the most affected by all budget lines. .
However, official development assistance is expected to reach $223.7 billion (€211.3 billion) worldwide by 2023, a record for the fourth consecutive year, largely linked to the war in Ukraine and the hosting of their refugees. But the trend of retreat is observed almost everywhere. “It is a surprising withdrawal, when we have just emerged from a global pandemic that showed us that we all depended on each other”laments Friederike Röder, vice president of the NGO Global Citizen.
These cuts come at the worst time for low-income countries, which are burdened by debt, particularly in Africa. Half of them spend more on paying their debts than on their healthcare system. For the first time in a generation, the proportion of people on the planet living in extreme poverty increased from 8.4% in 2019 to 8.5% today.
Very symbolic threshold
Northern European countries, which were among the world’s most generous donors, are abandoning their commitments, starting with Sweden, led by a right-wing and far-right coalition, which announced a reduction in its donations by 975 million crowns ( 84 million crowns). euros) between 2024 and 2025. According to calculations by the Swedish organization Concord, which brings together 81 NGOs, the percentage of the budget dedicated to development aid should remain below the bar of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI). ) from 2027, a very symbolic threshold since it corresponds to the objective set by the United Nations more than half a century ago.
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