An recent years, France has made considerable progress in the field of international development, notably by significantly increasing its official development assistance (ODA) and championing innovative financial solutions to support the world's most vulnerable populations .
By including in law the objective of 0.7% ODA (2021), France has underlined its commitment to international solidarity. France has shown leadership by redistributing to poor countries part of its special drawing rights (SDR), these international reserve assets issued during the Covid-19 pandemic to supplement the foreign exchange reserves of member countries of the Monetary Fund international (IMF), and by implementing solidarity taxes, guaranteeing that those responsible for pollution contribute to the well-being of the planet.
The legacy of this ambitious commitment dates back to initiatives such as President Chirac's aviation tax (2005), which helped finance the global fight against AIDS, followed by Presidents Sarkozy's financial transactions tax (2005). 2012) and Hollande (2017), whose revenues have been earmarked for global health and climate.
A reduction of 2 billion euros
President Macron continued this legacy, with its summit for a new global financial pact, which was held in 2023 in Paris and resulted in the Paris pact for people and the planet, as well as a working group responsible for expanding taxes in favor of international solidarity.
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In recent years, France has been an essential partner in building a world where nations do not have to choose between fighting extreme poverty and fighting climate change. We counted on France to lead with determination and vision.
However, the latest budget proposal for the year 2025 tells a different story. It provides for an unprecedented reduction of 2 billion euros, representing a 35% cut in ODA, a disproportionate drop, especially when compared to other budget lines and actions taken by other countries.
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In addition, it proposes to eliminate the allocation of taxes on financial transactions and on airline tickets, thus breaking the historical link between these revenues and their use for international development. The justification seems to be fiscal constraints. But has France's international stature ever been defined by such constraints? This is not the France we know.
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