Brussels’s humanitarian aid money must be well spent, MEP says

Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi has urged EU member states and the European Commission to take leadership in the implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals and ensure more efficiency of humanitarian and development funding.

“As the world’s largest providers of development and humanitarian assistance in the world… this is paramount in the fight to eradicate poverty,” she said during a plenary debate in Strasbourg where the European Parliament discussed the state of play of the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals.

“It is no secret that the EU and its Member States, being the world’s largest providers of development and humanitarian assistance, play a game-changing role to less developed and post-conflict countries all over the world.  Therefore, we need to first look at how this assistance is being utilised, second where the money is going, and last but not least, who benefits from it. We need to ensure that the millions contributed by the EU benefit the many, not the few,” Mizzi said.

“As the situation in Europe has deteriorated dramatically – with a serious increase in irregular migration and people smuggling – we need to safeguard that development funds achieve their final purpose to build prosperous societies, sustainable growth, proper health services, educational facilities, create jobs and give future to people in their own countries.”

Mizzi said the new development goals should take a step further and adopt strong objectives to reflect the enormity of the migration crises while addressing the root causes of migration in the countries of origins.

“Development policy is key in achieving more inclusive and peaceful world by uniting global efforts to improve people's lives worldwide, eradicate poverty and inequality, fight human rights abuses and solve the exodus of people in search of a decent future. Therefore, Member States need a strong position on the follow -up and monitoring of the implementation of the agenda to ensure that no one is left behind.”