GPPi writes op-ed about Austria’s development cooperation

On November 16, the Austrian daily newspaper Die Presse published a commentary by GPPi associate Elias Sagmeister on the state of the Austrian Development Cooperation, which supports countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and South Eastern and Eastern Europe in their sustainable social and economic development.

The piece reflects on the current institutional and political setup of Austria’s development cooperation and illustrates its deterioration in the past years. Sagmeister suggests reforms to increase development effectiveness, starting with a common strategy and a more focused approach on priority regions as well as more transparent planning processes. He calls for a public debate between government, civil society and all relevant actors on how Austria can better face its global responsibility to reduce poverty and save lives.