Help protect EU aid for the world’s poorest
On Thursday 30 August, Ministers and State Secretaries in charge of European Affairs will come together for a full-day meeting in Cyprus to discuss one of the most important processes for development that currently go on at EU level: the next 7-year budget for the European Union 2014-2020.
Thanks to the support and campaigning of ONE members last year, €51 billion was proposed for development assistance for the world’s poorest. But this proposal is now under threat as some governments want to cut the overall EU budget, and we need to ensure that lifesaving EU aid to developing countries won’t fall victim to these austerity measures.
To send a clear message to EU decision-makers to protect EU development aid, ONE is launching the Lifesaver campaign today. The campaign will celebrate the fact that everyone in Europe is and can continue to be a lifesaver through the EU aid budget. Lifesaver calls on European leaders and Ministers to publicly state their commitment to prioritising aid in the next EU budget to ensure even more lives are saved.
Thanks to EU aid, between 2004 and 2009 it helped enrol more than 9 million children in primary education, vaccinate more than 5 million against measles, and connect more than 31 million people to clean water. An ambitious EU aid budget will lead to even more dramatic results on the ground.
Thursday’s meeting is one of the last opportunities for Ministers to get their priorities reflected in a key document that will guide the rest of the process – a moment of truth when Ministers can show their commitment to protecting development spending. EU aid has made a huge difference, and we need to make sure the EU continues to build on the lifesaving work it has achieved in the fight against extreme poverty.
Take action today and support our Lifesaver campaign ahead of the Ministers meeting in Cyprus:
Send a message
Send a message to European leaders and make sure they keep their promise to the world’s poor.
Sign the petition
Last year ONE members successfully campaigned for the proposals on the next EU budget to include an increase in international aid. But this proposed new life-saving budget is now under threat.
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About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
02/09/2012 at 7:29 am
As an aidwork professional I have seen how vital EU aid is in a world of reducing funding for the worlds poorest. EU funding has always been well targeted and neutral, in every country I have worked on we have relied heavily on these funds. It is vital that we help to protect it