John Battle MP Welcomes Aid Breakthrough

John welcomed the commitment by EU member countries to double their aid budgets.

He said, “This is a major breakthrough before the G8 summit in July – it’s wonderful news for the world’s poorest people. The extra money will make a significant difference, not least in Africa where over half of it is pledged to be spent. It also helps put pressure on the US, Japan and Canada to follow suit, and I look forward to hearing them announce that at the G8 summit.

“I do congratulate Hilary Benn MP, for his crucial role in negotiating the agreement, and I also congratulate TIDAL (Trade Injustice and Debt Action Leeds) for their tireless and well-researched pressure for justice, which has helped bring this agreement about.”

John is Patron of TIDAL and Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of CAFOD

The richest 15 EU Member States agreed that by 2010 they should each spend a minimum of 0.51% of their national budgets on Official Development Assistance. The newest 10 Member States who joined the Union last year agreed to strive to reach a parallel target of 0.17%. This means that collectively the European Union countries will spend at least 0.56% of their national budgets on aid by 2010 (both via the EU’s aid programme and through their own national aid programmes) which will generate an estimated additional €20 billion (£14 billion) of new aid per year, compared to 2006 commitments.

The 15 also made an historic commitment to reach the UN target of 0.7% by 2015, with the new 10 agreeing to strive towards 0.33% on the same timetable. Britain is already committed to reaching the 0.7% target by 2013. For the newer EU member states, this means a major shift to donor status despite having been until recently aid recipients themselves.

More details available from DFID

©John Battle MP 25 May 2005