EU fails to achieve aid targets

According to the report on development aid released yesterday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Union failed to reach its 2010 development aid targets. In 2010 EU aid funds reached a total of 53.8 billion Euros, rising by about 4.5 billion Euros from 2009 and representing 0.43% of EU Gross National Income.

Although these figures confirmed the EU’s key position as the largest donor of official development assistance, they were not enough to reach the 0.56% of GNI target in 2010.  

As a matter of fact while Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK managed to achieve their 2010 targets, the poor progress made by France, Germany and Italy hampered the achievement of the collective goal.  According to Iacopo Viciani, in charge of the ActionAid ‘s Italian Development Program, the effort made by the Italian government to reach the targets results particularly weak, since 60% of aid funds allocated by Italy were compulsory contributions to the European Union.

“Aid targets are a commitment that the EU can’t afford to ignore” said Thomas Johnny, ActionAid’s Africa Governance Coordinator. The importance of development aid in fact, results particularly important in this moment: “Recent events in Middle East and North Africa clearly show for EU governments to invest in fighting long-term poverty and injustice instead of pouring tax payers’money into short-term, emergency situations”, added Johnny.

The same vision is shared by Andris Piebalgs, commissioner for development who, after presenting the 2010 figures, called for EU to maintain its leadership on official development aid: “Aid is a smart investment in the future. Promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development in partner countries is in our mutual interest” declared Piebalgs.