Four engines stalled?

Cooperation in aid to the developing countries in four of the most advanced Regions in Europe and the fundamental role of the NGOs: these were among the questions discussed at the conference “Four engines for Europe and cooperation in development: a comparison of experiences”, held in Milan at the end of May. The “four engines” of Europe are Lombardy for Italy, Catalonia for Spain, Rhône-Alpes for France and Baden Württemberg for Germany. The association was founded on 9 September 1988 with the objective of conducting collective actions in the sectors that lie under the responsibility of the regional administrations. As far as the non-governmental organizations are concerned, their indispensable role as a bridge in decentralized cooperation to channel aid from the richer to the poorer nations is becoming increasingly clear. THE ROLE OF THE NGOs. Assistant secretary for international relations of the Region of Lombardy ROBERTO RONZA is convinced of the importance of the NGOs: “Lombardy has always paid close attention to the world of the non-governmental associations and the important role they perform. For example, after the tsunami India did not accept state aid, but we succeeded all the same in intervening in that country through the funding of the NGOs”. Between 1996 and 2000 the Region of Lombardy spent 7 million euros to finance some 90 projects. “At the present time – explains Ronza – we invest 6 million euros per year to finance 60 projects”. Such aid is regulated in Italy by law no. 49 of 1987, which is limited to mentioning the autonomous authorities as possible sponsors of projects but does not explicitly treat of decentralized cooperation. This lack of explicit legislation has induced the government to introduce a bill for the reform of cooperation in development, in which it is hoped the role of decentralized cooperation will be recognized. According to ARTURO ALBERTI , representative of the Italian Association of NGOs, however, the proposed bill “is still obscure about how the funds would be allocated and about the link between planning and control”. IN EUROPE. In France, decentralized cooperation is regulated in the law of 6 February 1992 relating to “the territorial administration of the Republic”, which permits the local authorities to establish partnerships with their counterparts in foreign countries. “Cooperation – says JEAN-PHILIPPE BAYON , vice-president of the decentralized cooperation of the region of Rhône-Alpes – is not a function of the State: it is the regions that alone must activate it. We have decided to create a special budgetary allocation for decentralized cooperation; the sum in question amounts to around 1.5 million euros per year”. The extensive administrative independence enjoyed by the German Länder permitted no less than 650 million euros to be invested in decentralized cooperation in 2003. But this figure, when broken down, is revealed to be only in very small part dedicated to cooperation in development projects: no less than 608 millions in fact consist in grants and scholarships for students from the southern hemisphere. And RALPH GRIESE , representatives of the association of NGOs in Baden Wuttemberg, has warned: “Since 2007 Baden Württemberg is no longer allocating fund for cooperation. Despite the fact that we are one of the most prosperous regions in Germany and in Europe, our contribution is now zero”. INNOVATIVE APPROACH. Spain regulated cooperation in development in its law 23/1998 on “International cooperation for development”. The law comprises among the “competent organs for the formulation and execution of Spanish policy for international cooperation” the autonomous communities and the local authorities as expressions of their respective civil societies. “Catalonia – explains DAVID MINOVES , director of the Catalan Agency of Cooperation – passed its current law on cooperation in development in 2001. Since then we have witnessed a sudden upsurge of budgets assigned to the sector. It totalled 24.9 million euros in 2003. In 2007 we have arrived at a sum of 52 million and the objective is to reach 130 million in 2010 so as to meet the UN target of allocating 0.7% of GDP to cooperation in development”. The UNO is working in tandem with the richest nations: it ratified the eight “Millennium development goals” in 2000, a document setting the following objectives: reducing chronic poverty in the world by 50%; ensuring at least primary education to all children; promoting equality between the sexes; drastically reducing child mortality and reducing epidemics of grave infectious diseases. “The innovative approach – says MARTA GUGLIELMETTI , who heads Italy’s campaign for the Millennium Goals – is represented by the signing of a partnership between North and South of the world with precise objectives. Its expiry is fixed for 2015 and for the first time we will be able to draw firm conclusions”.