
The new Minister of Development Cooperation is Meryame Kitir, member of the Flemish social-democratic party and a popular politician from the province of Limburg. She has a migration and working-class background and grew into politics through her involvement as a labour unionist. Her parliamentary work focused on social affairs, which will be an asset when engaging with Belgium’s international development cooperation.
In the government's declaration, Belgium undertakes, as of 2021, to build a trajectory to reach the 0.7% BNP for ODA by 2030. It also emphasises the importance to contribute to the realisation of the SDGs, and states that Belgium will prioritise (amongst others) qualitative healthcare, education and social protection in its development cooperation.
Sexual and reproductive rights are considered a transversal issue, as are gender, human rights, climate, good governance and the rule of law. The new government commits to a strong multilateral system, and will continue to take up its leading role in the defence of the rights of the Child, gender equality and LGBTQIA+ protection and decriminalisation.
We congratulate Minister Kitir and hope to have her address our APPG ‘Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda’ soon.
Sexual and reproductive rights are considered a transversal issue, as are gender, human rights, climate, good governance and the rule of law. The new government commits to a strong multilateral system, and will continue to take up its leading role in the defence of the rights of the Child, gender equality and LGBTQIA+ protection and decriminalisation.
We congratulate Minister Kitir and hope to have her address our APPG ‘Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda’ soon.