Eurodad
Encyclopedia
Eurodad is a network of 58 non-governmental organisations from 19 European countries. Eurodad and its members make up a network, this network researches and works on issues that are related to debt, development finance and poverty reduction
.
Recently this network has focussed on issues such as tracking the aid spent by European countries, multilateral debt cancellation, debt sustainability, aid quality, conditionality and harmonisation, illegitimate debt, and export credit debts.
Eurodad's main targets are organisations such as the World Bank
, the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
, however it also targets European governments themselves.
Eurodad’s stated aims are to:
Eurodad coordinates the work of non-governmental organisations working on these issues, and collaborates actively with civil society in the North and South to attain these goals. Eurodad has existed since 1990 and is registered as a non-profit organisation in both the Netherlands and Belgium. It is funded by its members (about one-third of its budget) and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
and UK Department for International Development
.
The members in the UK include CAFOD
, Oxfam
, Christian Aid
, Tearfund
and the World Development Movement
.
is an important part of trying to ensure more money flows the other way. Rich country governments have pledged to increase aid to 0.7% of their Gross National Income. They have also agreed to improve the delivery of aid to ensure that more of it reaches the world’s poorest people. European governments have always been major aid contributors, and the proportion of aid provided by Europeans is growing ever larger.
Unfortunately too much official aid simply never reaches impoverished people; too much is channelled for geo-political ends, spent on northern consultancy services or weighed down by donor demands. Uncoordinated donor activities burden developing country bureaucracies with multiple missions, reporting demands and strategies. Some initiatives have been started to enable Southern governments and civil society groups to determine how aid money should be spent. But foreign agencies with money still wield significant power over national governments with cash flow problems. Despite widespread recognition of the benefits of participation and openness in defining public policies, there is still little room for public debate of what are often presented as the “right policies” for development. Intrusive and unrealistic conditions on aid are still straight-jacketing developing countries.
Eurodad’s aid-watching work focuses on the following areas:
1. Advocating for an improvement in the delivery of European bilateral aid including:
a. the fulfilment of commitments by European bilateral donors to increase real aid flows and advocating for change in rules in aid accounting and;
b. improved aid effectiveness to ensure better allocation and quality of aid for developing countries,
2. Eurodad exposes the imposition of economic policy conditionality on southern countries and works to increase the policy space for southern governments and civil society groups to decide their own futures,
3. Tracking how poverty reduction analysis and strategies are contributing to more transparent and democratic decision-making that benefits the poor,
4. Monitoring and contributing to debates on relationship between aid and governance in developing countries and the role of donors in this area,
5. Analysing the policies and practices of International Financial Institutions, particularly the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund
and calling for a reform of their unrepresentative governance structures.
) in their campaign to promote economic development in the developing world. As such, they've become a coordinating committee member of the Task Force on Financial Integrity & Economic Development, a coalition of NGOs and governments working to promote transparency in the international financial system.
Poverty reduction
Poverty is the state of human beings who are poor. That is, they have little or no material means of surviving—little or no food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, education, and other physical means of living and improving one's life....
.
Recently this network has focussed on issues such as tracking the aid spent by European countries, multilateral debt cancellation, debt sustainability, aid quality, conditionality and harmonisation, illegitimate debt, and export credit debts.
Eurodad's main targets are organisations such as the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
(IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
, however it also targets European governments themselves.
Eurodad’s stated aims are to:
- push for development policies that support pro-poor and democratically-defined sustainable development strategies.
- support the empowerment of Southern people to chart their own path towards development and ending poverty.
- seek a lasting and sustainable solution to the debt crisis, appropriate development financing, and a stable international financial system conducive to development.
Eurodad coordinates the work of non-governmental organisations working on these issues, and collaborates actively with civil society in the North and South to attain these goals. Eurodad has existed since 1990 and is registered as a non-profit organisation in both the Netherlands and Belgium. It is funded by its members (about one-third of its budget) and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency is a government agency of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Sida is responsible for organization of the bulk of Sweden's official development assistance to developing countries....
and UK Department for International Development
Department for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
.
