Development assistance and humanitarian action

Immediately decolonisation came to an end, General de Gaulle developed aid to the newly independent States in sub-Saharan and North Africa. France is at present, with 0.5% of GDP, the most generous donor among the major industrialised countries, and intends to raise this figure to 0.7% by 2015. France has gained the support of the international community for its proposal to forgive the debt of the poorest countries.

Each year, France consults with African countries at Africa-France summits, which are now open to all the countries on the continent.

France contributes some 18% of the European Union’s development aid, and participates in the multilateral aid programmes of the development banks and the United Nations. Most of France’s assistance is granted in the form of bilateral aid, mainly to sub-Saharan Africa, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French development agency (AFD), which support over five hundred development projects each year, provide technical assistance and offer programmes of study grants in France. The focus is on developing infrastructure, access to health care and education, the implementation of appropriate economic policies and the consolidation of the rule of law and democracy. French local authorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also make their contribution to this aim.

As a result of the human dramas caused by illegal migration, France has designed aid for co-development, with the two-fold aim of offering potential illegal immigrants opportunities for work in their home countries and investment facilities for those who wish to return.

France argues for the “duty to protect”, has, with its NGOs, a globally recognised expertise (civil security, hospital equipment), and provides assistance to communities hit by conflict, natural disaster and major pandemics.

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Source : France 2008, La Documentation française