Finns’ attitudes about development cooperation reflect the weightings of the Government Programme
Press release 177/2011
5 July 2011
Finns’ attitudes concerning development cooperation have become more positive than before. Nearly one in four, or 23 per cent, would raise appropriations for development cooperation. A year ago the corresponding figure was 16 per cent. A respective decrease occurred in the percentage who felt that development cooperation appropriations should be cut, from 20 per cent last year to the present 14 per cent. These figures are among the findings of a survey on Finns’ attitudes about development cooperation and development policy commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and conducted by the market research company Taloustutkimus Oy.
Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala stated at a press conference on Tuesday that Finland is committed to the European Union’s decision to allocate 0.7 per cent of its gross national income to development cooperation by the year 2015. The survey indicates that Finns support this goal; the figure corresponds to the most widely held view of what would be a suitable level for development cooperation appropriations. Minister Hautala said that we can move towards that goal even though it is not recorded in the Government Programme. “There is no question of giving up. The objectives are the same as before.”
The Minister for International Development is pleased that the weightings of the Government Programme can be seen in the research results. As a motive for giving development cooperation, promotion of democracy and human rights has nearly doubled its support since last year’s questionnaire. Hautala pointed out that development policy is part of the broad spectrum of foreign and security policy. “In this Government, the portfolios of the minister for foreign trade and the minister for international development are assigned to different people; nonetheless I hope we shall be able to work together,” she continued.
Education is seen as a sector in which Finland should invest the most in development cooperation. The new Government Programme emphasizes the importance of education as the focal area of development policy, especially in order to enable a worthy life for the quickly growing population of young people in developing countries.
The findings of the survey prove that development cooperation still has widespread support among Finns. “This gives a good base to continue Finnish development cooperation,” Minister Hautala said.
Additional information: Information Officer Pirjo-Liisa Heikkilä, tel. +358 9 1605 6388, and Advisor Iina Soiri, tel. +358 9 1605 6172