The State wants the European Union to at least maintain existing capacity to respond to humanitarian crises in its next budget cycle, as international aid funding faces deep cuts.
Minister of State for International Development Neale Richmond said the Republic had submitted a comprehensive national position paper on the EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF), which will run from 2028 to 2034.
The financial framework is the bloc’s long-term budget that sets thresholds for policy areas.
Mr Richmond said the State believes the next financial framework must maintain the EU’s leadership in providing development and humanitarian assistance focusing on the most vulnerable.
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“External action financing must continue to defend the rules-based international order, democracy, [and] multilateralism, including through engagement with the United Nations, human rights, gender equality, climate action and sustainable development,” he said.
However, Mr Richmond said it is clear from discussions with EU partners that there must be a “sharp focus” on “outcomes” of all overseas development assistance and on the quality of such aid, rather than simply quantity.
The Minister said the Government has reaffirmed the State’s commitment to its overseas development assistance and working towards achieving the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income.
The call on the EU to maintain overseas development funding levels comes as many international donors have introduced significant cutbacks.
Giant US government agency USAid has been effectively shut down and several other countries have also reduced spending on overseas assistance.
A Department of Foreign Affairs report for Ministers earlier in the summer said the driving factors included a greater prioritisation of defence spending and changes in governments, which have led to a reorientation of funding.
“Most notably, the United Kingdom announced a reduction in overseas development assistance spend, from 0.5 per cent of GDP [gross domestic product] to 0.3 per cent from 2027.”
The report said Germany made cuts of almost €2 billion to its aid budget last year, while France also announced a reduction of €1.8 billion.
It said Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland also planned cuts.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said greater urgency is needed in implementing the UN80 reform programme, which aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The programme was launched last March, before the impact of the development funding cutbacks took full effect.
The department told Ministers: “We are engaging with other member States and with the UN agencies to understand the risks arising from the cumulative reductions in funding and to share perspectives and co-ordinated approaches to the UN80 initiative.
“We are actively engaging at the executive board level of UN agencies to ensure they are taking a coherent and realistic approach to strategic planning in the challenging financial context. We continue to seek improvements in risk mitigation, coherence, transparency, accountability and safeguarding.”
