The Diplomat in Spain

Spain contributes to food security in Niger / Photo: OTC-AECID

The Diplomat. 09/07/2018

The Spanish Government has contributed nine million euros to the EU Trust Fund for Africa, two thirds of which have gone to Niger, a priority country for Spanish cooperation.

The EU Emergency Fund for Africa was initially provided with a contribution of 1,800 million euros, 400 million from the EU budget and 1,400 million from the European Development Fund (EDF). This amount should be supplemented by contributions from Member States and other donors.

According to the latest available report, of December 4, 2017, the total allocation to the Fund through the budget of the EU and the FED has been 2,900 million euros since its creation, in November 2015.

In response to a parliamentary question from MP Carles Campuzano, from the PDeCAT (Mixed Group), the Executive specified at the end of last June that the Government has contributed millions of euros to the Trust Fund to date, from the Agency’s budget Spanish International Development Cooperation (AECID), six million of which have been destined for Niger.

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Two thirds of this amount has been allocated to Niger, a priority country of the V Master Plan

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The V Master Plan of the Spanish Cooperation 2018-2021 includes Niger in its geographical priorities and in the group of Less Advanced Association Countries. In the current planning cycle, Spanish cooperation contributes to the improvement of food and nutrition security and concentrates its activities in the regions of Niamey, Maradí and Tahoua.

The leaders of the EU approved during the last European Council – held on June 28 and 29 in Brussels and attended by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez – a series of commitments on migration that provide, among other measures, a departure € 500 million to the Trust Fund for Africa to combat the causes of migration.