Signals new approach to climate aid

Denmark’s newly-appointed Development Minister Christian Friis-Bach aims to buck the trend of paying for climate projects out of the traditional aid budget.

Christian Friis-Bach

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Donors hold back SEK 1 billion from Zambia

The corruption scandal of 2009 in Zambia’s Health Ministry has been an expensive business for the government. Donors have held back their aid, but they worry that the deep cuts in funding have damaged health services, especially in rural areas.

For the third year in a row, Norway scales back its aid level. At the same time, it continues to use aid to fund high-profile thematic initiatives and networking with emerging global powers, while the focus on Africa is weakened. GAVI, forest carbon projects and renewable energy are winners in next year’s budget.

Hautala loses first budget battle

Development Minister Heidi Hautala has lost out to the Finance Ministry over next year’s aid budget. Her proposal is slashed by EUR 77 million and Finnish aid is frozen in 2013 and 2014.

Global Fund’s tough road forward

After a year of delay, Sweden has announced a three-year pledge to the Global Fund, and the EC is likely to follow suit. But the Geneva-based health initiative is still facing its tightest budget ever.