EUROPEAN UNION: Support for Development Aid Waning

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Dominique David (*)

BRUSSELS, May 28 1999 (IPS) - A majority of Europeans believe that helping developing countries is still important for the European Union (EU) and the nations it comprises, due to various reasons involving the common as well as the particular interests of the population of the Old Continent.

But while the latest survey coordinated by International Research Associates (INRA) and commissioned by the European Commission found that nearly 76 percent of those interviewed were in favour of development aid, that percentage was six percent lower than the proportion registered in a similar poll conducted in 1996.

For INRA’s recent opinion poll, known as the Eurobarometer, 16,214 people over the age of 15 were surveyed in 15 EU member states (roughly 1,000 per country).

The questionnaire included queries on the importance respondents accorded development aid, their knowledge of the extent of such aid, how they would like to see assistance to the developing world evolve in the future, and the relation between aid and a range of European and global issues.

The principal results of the latest Eurobarometer indicated that 75.8 percent of Europeans were in favour of aid to developing countries (“very important for 28.1 percent and “somewhat important” for 47.7 percent). Two years earlier, that proportion stood at 82 percent (33.3 and 48.4 percent, respectively).

On the other hand, 11.7 percent (8.0 percent in 1996) regarded such aid as “unimportant” and 5.3 percent (3.8 in 1996), “not important in the least”, while 7.2 percent (6.2 in 1996) said they didn’t know.

The three main reasons invoked by those who did not see development aid as important (17 percent in 1998 compared to 11.8 percent in 1996) were the following:

1) There are more pressing problems, such as poverty and unemployment in Europe, in urgent need of solutions. (76.3 percent of those who said development aid was not important put forth this argument).

2) The aid will be diverted anyway, because of the corruption reigning in recipient countries, and will not reach those who need it (an argument cited by 45.2 percent of those opposed to development aid).

3) Political instability and the conflictive character of poor countries, which are frequently the scene of armed conflicts and spend large sums of money on arms, make development aid inadvisable (a view shared by 35.8 percent of those opposed to aid).

Other arguments against development assistance were that it constituted too heavy a burden for Europe, was a waste of funds because it failed to improve the situation in developing countries, the contribution by the respondent’s own country or Europe was already too high, or rich and poor countries would always exist.

Other respondents said they did not care about poor countries, while some spontaneously stated (with no specific question addressing that aspect) that they did not like foreigners.

But more than half of those interviewed (51.1 percent) said they would support an increase in the aid provided by their government to developing countries, and nearly six out of 10 (58.5 percent) said they would like to see an increase in the aid extended by the European Union to developing nations.

Those proportions were lower, however, than the corresponding figures from 1996, which were 55.1 percent and 63.6 percent, respectively.

Twenty-four percent of respondents correctly estimated that the aid extended by their governments to developing nations (explicitly excluding emergency aid) was less than 4.0 percent of the budget.

Eleven percent, meanwhile, correctly indicated that the development aid provided by the European Commission ranged between 4.0 and 8.0 percent of its budget.

With respect to the link between development aid and issues like the promotion of trade, the environment and pollution, migration, AIDS and other illnesses, population growth, drugs and unemployment, the survey found the following results:

Amost half (47.3 percent) of respondents said development aid did not contribute to a solution to the drug problem, but 39.9 percent believed it could help.

Regarding overpopulation in poor countries, 44.5 percent responded that development aid could help combat the problem, while 41.9 percent said it did not contribute to a solution.

But more than half (52.1 percent) of those surveyed said development aid could contribute to curbing the flow of immigration from poor countries. A majority (56.6 percent) also believed development aid could have a positive effect on the environment.

With respect to unemployment, 49.2 percent said development assistance would not help reduce unemployment in the EU, while 37.6 percent believed it could be useful – compared to 57 and 32.3 percent in 1996.

Lastly, 50.6 percent of respondents said development aid could contribute to resolving the problem of AIDS and other diseases, while 56.9 percent believed it could help boost trade.