EuropeAid (European Union)
EuropeAid of the European Union provides funds for the following Medair country programmes:
- D.R. Congo
- Madagascar
About EuropeAid
EuropeAid is the Directorate-General of the European Commission that is responsible for implementing external aid programmes and projects across the world. It works closely with EU neighbouring countries, Russia, the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions, Latin America and Asia. EuropeAid aims to deliver development aid in an efficient and effective way. The focus is on maximising the value and impact of aid funding by making sure support is provided in a speedy and accountable fashion.
EuropeAid works hard to ensure that the aid it distributes makes a significant contribution to the development objectives of both the EU and the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals.
Steps in EuropeAid
EuropeAid is responsible for all the steps of an aid delivery project: after identifying needs, it carries out feasibility studies and prepares all the necessary financial decisions and controls. It then moves on to drawing up the required tendering, monitoring and evaluation procedures.
When implementing projects, EuropeAid takes account of EU strategies and long-term programmes for the delivery of aid. The European Union’s humanitarian aid is managed by a separate Directorate-General, because its immediate and short-term relief activities are very different from the long-term objectives of development aid.
The European Union is a major player in international co-operation and development aid. It is also the world’s largest humanitarian aid donor. Today, the European Community has political and financial responsibility for over 11% of the world’s public aid (ODA), compared with
five percent in 1985.
EuropeAid’s primary aim
The primary aim of the EC’s own development policy, agreed in November 2000, is the eradication of poverty.
To enhance its impact, the EC is targeting its assistance on six priority areas:
- trade and development;
- regional integration and co-operation;
- support to macroeconomic policies and equitable access to social services;
- transport;
- food security and sustainable rural development;
- institutional capacity building, good governance and the rule of law.
In addition to these core areas, important crosscutting issues are being mainstreamed into development activities namely: human rights, gender equality, environment and conflict prevention.
Note: Most of the information for this page was sourced from the E.U. EuropeAid website: www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm