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10th EDF
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The goal of EU's development cooperation is, on the one hand, to combat poverty and to achieve the millennium development goals consistent with the objectives of sustainable economic and social development and the gradual integration of developing countries into the world economy, and, on the other hand, to promote democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and contribute to peace and stability. The EU (bilateral aid by Member States and Community aid combined) is by far the largest donor, representing 55% of official development assistance (ODA) in the world.
Within the framework of the EC's regular budget 2007-2013, the number of external action instruments has been rationalised and reduced from more than 30 to nine, the instrument for humanitarian aid plus eight new financing instruments.
Horizontal and geographical instruments of particular relevance to development cooperation are:-
DCI, the Development Cooperation Instrument. The DCI covers, on the one hand, the geographic cooperation with South- and Central America, Asia, Central Asia and South Africa, and, on the other hand, the thematic programs benefiting all developing countries: investing in people (social sectors); non-state actors (civil society) and local authorities; environment and sustainable management of natural resources including energy; food security; migration and asylum. In addition, the DCI includes accompanying measures for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries whose sugar export to the EU is important, in order to help them adjust following the reform of the EU sugar regime. Over 2007-2013, roughly 16,9 billion Euro will be implemented under the DCI.
- The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI): it covers geographical cooperation with countries of the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe with a financial envelope of €11.2 billion for the period 2007-2013;
- The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR): it contributes to the development and consolidation of democracy and respect for human rights in third countries with a financial envelope of €1.1 billion for the period 2007-2013. As a global financing instrument, the EIDHR covers all third countries
The Instrument for Stability aims, on the one hand, at contributing to stability in situations of crisis or emerging crisis, thereby preserving, establishing or re-establishing the conditions for development cooperation; and, on the other hand, at building capacity to address threats and to be prepared for pre- and post-crisis situations. Over 2007-2013, 2,1 billion Euro has been earmarked under this instrument.
In addition, the European Development Fund (EDF), which is not an instrument funded from the EC budget, but an intergovernmental fund set up by the EU Member States, finances the EC's geographic cooperation with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries under the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement (except South Africa, whose geographic cooperation is funded from the DCI) and with the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). For the period 2008-2013 an amount of 22,682 billion Euro has been agreed upon for the 10th EDF