france (~) euforic
current issues, food for thought, background information

policy and strategy

The French government bases its co-operation and official development assistance (ODA) policy on two major priorities: to increase the financial effort in developing countries and improve its efficiency. To reach these aims, the government has developed multi annual strategies in seven priority sectors, which are set in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals.

An important aspect of the French development strategy is a the priority solidarity zone (ZSP) which was established by the French government in February 1998. The ZSP is composed of those Least Developed Countries with which France intends to develop a strong partnership with regard to solidarity and sustainable development. Assistance with these countries is based on framework partnership documents which allocate development aid in a more concentrated and selective way.

implementing organisations

The French national development cooperation is organized by the General Directorate for International Cooperation and Development (DGCID) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The key operator of development assistance policy is the French Development Agency (AFD) which is a financial institution. AFD supports public authorities, the private sector and local associative networks, in order to finance and implement a wide range of social and economic projects.

Besides the AFD, local authorities are gaining increasing importance in this field of development cooperation. Non governmental organizations (NGOs) are becoming as well privileged operators in this assistance.

More recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has started to develop partnerships with private sector bodies, such as the interest group France International Cooperation (FCI). Their mission is to coordinate and technical expertise in France in order to transfer it to developing countries during short- and long term missions.