The members in the UK include CAFOD
CAFOD
The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development, previously known as the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, is a United Kingdom-based international aid agency working to alleviate poverty and suffering in developing. It is funded by the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government...
, Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
, Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
, Tearfund
Tearfund
Tearfund is a UK Christian relief and development agency which works in over 50 countries. It is a founding member of both the Micah Network and the Disasters Emergency Committee.-History:...
and the World Development Movement
World Development Movement
The World Development Movement is a membership organisation in the United Kingdom which campaigns on issues of global justice and development in the Global South....
.
Aid overview
Approximately US$300 billion flows from Southern countries to Northern ones each year. Official Development AssistanceOfficial development assistance
Official development assistance is a term compiled by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to measure aid. The DAC first compiled the term in 1969. It is widely used by academics and journalists as a convenient indicator of...
is an important part of trying to ensure more money flows the other way. Rich country governments have pledged to increase aid to 0.7% of their Gross National Income. They have also agreed to improve the delivery of aid to ensure that more of it reaches the world’s poorest people. European governments have always been major aid contributors, and the proportion of aid provided by Europeans is growing ever larger.
Unfortunately too much official aid simply never reaches impoverished people; too much is channelled for geo-political ends, spent on northern consultancy services or weighed down by donor demands. Uncoordinated donor activities burden developing country bureaucracies with multiple missions, reporting demands and strategies. Some initiatives have been started to enable Southern governments and civil society groups to determine how aid money should be spent. But foreign agencies with money still wield significant power over national governments with cash flow problems. Despite widespread recognition of the benefits of participation and openness in defining public policies, there is still little room for public debate of what are often presented as the “right policies” for development. Intrusive and unrealistic conditions on aid are still straight-jacketing developing countries.
Eurodad’s aid-watching work focuses on the following areas:
1. Advocating for an improvement in the delivery of European bilateral aid including:
a. the fulfilment of commitments by European bilateral donors to increase real aid flows and advocating for change in rules in aid accounting and;
b. improved aid effectiveness to ensure better allocation and quality of aid for developing countries,
2. Eurodad exposes the imposition of economic policy conditionality on southern countries and works to increase the policy space for southern governments and civil society groups to decide their own futures,
3. Tracking how poverty reduction analysis and strategies are contributing to more transparent and democratic decision-making that benefits the poor,
4. Monitoring and contributing to debates on relationship between aid and governance in developing countries and the role of donors in this area,
5. Analysing the policies and practices of International Financial Institutions, particularly the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and calling for a reform of their unrepresentative governance structures.
Illicit capital flight
Eurodad has focused a lot of attention on the issue of illicit capital flight (or illicit financial flowsIllicit financial flows
Illicit financial flows, in economics, refers to a form of illegal capital flight and occurs when money is illegally earned, transferred, or utilized. This money is intended to disappear from any record in the country of origin, and earnings on the stock of illicit financial flows outside of a...
) in their campaign to promote economic development in the developing world. As such, they've become a coordinating committee member of the Task Force on Financial Integrity & Economic Development, a coalition of NGOs and governments working to promote transparency in the international financial system.
Recent publications
- Taming the Vultures Are New Measures Enough to Protect Debt Relief Gains?
- Reality Check: Global vertical programmes: a tale of too many funds
- Turning the Tables: Aid and accountability under the Paris framework
See also
- Directorate-General for Development (European Commission)
- European Development FundEuropean Development FundThe European Development Fund is the main instrument for European Union aid for development cooperation in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific countries and the Overseas Countries and Territories...
- European Parliament Committee on DevelopmentCommittee on DevelopmentThe Committee on Development is a standing committee of the European Parliament responsible for promoting, implementing and monitoring the development and cooperation policy of the European Union, notably talks with developing countries; aid to developing countries; and promotion of democratic...
- Millennium Development GoalsMillennium Development GoalsThe Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
- Task Force on Financial Integrity & Economic Development
- United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Development ProgrammeThe United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...