LONDON, 23 May. - (ANA) - Whether it be the old practices or the new, one thing is clear: With rising conflict and increasing instability, the world seems to need more help now than ever before. But over the last few years, many of Europe’s largest donors — from the United Kingdom to Germany — have been slashing their aid budgets. What’s going on, and why is this happening?

 

It comes down to a combination of economics, politics, and geography, according to David Ainsworth of Devex after hosting a Devex Pro event on the topic. 

 

Between a growing budget deficit in Europe, an increase of aid within the region’s own borders, and an outpouring of money going toward military and economic support for Ukraine, even some of Europe’s most generous donors seem to be tightening their purse strings.

 

“In Germany, there is one very well-known project,” said Stephan Klingebiel, the head of the inter- and transnational cooperation research program at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability, at the event. 

 

“I think almost everybody knows it: bike lanes for Lima in Peru. And this is an illustration for the most important right-wing party in Germany to illustrate, look, we can't afford to have our own bike lanes in Germany, but we are constructing them in Lima. And is it really something we should do?”    - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/23 May 2024 - - -