4 good reasons to invest in development co-operation: an opinion from Be-cause Health and its member organisations, to mark the platform’s 20th anniversary
Twenty years ago, the Belgian platform for global health, Be-cause health, was launched. Be-cause health brings together organisations and individual experts working across all areas of global health, both in Belgium and internationally, all united by the belief that health is a fundamental human right. Today, as we mark our 20th anniversary, we have many reasons to be proud. Much of what we have achieved as Belgian stakeholders has been made possible with the support of the Belgian authorities. We are therefore motivated to continue along this path. This is why we are concerned about rumours of a possible cut to the development cooperation budget.
Whilst recognising the many priorities that the Belgian (federal) government must balance in a challenging geopolitical and fiscal environment, we would like to set out four reasons why it is crucial to maintain – and indeed increase – Belgium’s financial contribution to development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
1. Extensive and highly regarded expertise
Firstly, over the past few decades, Belgium has developed extensive and widely respected expertise, particularly in areas such as public health and the organisation of healthcare, disease control, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health rights, health system strengthening and humanitarian health assistance. This expertise helps to strengthen global health security and ensure robust responses to threats such as pandemics and other cross-border health risks. Furthermore, Belgium’s focus on promoting health equity enhances fairness and access to care, particularly for populations in the most vulnerable situations. In a world where health threats are increasingly exacerbated by the climate emergency, armed conflicts and displaced populations, Belgium plays a key and respected role in strengthening global health security and equitable access to healthcare, thanks to its expertise and long-standing commitment. If a decision were taken to cut the development cooperation budget, Belgium would risk losing its extensive international expertise in global health.
2. A pivotal role in global health efforts for decades
Secondly, Belgium has been at the forefront of global health efforts for decades, playing a pivotal role in global health governance from the very beginning. Belgium was a co-founder of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and was a key contributor to the establishment of UNAIDS and the Global Fund. It continues to provide significant core and flexible funding to support these organisations. This commitment is reinforced by Belgium’s presence in many African countries through bilateral programmes and NGOs, including in very challenging contexts. Institutions such as the Institute of Tropical Medicine (IMT), universities, NGOs, health insurance funds, bilateral cooperation (Enabel) and the private sector have worked together to promote research and innovation, particularly in areas such as public health, the organisation of healthcare, vaccine development, disease control and the promotion of tropical medicine. By reducing its financial contributions, Belgium would be far less able to play this vital role in strengthening health systems and advancing global health solutions that benefit everyone.
3. Positive impact on global wellbeing
Furthermore, Belgian development cooperation focuses primarily on equitable access to essential services such as health, education, food security and social protection. However, in addition to these priority policies, areas such as gender equality, support for civil society and private sector development, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, also have a significant impact on the health of populations worldwide and must therefore be taken into account. By adopting an integrated approach, Belgian development cooperation has proved essential in fostering healthier communities and addressing the broader context of health. We live in an interconnected world marked by multiple crises, where a range of interlinked challenges — such as poverty, a lack of social protection, debt and the climate crisis (now recognised as the greatest threat to health) — reinforce one another. Tackling these issues collectively, in a spirit of international solidarity, is essential for the well-being of communities across the world, both now and in the future. By reducing its financial contributions, Belgium would be far less able to have a positive impact on the lives and health of millions of people in our partner communities.
4. Keep your promises
Finally, it is important that promises are kept, or at least made in good faith. Just a few weeks ago, Belgium voted in favour of the United Nations Pact for the Future in New York, which reaffirms, amongst other things, the promise by richer nations to ’step up and honour [their] respective commitments on official development assistance, including the commitment by most developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 % of gross national income for official development assistance«. Moving (further) away from this commitment would undermine Belgium’s credibility and the credibility of any agreement reached at United Nations level.
In light of the above points, we strongly urge the next Belgian government to maintain, or even increase, its financial contributions to development aid. At this critical juncture, when global health challenges and inequalities are more pressing than ever, any reduction in funding could reverse decades of progress and have serious consequences for global and Belgian health.
Let us continue to promote Belgium as a world leader in international cooperation – and in the health sector in particular – without compromising its vital role in building a fairer, healthier and more sustainable world for present and future generations.
This Open Letter has been signed by the following organisations, which are part of the Be-cause health network:
- Action Damien, Pascale Barnich, Chief Executive of Action Damien
- Bluesquare, Nicolas De Borman, CEO and Founder, BlueSquare
- Child-Help, Mieke Van Poucke, Child-Help Co-ordinator
- Mutualité Chrétienne (MC), Elise Derroitte, Vice-President of the Mutualité Chrétienne
- Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), Martín Lasanta Agustín, Advocacy Officer at Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung
- ULB School of Public Health (ESP ULB), Magali Pirson, President of the ULB School of Public Health
- Enabel, Karel Gyselinck, Enabel Coordinator (Unit ‘Global Health, Social Protection and Health Rights’)
- FOS, Annuschka Vandewalle, FOS General Secretary
- Fracarita, Elisa Vanlerberghe, Acting Director, Fracarita
- Fraternité Médicale Guinée (FMG), Abdoulaye Sow, Director of Fraternité Médicale Guinée
- Friendship Belgium, represented by its board of directors, chaired by HRH Princess Esmeralda of Belgium
- GAMS Belgium, Fabienne Richard, Executive Director of GAMS Belgium
- hera, Leen Jille, CEO and public health expert at hera
- Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion, Belgium (HI), Antoine Sepulchre, Managing Director of Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion, Belgium
- Institute of Tropical Medicine (IMT), Lut Lynen, Director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine
- Louvain Coopération, Jean-Michel Pochet, Managing Director of Louvain Coopération
- Médecins du Monde, Belgium, Davide Olchini, Health Director at Médecins du Monde
- Doctors Without Holidays, Stefaan Bonte, Director of Doctors Without Holidays
- Memisa, Elies Van Belle, Chief Executive of Memisa
- Diabetes Support Centre in Congo (MSDC), Futshu Likondja, Coordinator of the Diabetes Support Centre in Congo
- Quamed, Ed Vreeke, Managing Director of Quamed
- Sensoa, Chris Lambrechts, Director of Sensoa
- Solidaris, Alain Coheur, Director of European and International Affairs at Solidaris
- Ugani Prosthetics, Joren Vallaeys, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ugani Prosthetics
- ULB Cooperation, Félix Vanderstricht, Coordinator of Operations, Research and Innovation at ULB Cooperation
- UNICHIR, Réginald Moreels, Founder & Jan Goossens, Director of UNICHIR
- Viva Salud, Fanny Polet, Director of Viva Salud
- Be-cause health, Stefaan Van Bastelaere, Chair of the Be-cause health Steering Committee, Enabel, Magalie Schotte, Be-cause health Coordinator, IMT
