The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGCD) which is part of the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (FPS) is responsible for planning, guiding, supporting and following-up on governmental development cooperation programmes and manages some 60% of ODA. The FPS manages country-to-country loans and contributions to international organisations, i.e. 10% of ODA. Some general directorates other than the DGCD also have a role. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of conflict prevention and part of humanitarian aid (5% of the ODA budget.) The "Belgian Technical Cooperation" Agency (BTC), is the DGCD’s sole partner for the implementation of direct bilateral aid, but can also carry out projects for multilateral agencies. A recent revision of all available aid modalities envisages increasing the efficiency and time-frame of development programmes and the partner country’s ownership over the projects.Belgium's ‘Law on International Cooperation’ (1999) identifies sectors and topics covered by development cooperation work and sets out the criteria for choosing partner countries. Priority sectors are:

• Basic education and training
• Basic healthcare and reproductive health
• Agriculture and food security
• Basic infrastructure and
• community building and conflict prevention

Every development action must take account of four topics: gender equality and the empowerment of women, protecting the environment and promoting a social economy. In 2004, the minister for development cooperation confirmed that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are central to Belgium’s cooperation policy. Belgium now gives more attention to access to basic social services and gender equality, and also to measures to combat HIV/AIDS and the protection of children’s rights.Belgian bilateral ODA can be either direct (government co operation) or indirect (NGOs, Belgian universities and scientific establishments). Belgium prioritises core financing over earmarked funding.  Belgian aid is targeted very much at the least-developed countries (LDCs) and remains substantial in the fragile States of Central Africa. Governmental cooperation focuses on Belgium’s 18 partner countries (13 African), i.e. developing countries with which Belgium has concluded general cooperation agreements and adopted multiannual Indicative Cooperation Programmes (ICPs). These include:

• Middle East: Occupied Palestinian territories
• Northern Africa: Algeria, Morocco
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Benin, Burundi, DR of Congo, Mali, Mozambique, Niger,  Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda 
• Asia: Vietnam South America: Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru

Rwanda receives most Belgian government aid. Of the €140 million pledged until 2010, €40 million is allocated to the health sector. Belgium has set up new ICPs with seven partner countries (2008-2012) including Palestine, Benin, Mozambique, Bolivia, Mali, Niger and Uganda. Five of these seven countries are to receive substantial contributions to health during 2009-2012.  In the future, Belgian Development Cooperation is to concentrate on two priority sectors in each partner country with the exception of the Central African Region. Belgium also provides government aid to non-partner countries including Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Ghana, Afghanistan and Sudan. The Belgian government pursues an aid concentration policy and focuses on 12 priority organisations among 21 which receive multiannual structural contributions. (CGIAR, FAO; GFATM, ICRC, OCHA, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNEP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNIFEM, WHO, World Bank).

 

 

Belgium contributes around €25 million to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Minister for Development Cooperation promised to double this figure by 2010.  In 2008, Belgium contributed to €3.7 million to UNAIDS, €3 million to UNFPA and €1.5 million to UNIFEM. Belgium has made the UNGASS Declaration on commitment related to HIV/AIDS.

In March 2006, the DGCD published its policy paper; ‘The Belgian contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS worldwide’ suggesting that an effective fight against AIDS in all common areas of action should be pursued. Bilaterally, in Morocco, Mali, and Tanzania, the Ministers for Public Health receive financial support to integrate HIV/AIDS into national strategies. Tanzania has received €3.2 million to implement educational programmes on HIV/AIDS in schools. In Benin, €1.9 million has been allocated to guarantee safe blood transfusions in blood banks. Burkina Faso has received €5 million to fund a new prevention programme against HIV/AIDS. The Congo has also been offered support totalling €5.75 million between 2006 and 2009 for the provincial coordination of AIDS interventions and strengthening of local health services in terms of AIDS prevention, blood monitoring and training.

In 2009, the Belgium Government collaborated with the Tanzanian Government through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to implement a three-year project supporting HIV/AIDS awareness creation programmes targeting students in Dar es Salaam region and four other selected districts in Tanzania.

The DGCD supports the AIDS-related activities of Belgian NGOs that are primarily active in the healthcare sector, with projects that provide general support to AIDS patients, improve access to treatment and prevent mother-to-child transmission. Belgium wants to devote 5% of the ICP to non-priority sectors including female genital mutilation (FGM) and HIV/AIDS.

The BTC is a member of the AIDS platform and of the ‘Because Health’ work group ‘Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights’. The DGCD and ‘Because Health’ elaborated a strategic European plan of action aiming to reinforce capacity building to strengthen health systems in developing countries (2007-2013). The DGCD also elaborated with BTC on a strategic plan regarding AIDS that encompassed target indicators and objectives. NGOs are encouraged to be integrated in future programmes (2008-2010) and the strategy aims at securing an extra €55 billion (2006-2008).

In 2007, the DGCD published a general policy document focusing on Belgian Development Cooperation in the field of SRHR. The document focuses on integrating SRH into the national strategy in partner countries, promoting gender equality, strengthening health systems, taking a global approach to HIV/AIDS, awareness-raising of sexual education, integrating SRH into general health systems and fighting against STDs and against sexual violence in conflict.  
Belgian Development Cooperation supports WHO research programmes on reproductive health and has made contributions to specific research programmes in Member States of the Southern African Development Community. In 2006, Belgium acceded to IPM, where the funds financed the efficiency of microbicides. During 2007-2010, Belgium sought to contribute €1 million annually to IPM. The DGCD has also collaborated to the creation of the ‘European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership’ which consists of a partnership with other European countries towards the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.

Indirect bilateral cooperation programmes are co-financed and controlled by the DGCD but prepared and implemented by NGOs (116 authorized Belgian NGOs, local authorities and trade unions). DGCD also funds the development actions of Belgian universities, scientific institutions, and non-profit organisations specializing in training human resources from developing countries.

Belgium’s NGO co-financing system has undergone major reforms. Programme financing is spread over three years instead of annual action plans or separate projects. DGCD has already funded programmes (2008-2010) for 51 NGOs.

Belgium wants more cooperation between the bilateral programmes and other Belgian actors active in partner countries (ex. NGOs) and possible partnerships and synergies are being explored and encouraged. Accordingly NGOs are now involved in the Joint Committees in Mali, Niger and Uganda. Belgium is making a study fund available in these countries so that it can be used to convert the ‘Paris Declaration’ into practice. Belgium is negotiating framework agreements with partner organisations which focus on five-year programmes.

In 2009, the Minister for Development Cooperation began an extensive dialogue with all Belgian indirect actors receiving DGCD funding (NGOs, universities) seeking to improve the effectiveness of the cooperation.

Belgian Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGDC)

Belgium DAC Peer Review: OECD 2010

DGCD Annual Report (2008)

DGCD Annual Report (2005)

Belgian Development Cooperation and the fight against AIDS Policy Paper (2006)

Belgian Agency for Development Cooperation Annual Report (2008)

Belgian Development Agency BTC

Terraviva Grants