Belgium’s Proposed Aid Cuts Risk Undermining National Security, Experts Warn
Brussels – A planned reduction in Belgium’s development aid budget, perhaps exceeding 318 million euros annually, is drawing sharp criticism from aid organizations and development experts who argue the cuts will ultimately increase security risks, both globally and for Belgium itself. The proposed cuts, linked to the prospective “Arizona” coalition government’s fiscal policies, threaten to dismantle successful development programs and could lead to a surge in newborn and child mortality in partner countries, according to the United Nations.
The cuts would reduce the Belgian cooperation budget from 1,293 million euros to a range of 917 to 954 million euros per year. This shift,as outlined by Minister of Development Cooperation Maxime Prévot,would prioritize geographic and sectoral concentration,focusing on climate,stability,and health,while potentially neglecting other crucial partner countries and sectors.
arnaud Zacharie, a development expert, highlights the preventative power of aid, stating, “For each euro invested in conflict prevention, 16 euros in future costs are avoided. And for each euro dedicated to the prevention of pandemics, 500 euros are saved.” He further points out the economic benefits for Belgium, noting that “For each euro invested, there are more that result from the export of European companies to partner countries.”
the CNCD (Coordination Nationale des Organisations de Coopération au Développement), representing over 70 organizations and financing hundreds of projects in the Global South, warns that the cuts represent a strategic error. “Belgium could have been a European exmaple,” laments the CNCD’s general secretary.
Critics argue that prioritizing a purely humanitarian approach, while important, is insufficient. Frédéric Trest of the CNCD emphasizes the need to strengthen the rule of law through support for social and development organizations, stating, “When you want to contribute to the establishment of a more stable world, you have to consolidate the rule of law… Without which there is no longer a counter-power in societies.”
Belgium’s development aid had recently reached 0.48% of gross national income in 2024, exceeding the European average – a level experts now fear will be reversed.Zacharie advocates for a different path: “Rethink and strengthen international cooperation rather of wanting to destroy it.” The debate underscores a growing concern that diminishing investment in long-term development will ultimately prove more costly,both in humanitarian terms and in terms of Belgium’s own national security.
