This year’s Eurobarometer survey on EU development cooperation shows a widespread consensus amongst European citizens on the importance of international cooperation and development.
Almost 9 in 10 EU citizens say that development cooperation is important to support people in developing countries, confirming the trend observed over the last years. It makes development cooperation one of the most positively perceived EU policies.
Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica commented: “I am very happy to see that Europeans continue to very strongly support the Union’s development cooperation and agree on key priorities I have been working on over the last years: strengthening partnerships such as with Africa; deepening our engagement to create jobs; and bringing in more private investments. This is a solid basis for the Union to maintain its leading global role and address the significant challenges that remain.”
Three in four Europeans agree that the EU should strengthen its partnership with Africa and increase financial investments to create jobs and ensure sustainable development on both continents. In addition, European citizens back the EU’s efforts to boost private investment in development cooperation: three in four Europeans view the private sector as having a greater role to play in international development.
European citizens support the work to achieve the common global development agenda under the Sustainable Development Goals. When asked about the major challenges for development, citizens prioritised key Sustainable Development Goals in the following order: education, peace and security, water and sanitation, health, food security and agriculture, economic growth and employment and human rights.
More than 7 in 10 EU citizens say that financial assistance is an effective way to address irregular migration, and an equally large proportion agree that providing financial assistance to developing countries helps reduce inequalities in those countries. The same numbers of Europeans believe that providing financial assistance to developing countries is an effective way to strengthen EU influence worldwide.
Read and download the report: Special Eurobarometer 494
Original source: European Commission
Published on 23 October 2019
