Belgium least generous country for development aid according to 11.11.11 | Domestic

In 2022, Belgium invested 313 million euros more in development aid than the year before, which is an increase of seven percent (taking inflation into account). However, this is a small increase. In 2021, Belgium invested 0.44 percent of gross national income (GNI) in countries in need of aid, compared to 0.45 percent last year. The Vivaldi government’s goal is to reach seven percent of that by 2030.

“All our neighbors have been more generous than us,” Secretary General Arnaud Zacharie emphasized. France gave 0.56 percent, the Netherlands 0.67 percent, Germany 0.83 percent and Luxembourg 1 percent.

Unlike neighboring countries, Brussels and Wallonia did not count the costs of foreign students and the costs of hosting Ukrainian refugees, but Flanders did. But even with those costs added, Belgium ends up lower than the rest.

Moreover, 12 percent of the amount appears to be ‘ghost aid’. This money is considered development aid according to OECD criteria, even if it does not finance projects in partner countries.

Belgium planned to use at least half of its development aid for the least developed countries, but that ultimately amounted to only 31.5 percent, or 0.14 percent of GNI, last year. However, a minimum of 0.15 percent had been agreed with other countries.

However, the report notes with relief that “Belgium, unlike Sweden or the United Kingdom, has not diverted funds originally intended for other countries to Ukraine.”

With three months to go for the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU, the NGO is sounding the alarm. In the first half of 2024, CNCD-11.11.11 wants an agreement on a “binding chapter on sustainable development, accompanied by sanctions”.