U.S.-EU Cooperation on Development

As the world's primary sources of development assistance, the U.S. and the European Union (EU) have a long tradition of cooperation and coordination on our respective development assistance programs. The U.S. and EU combined contributed a total of $53.4 billion, or 78% of all global assistance in 2003. The U.S. is currently the world’s largest contributor of official development assistance, providing $16.3 billion in 2003. The EU has pledged or disbursed $1.7 billion in aid since 2003, with the 25 EU Member States providing an additional $35.4 billion. Many U.S. and EU development and humanitarian assistance priorities coincide: in Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan/Darfur, and the Palestinian Territories, among others.

The United States and European Union will continue to work together on promoting growth and eradicating poverty, post-disaster reconstruction, fighting AIDS, and other development challenges. Much of this effort will be through a number of international organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Bank, UN agencies, and the World Trade Organization (WTO). EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel in February met in Washington with senior U.S. Government officials, including Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Paul Applegarth, to discuss ways to deepen U.S.-EU development assistance ties.

As described in more detail in a number of accompanying Fact Sheets, notable U.S.-EU cooperation efforts include:

Afghanistan: The United States and the European Commission are two of the four co-chairs of the Afghanistan Reconstruction Support Group. Our cooperation includes police training, support for last year’s Presidential elections, and support for the upcoming Parliamentary elections. The United States looks forward to working with the EU more closely on new counter-narcotics efforts. Together, the U.S. and EU have pledged/committed over $11 billion since 2001 for assistance to Afghanistan.

Iraq: Complementing the United States’ extensive efforts to bring stability, security and prosperity to the people of Iraq, the EU and its member states pledged $1.4 billion of assistance at the October 2003 Madrid Donors' Conference. This year, the EU pledged an additional $260 million for Iraq, for elections, private sector development, trade, investment, public services, jobs, democracy and rule of law, all areas the U.S. and EU have designated as priorities in order that this new democracy may grow and thrive.

Sudan: The U.S. and EU work closely together in Sudan, planning for reconstruction efforts in southern Sudan and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Darfur. During fiscal years 2003-2005, the United States provided more than $545 million in humanitarian assistance for Darfur and for the refugees who fled to Chad. The EU has committed $240 million to the region.

Palestinian Authority: The EU shares our vision of a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel. The European Community is a major participant in the Public Financial Management Reform Trust Fund established by the World Bank to continue improving management of public finances and the viability of Palestinian Authority institutions. The U.S. and EU also work together through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and on food aid /food security through the World Food Program.

Broader Middle East: Donor coordination on assistance programs in USAID presence countries with the EU and member state bilateral programs is strong. Officials from U.S. and EU field missions in these regions meet regularly to identify additional areas of potential cooperation and coordination. The U.S., EU and member states also work together in support of the political, economic and social development of countries in the region though initiatives that reflect the region’s own goals.

Africa: The U.S. and EC enjoy excellent cooperation on a range of issues in Africa, and we continue to actively engage in broadening and deepening those efforts including elections, agricultural technology, food security, literacy, and economic growth.

Food Security: The U.S. and EC generally agree that food security can be achieved through a broad-based and comprehensive approach that includes good government policies, access to markets and science and technology, and investments in infrastructure, health care and education. We also agree on the need to assist vulnerable populations facing man-made and natural disasters, such as famines, and continue to work together to coordinate emergency feeding programs and improve global early warning systems.

HIV/AIDS: The United States and the European Union continue to strengthen cooperation in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. In the June 2004 joint U.S.-EU Declaration on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis, the United States and the European Union reaffirmed our shared commitment to combating AIDS, including through support for the U.N. Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, ensuring resources from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (to which the U.S. has pledged $2.12 billion through 2008) are available to countries most severely affected by the disease, and other programs.

Post-Tsunami Reconstruction: U.S. and EU officials are discussing ways to work together or complementarily on post-tsunami reconstruction in Asia.

U.S. and EU coordination and cooperation on development assistance and humanitarian aid has also included Liberia, Haiti, Uganda, Cote d'Ivoire, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Myanmar, Chechnya, Yemen, Tajikistan, Cambodia, Sierra Leone and assistance to the victims of the Bam earthquake in Iran.