The outgoing chief of the European Commission’s humanitarian aid department says an overuse of development funds on infrastructure projects could risk Europe’s support for basic services such as health and education around the world.
Speaking to the European Parliament’s development committee on Wednesday, Janez Lenarčič said: “that there is a tendency of shifting resources from let’s call it ‘human development’ — basic services, livelihoods — into infrastructure projects.”
“I don’t have a problem with infrastructure projects,” said the Slovenian, whose five-year term as commissioner for crisis management ends this year. “But they should not come at the expense of assistance to people to get on their own feet, get their livelihoods, and no longer depend on humanitarian aid.”