Luxembourg's development cooperation - Annual report 2013

In 2013, Luxembourg’s development cooperation allocated 97 185 123 euros, the equivalent of 29.86% of total ODA, to multilateral aid. Luxembourg thus supported several multilateral organisations: UN organisations with 39 693 636 euros, the European Union with 29 021 578 euros, World Bank programmes with 20 609 000 euros and regional development banks with 2 628 000 euros.

Multilateral cooperation is implemented via two channels: direct contributions to the international organisations’ budgets (assessed, voluntary and thematic) and the funding of “multi-bi” programmes and projects. Luxembourg close relations with a limited number of multilateral actors acting in the key sectors identified by Luxembourg cooperation.

In 2013, several visits by heads of UN agencies and other partners were held in Luxembourg. On 13 February 2013, Minister Jacobs welcomed Ms Helen Clark, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Their discussions concerned, among other things, issues around the post-2015 development agenda, UNDP’s strategic plan for the 2014-2017 period and, more specifically, the situation in Mali. Ms Clark pointed out the considerable progress made in combating poverty, in health (in particular, the results of the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa were described as “spectacular”) and in education. Both parties agreed that the proposal by the WHO to include the goal of universal health coverage into the post-2015 agenda deserved active support. They also confirmed the need for more determined action to ensure that preservation of the environment and sustainable development were incorporated into said agenda. UNDP often plays the role of Resident Coordinator of development assistance programmes in countries, along the lines of the ‘One UN’ management model, which Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation actively supports in its partner countries. This inclusive model – where other agencies act under the umbrella of UNDP – aims to achieve a more rational use of resources. 1 October 2013 saw the visit of Dr Mark Dybul, appointed Executive Director of the Global Fund to Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on 23 February that year. This was the first visit of a Director of the Global Fund to Luxembourg. Dr Dybul met with Minister Spautz and Di Bartolomeo, Minister of Health. The main objective of this visit was to give the Global Fund the opportunity to present its structural reform with its new 2012-2016 strategy and its new funding model, which is being implemented in several phases in 2013-2014, as well as to give an update on its 4th replenishment for the period 2014-2016. Mr Spautz congratulated the GFATM on its new 2012-2016 strategy and its new funding model, which are entirely anchored in thenational strategies and processes. He appreciated that the majority of funds is now dedicated to the poorest countries with the highest disease burden, but also recalled that we should not forget the most vulnerable populations and epidemics spreading in other places. 

Minister Spautz encouraged stronger collaboration between the GFATM and its partners, especially the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS, as well as other international organisations and partners, civil society and the private sector.

On 4 October 2013, Minister Spautz went to Geneva to meet several heads of agencies. From the multilateral side he met Mr Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, and Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO.

During their discussion, Michel Sidibé and Marc Spautz celebrated the long-term special relationship between Luxembourg cooperation and UNAIDS. Luxembourg is recognised as one of the most reliable and predictable donors. Mr Spautz thanked Mr Sidibé for his tireless commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS and both recognised the significant progress made so far, particularly in terms of scientific advances. It is now possible to envisage an end to the AIDS epidemic, which is gradually becoming a chronic illness, due primarily to a larger number of patients accessing treatment earlier. However, treatment coverage is still lacking, especially for children and certain key populations. Finally, Mr Sidibé warned of the dramatic resurgence of infections in Eastern Europe and the risk of the disease spreading elsewhere in Europe due to population movements. It is worth noting that, in 2014, Luxembourg will be a Board member of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, representing its constituency, which is composed of Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Luxembourg. 

The Minister then had a working meeting with Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO in follow-up to the latter’s visit to Luxembourg in December 2012. Dr Chan took stock of the reform of the WHO and its new 2014-2019 Programme of Work, with the accompanying 2014-2015 Programme Budget. One of the results of the WHO reform process has been to regroup the 13 former strategic objectives under 5 priority programmatic categories. Mr Spautz took the opportunity to confirm to the WHO that Luxembourg’s thematic priorities remain unchanged and that funding will be redirected to the new categories in order to reflect this fact. As a reminder, the thematic priorities are the strengthening of health systems, women and children’s health, combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, as well as the eradication of polio. Finally, addressing the post-2015 agenda, the Minister confirmed that Luxembourg supports the central role of health in this agenda and that it subscribes to the overall goal of universal health coverage, which addresses all major areas (e.g. the current MDGs, sexual and reproductive health, non-communicable diseases, etc.).