Alliance Update

During the general meeting in Germany in May, Alliance2015 welcomed the young French NGO ACTED into its European network as an associate member. Since the end of 2003, when People in Need from the Czech Republic joined, ACTED is the first additional Alliance2015 member.

Before cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, Welthungerhilfe, CESVI and People in Need already worked in the country. This has made it possible and easier for Alliance members to enter the country, coordinate some of their aid work and to support and fundraise for each other.

“Fostering Democratic Ownership – Towards Greater Impact on Poverty” is the title of a new Alliance2015 report that synthesises case studies undertaken in four recipient countries. The report finds that donors and recipient governments too often take decisions on aid allocation without sufficiently involving the people in need of the aid.

The six Alliance members work together on lobbying and advocacy campaigns in Europe, but also look for added value and synergies in their work in the South. A recent complete update of all activities reveals an increasing number of joint activities such as shared offices or EU-funded consortia projects.

Irish Alliance member Concern in Dublin and the Dutch member Hivos in The Hague both plan special events to acknowledge their 40th anniversary in 2008.The upcoming conferences, receptions and publications will serve to highlight their 40 years of experience in the field of development cooperation.

Alliance2015 has just released its new overview brochure 2006/2007. The 16-page booklet presents examples of development cooperation in the South and features the lobby & campaign activities in Europe. It is now available from all six Alliance members. If you are interested in an electronic file, please click here or open 'read full article' to reach a download button.

The Nov. 27th Roundtable in Brussels focused on the EC’s aid programming to African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) countries. Earlier, an accompanying report had found that – like the health and social sectors - education and child labour are not sufficiently addressed in the Country Strategy Papers of the EU ACP countries, which are currently being renegotiated.

Alliance2015 member Concern's local partner organisations in the storm-ravaged southwestern region of Bangladesh have begun to implement a 600,000 Euro emergency programme. They are assisting 26,000 families with food, temporary shelter and drinking water. Welthungerhilfe and People in Need support Concern with funding.

The EC has strong policy commitments to the fight against HIV&AIDS, but – as the new Alliance2015 report concludes - these commitments are not translated into adequate support for this goal. The Alliance report focuses on five countries in Southern Africa: Angola, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, all severely affected by HIV&AIDS.

Thirteen aid organizations in Myanmar, among them the Alliance members CESVI and Welthungerhilfe, have published a joint declaration expressing their worries about the recent developments and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country. Click 'read full article' to see the text of the statement.