Finland has strong influence around the world as a member of the EU
Together, the EU and its Member States are the world's largest donor. In 2020, they supported development cooperation with a total of approximately EUR 67 billion, which was almost half of the total global official development assistance.
Approximately one fifth of Finland's official development cooperation funds goes to the EU budget annually, from which it is distributed the European Commission's Directorates-General for International Partnerships, European Neighbourhood and Humanitarian Aid.
The Commission, which started its mandate in 2019, set the strengthening of the EU's global role as one of its priorities. Development policy and development cooperation, i.e. strengthening the Union's international partnerships, promoting sustainable development and reducing global poverty, contribute to this goal.
Finland has supported the effectiveness of EU development cooperation through participating in the preparation of EU development cooperation policies, the implementation of joint programmes and the development of new forms of cooperation. In particular, Finland has supported efforts to promote the green transition, digitalisation and sustainable economy as well as human development. Finland has also contributed to strengthening of the importance of gender equality and education in EU’s development cooperation.
In recent years, cooperation between EU institutions and Member States has further increased. Cooperation between EU Member States, EU institutions and European development finance institutions was improved and streamlined during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Team Europe approach(Link to another website.) was launched in 2020 and coordination, joint programming and joint communication continue to be developed under this approach. Through the EU, Finland has also gained more impact and visibility for its activities.
Steering of EU funding
In 2021, the EU adopted the new Global Europe Regulation, which significantly harmonises and steers the Union's external action financing.
In the negotiations concerning the regulation, Finland primarily influenced the areas to which EU funding is allocated and the funding priorities. For Finland, it is important to focus on results and to see development policy as a central part of the EU's external relations. Finland’s other key objectives that were recorded in the Regulation included the allocation of funding primarily to Africa, emphasising climate action and a commitment to concrete measures to promote gender equality.
Harmonised global funding is expected to accelerate the EU's ability to respond to unexpected crises. This has already been reflected, for example, in the EU's swift response to the needs arising in Ukraine due to Russia’s illegal invasion.
The most direct way of influencing the effectiveness of EU funding is to participate in the planning and implementation of EU programmes at the country level. Finland has joint programming with the EU in several countries and participates in EU’s Team Europe Initiatives. In Nepal and Ukraine, Finland also manages EU funding.
In addition to the actual joint programmes, Finland also influences the activities of the EU at the country level through embassies as well as EU coordination. Together with EU delegations, Finland also engages in dialogue with partner countries.
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An entry is made in connection with new funding decisions based on the targets set on a scale comprising human rights blind, human rights sensitive (taking human rights into account), human rights progressive (promoting human rights) and human rights transformative (addressing human rights challenges) or not specified.
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The entries are made on the basis of target-setting in connection with new funding decisions. The sample contains the funding decisions which have the promotion of gender equality as the principal or significant objective.
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A three-year average of decisions involving funding that supports equality. For example, the figure for 2017 shows the average for 2015-2017.
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Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network.
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OECD DAC Corruption Risk Management Recommendations 2016. https://www.oecd.org/corruption/oecd-recommendation-for-development-cooperation-actors-on-managing-risks-of-corruption.htm
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London Safeguarding Summit 2018 commitments. https://www.gov.uk/ government/collections/safeguarding-summit-commitments
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The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (16 May 2022): Table 4. Development financing payments to Finland’s largest partner countries 2016-2021. https://um.fi/documents/35732/0/Tilastoliite+2021%2C+osa2. pdf/47739300-0dac-50c8-d9ce-706195ee8070?t=1649772600686
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MOPAN (16 May 2022) MOPAN Assessment library https://www. mopanonline.org/assessments/
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MOPAN: 2017-18 ASSESSMENTS, Global Environment Facility (GEF) 2019. https://www.mopanonline.org/assessments/gef2017-18/GEF%20 Report.pdf
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MOPAN: 2017-18 ASSESSMENTS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 2019.
https://www.mopanonline.org/assessments/unfpa2017-18/UNFPA%20Report.pdf(Link to another website.) - 11
MOPAN: 2017-18 ASSESSMENTS, UN Women 2019. https://www.mopanonline.org/assessments/unwomen2017-18/Final_assessment_UN_Women_2019_02_14.pdf(Link to another website.)
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MOPAN: Assessment Report United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2021. https://www.mopanonline.org/assessments/unicef2020/MOPAN%20Assessment%20UNICEF%20web%20[for%20download].pdf(Link to another website.)
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Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (2020). Finnish Development Policy Influencing Activities in Multilateral Organisations, Volume 1, Main report. https://um.fi/documents/384998/0/Vol1+_MainReport_Evaluation+of+Finnish+Development+Policy+Influencing+Activities+in+Multilateral+Organisations+%281%29.pdf/2666cd6a-0bb2-1c76-0659-db1ac6fa30bf?t=1591860985653
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A more in-depth examination was conducted by the World Bank Group, UNFPA, UNICEF, the World Food Programme WFP, UN Women, International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD, the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO and the International Trade Centre ITC.
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MOPAN: 2017-18 ASSESSMENTS, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 2019. https://www.mopanonline.org/assessments/ifad2017-18/IFAD%20Report.pdf(Link to another website.)
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African Development Bank Group (2022). Annual Development Effectiveness Review 2022. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/annual-development-effectiveness-review-2022(Link to another website.)
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European Commission (2021). Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument. https://ec.europa.eu/ info/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/global-europe-neighbourhood-development-and-international-cooperation-instrument_fi
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One of the organisations receiving programme support is Fingo, the members of which include 270 Finnish civil society organisations.
The COVID-19 pandemic created the Team Europe operating model
According to an external evaluation commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Team Europe activities improved EU coordination and visibility and strengthened the image of the EU as a unified actor. Team Europe also increased the amount of assistance, especially as the pandemic progressed.