PRIORITIES OF THE DANISH GOVERNMENT FOR DANISH DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

In this publication the Government presents its priorities for Danish development assistance 2009-2013. The priorities follow the priorities for development assistance set out in A World for All in August 2007, at the same time as the assistance is being further developed by a series of new, concrete initiatives.

The government calls for increased development assistance in 2009, in accordance with the Government Platform from November 2007. An amount totaling DKK 15.2 billion will be set aside in 2009 to development assistance, equivalent to 0.82 per cent of GNI.

The aim is to support the efforts of the developing countries to combat poverty, benefit from globalization and achieve a better future. At the same time, the government will organize the assistance to cater for current opportunities and challenges. This includes the rising food prices just as the climate changes to a large extent are a development challenge.

The increase in Danish development assistance will in particular be to the benefit of Africa, and it is the aim that two thirds of Denmark's bilateral assistance should be given to the continent. The development assistance is increased to i.a. Afghanistan, gender equality and women's rights and opportunities, the fight against HIV/AIDS and to refugees and internally displaced persons in regions of origin. The special budgetary allocation reserved for climate change initiatives is doubled to DKK 200 million and also the humanitarian engagement will receive extra funding. Finally the Government calls for a reprioritisation of the multilateral assistance in the years to come in order to strengthen the strategic relevance of the multilateral cooperation.