Development Cooperation Instrument

Period: 2007-2013
Budget: EUR 16.897 million

Development Cooperation Instrument is financing the European Community development cooperation policy, which aims to reduce poverty, strive for sustainable economic and social development as well as a gradual integration of development countries into the world economy. The instrument is implemented through geographic and thematic programmes and provides support to 18 countries in Latin America, 29 in Asia, 5 in Central Asia, 5 in the Middle East and South Africa.

The Geographic programmes support the development of and reinforce the cooperation with countries and regions in Latin America, the Middle East and South Africa.

Thematic programmes complement the Geographical Programmes and supports projects that are not geographically specific mainly in developing countries.

The overall objective is to eliminate poverty in partner countries and regions and help them to reach the Millennium Development Goals. This should be achieved through cooperation aiming to:

• Support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, gender equality and related instruments of international law

• Foster the sustainable development by all aspects; political, economic, social and environmental

• Promote partner countries smooth and gradual integration into world economy

• Help develop international measures to preserve and improve the quality of the environment and the sustainable management of global natural resources, in order to ensure sustainable development

• Reinforce the relationship between the Community and partner countries and regions

Sugar Protocol Countries - The 18 countries from Latin America and Africa that are affected by the reform of the Common Market Organisation for sugar should also be provided and aim at supporting their adjustment process.

Thematic programmes

The thematic programmes complement the geographical programmes in DCI, in ENPI and cooperation activities under the European Development Fund. They address specific activities of interest for a group of countries that is not determinate by geography. Thematic programmes also serve to help to develop Community policies externally and to ensure sectorial consistency and visibility.

• Investing in people

• Environment and sustainable management of natural resources, including energy

• Non state actors and local authorities in development

• Food security

• Migration and asylum

Implementation

For the implementation of geographical programmes, the Commission draws up strategy papers in dialogue with the partner country. The strategic paper serves as a base for the development of multiannual indicative programmes, which is adopted for each partner country or region.

The thematic programmes are implemented on the base of strategy papers and annual action programmes drawn up by the Commission for each partner country or region

Budget allocation

Of the total budget of 16.897 million euro, the Geographical Programmes have been allocated 10.057 million euro, the Thematic programmes 5.596 million euro and the support to the Sugar Protocol countries amounts to 1.244 million euro.