Goverment commits to increase aid allocation before end of December

On October 27, the Government agreed on two bi-partisan parliamentary motion on increasing financial resources to development cooperation before the end of 2010. The minority motion was also accepted when mention to financial increase up to 500 million euro for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was removed. Now it just engages the government to significantly increase resources for development cooperation

The minority motion also commits the Government to start the Parliamentary debate on aid reform again, taking into account discussions during the last legislature, and eventually to clearly state which aid financial commitments will be met in 2010 due to dearth of financial resources.

The majority requests are more vague than the previous ones, asking the Government to fulfil its commitments towards the Global Fund and international food aid agreements, while also increasing development cooperation staff.

Both texts commits the Government to increase aid allocation from current levels by the end of December. However, it is worth noting that the about to be issued decree on peace keeping missions in 2010 would have provided for an aid in fragile states contexts, in any case, in continuity with the past, with no need of any a Parliamentary activity. The actual fulfilment of this engagement by the government should be measured net of the Peace-keeping Decree.