SOLIDAR joins CONCORD's call for the next Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument to keep sustainable development and poverty eradication at its core

SOLIDAR joins CONCORD's call for the next Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument to keep sustainable development and poverty eradication at its core

On Tuesday 9 October, the European Parliament’s AFET and DEVE committees discussed the challenges of the new Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) for the 2021-2027 Multi-annual Financial framework (MFF) with a panel composed of experts, MEPs, EEAS and the European Commission representatives. 

The European Commission proposes merging seven different instruments - currently used to fund different external policies - with the aim of simplifying and adding more coherence in EU cooperation and development policies. Broadly speaking, the instrument’s budget would be divided into three, with a Geographic component (75%), a Thematic component (8%) and a Rapid Response component (17%) and includes a cushion for emerging challenges and priorities.

During the debate, MEPs and members of the Panel, including a CONCORD representative, stressed several concerns such as migration becoming a condition for development and cooperation aid and external policies that focus essentially on state security and border control. These short-term priorities could become counter-effective and detrimental to development policies.

In light of this, SOLIDAR join CONCORD's call to push for #Budget4Solidarity and to safeguard and ensure the principles and objectives of Sustainable Development, poverty eradication and the realisation of Human Rights at the core of any future EU decisions.