The European Commission has decided to grant additional aid for countries where less progress in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. This additional aid granted by the European Union will target 36 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific and will focus on reducing hunger, child mortality, improve maternal health and access to water.

With this funding decision, the Commission meets the target set by the European Union at the United Nations Summit for the Millennium Development Goals held in New York in September 2010. The allocation of €700 million decided by the Commission is part of the overall effort of €1000 million mobilized by the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Initiative from one of the main financial instruments for development, the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).

Most of the projects to be implemented within this financial envelop will start late 2012. For this purpose, the European Commission and EU delegations will start the preparations of detailed project design and specific financing proposals for all the actions to be supported. They will work in coordination with EU Member States representations as well as national authorities in the partner countries.

As highlighted by Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, these additional funds will be invested to finance projects to be implemented in the ground in countries where the money is needed the more and can achieve better results. Projects will be financed in most deprived areas of Africa, Pacific and the Caribbean and will focus on reducing hunger and child mortality, improving maternal health and safe water supply and sanitation facilities.

Alongside this decision taken by the European Commission approximately €300 million of the MDG Initiative are also in the process of being allocated as a reward to 18 well-performing countries, in the framework of the 10th EDF Mid-term Review.