The EU is about to set out a multi-year framework for its budget after 2020. The new so-called Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will also have an impact on sustainable development worldwide and on the EU’s support for people in humanitarian crisis. The MFF will decide who gets EU development and humanitarian aid, how much they get, and how they get it.
This is an opportunity for the European Union to deliver on the commitments they have made towards advancing sustainable development, tackling climate change, and supporting democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms.
But right now, the integrity of EU aid is at risk. Member states are using development aid to push their own national agendas, such as stopping migration and an increased focus on security. We believe that aid must be used to reduce poverty, help people in need and support sustainable development around the world.
Oxfam calls on the EU and its member states to increase aid commitments, in order to reduce the gap between what is needed and what is being given. We ask them to improve the ways aid is delivered, to remain cautious of the use of private instruments, and to remember the crucial role civil society plays in development.