In terms of organisational structure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) coordinates Romania’s development cooperation policy (both planning and implementation) and its corresponding budget. Within the Ministry, the Development Assistance Division manages both the development policies and the implementation of Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects. Other ministries also cooperate with the MFA, such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Education.

The Inter-ministerial Committee for Cooperation and International Development possesses consultative functions and serves as a forum for debate and analysis. It includes all ministries and other governmental agencies involved in ODA programming and implementation.  

Since 2007 Romania has incrementally increased its levels of ODA spending from 363 million RON (€87 million) in 2007 to 376 million RON (€90 million) in 2008 and 2009. It is expected that Romania will increase its ODA to over 417 million RON (€100 million) in 2010.

Romania’s development policy and framework revolves around three key documents:

• ‘National Strategy for International Development Cooperation Policy’, which sets out the objectives, geographic/sectoral priorities and general institutional framework.
• ‘Budget law (No. 404/2006)’ setting out that the MFA budget will include annual funds for financing development assistance.
• ‘Government Decision No. 747/2007’, which sets out the programming framework, implementing means and instruments, and provides for the creation of an Inter-ministerial Committee for Economic and Development Cooperation.

The priority areas for Romanian development policy are:

• Economic development
• Consolidation of democracy and rule of law
• Good governance
• Education
• Health
• Development of infrastructure
• Environment protection

Romanian development legislation is currently under revision to enable more effective procedures for direct bilateral funding, which would be implemented by the MFA or a specialised agency. This latter option is currently under consideration. Operational manuals are in draft form at present and include procedures for bilateral aid. Most Romanian ODA has until present been channelled through multilateral donor institutions (UN agencies, IOM etc). In 2010, direct aid has only been granted to one priority country - Moldova - through a Financing Agreement.

One of the main objectives of the ‘National Development Strategy’ is to gradually increase its bilateral ODA share in the total ODA volume. This strategy mentions the following priority areas:

• Eastern Europe – Republic of Moldova
• Western Balkans – Republic of Serbia
• Caucasus – Georgia

Additionally, two other countries are currently included:

• Iraq
• Afghanistan

Romania expects that as its capacity to implement development cooperation is strengthened, its list of priority beneficiaries will expand to the states of Central Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Romania operates a domestic HIV/AIDS strategy which today revolves around the second ‘National HIV/AIDS Strategy’ (2004-2007), aiming to prevent further HIV transmission and to improve access to treatment. Regardless of the existence of such a policy, funding for such activities remains low.

Internationally, Romania contributes to the development of health systems largely through multilateral cooperation. Since 2007, the largest recipients have been the GFATM, the WHO and UNFPA. In 2008, Romania gave a contribution of 167,069 RON (€40,000) to UNFPA towards improving access to basic health services and reproductive health services for the Roma community located in Moldova. In addition, Romania’s joint grant schemes with UNDP (towards Moldova and Georgia) in 2009 included work for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Cooperation with NGOs in preparing and implementing development programmes/projects, including within grant schemes co-financed by the European Commission, is regarded as an important element of Romania’s development policy and strategy.

In 2009, the MFA financed two grant schemes valued at 626,000 RON (€ 150,000) for the Republic of Moldova, and 821,721 RON (€196,669) for Georgia. Both of these schemes were implemented through the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) for the purpose of fostering partnership between NGOs in Romania and two target countries. Apart from the two grant schemes, the MFA cooperates with FOND—the development NGOs platform in Romania.¹ 

There are no other NGO financing frameworks available. The MFA is in the process of finalizing ODA Operational Procedures Manuals, in cooperation with UNDP, which will include grant scheme procedures and guidelines. To date, the grant schemes financed by the Romanian MFA through its ODA budget are implemented through UNDP.

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¹ Contact information can be found in the NGO Platform Contact Information section of this Guide.

Camelia Chirascu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Romania, May 4 2010

Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

National Strategy For International Cooperation and Development Policy.