Luxembourg's development cooperation - Annual report 2013

Luxembourg’s cooperation with partner countries is complemented by a regional approach which aims to respond to joint problems faced by several countries, in particular by focusing on synergies and sharing lessons learned and best practice.

The Sahel is one of these regions which faces a complex, multifaceted crisis where poverty, political and economic crises, armed conflicts, migratory flows, lack of food security and climate change coincide. It is obvious that this type of problem can only be resolved at the regional level, especially as part of the African Union, the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union). Luxembourg’s development cooperation supports some of these organisations by strengthening institutions and capacity-building so that they in turn can intervene effectively in their member states.

In West Africa, Luxembourg supports the activities of WAEMU in the sectors of inclusive finance and information and communication technologies. In Central America, Luxembourg cooperation supports the REDCAMIF network in the microfinance sector, as well as the INTEGRARSE network, which promotes corporate social responsibility in the sub-region. In southeast Asia, Luxembourg supports the Mekong River Commission in the field of climate change adaptation.