Coming Soon: Aid Watch - the key annual moment of scrutiny on EU aid
On 22 May, BOND will release the latest Aid Watch report along with CONCORD members across Europe and in partnership with the UK Aid Network (UKAN). In the lead up to the report, Glen Tarman, Advocacy Manager, BOND, highlights why 2008 is a crucial year in the fight against global poverty
Since 2005, European NGOs have collectively monitored EU member states' official development assistance quantity and quality through the Aid Watch initiative.
Over 2,000 NGOs from all 27 member states join in collective voice for this key annual moment of scrutiny on European Union (EU) aid.
Countries that are failing to meet their commitments or inflating their aid figures are put in the spotlight. This year the report comes out a week ahead of a General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels which will include Europe’s Development Ministers. Soon after the EU Council (19-20 June) will see European leaders review progress on the EU’s role in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
There is growing concern from NGOs that EU governments are not scaling up their aid resources at the necessary pace to meet their commitments by 2010 and 2015. Any backtracking on delivering more and better aid risks widening the financing gap that hampers poor countries’ ability to meet the basic needs of their citizens.
In September, governments from across the world will meet at a ‘High Level Forum’ in Accra, Ghana, to assess whether international aid is playing an effective role in delivering human rights for all. Soon afterwards they will assemble again at a UN summit in Doha, to examine the broader ‘Financing for Development’ agenda including aid (and also trade and debt).
The EU provides the majority of the world’s aid, giving it a crucial leadership role in the fight against global poverty. It also has a responsibility to do all it can to make sure the aid it provides is as effective as possible at reducing poverty and ensuring rights for all. European civil society organisations are therefore calling on the EU to grasp the opportunity for leadership that 2008 provides, and agree to a set of concrete EU targets to improve aid from member states and European institutions.
In 2002 and again in 2005 European Union governments committed to substantial increases in the amount of aid they give to poor countries. But European citizens continue to see misleading claims made by their governments about their aid figures.
The OECD DAC figures recently released show a scandalous lack of progress in EU development aid. Aid Watch is the NGO response on the 2007 figures. The report will provide the views of NGOs from all across the European Union on their government’s performance and on the region as a whole. Aid Watch will also set out the clear steps that EU governments must take.
Aid Watch will mark a stepping up of scrutiny for this year’s series of international meetings where the quantity and quality of development finance will be discussed. At each of these, civil society groups will be watching the positions of all EU governments and the final outcomes.
What BOND members can do...
- Promote the report and news story when it is released on 22 May 2008
- In the UK, join campaigners working with European and international colleagues on aid issues, as well as keeping up the pressure on the UK Government to honour commitments to more and better aid. For more information, please contact Sarah Mulley at the UK Aid Network (UKAN)
- Get more involved with BOND’s work on Europe: contact BOND EU team
- Join BOND European Policy Group and EC Funding Working Group