Finland's bilateral development co-operation started in the beginning of the
60's in Tanzania. The total official development assistance (ODA) allocation in
1995 was FIM2,004.9 mill. out of which the share of bilateral development
co-operation was FIM1,323 mill. (65.99%), whereas multilateral development
co-operation was FIM681.9 mill. (34.01%). Out of the total ODA in 1995
humanitarian aid contributed to FIM125 mill. In 1995 Finland contributed to the
European Unions development assistance FIM200 mill. In 1995 the percentage share
of the ODA/GNP was 0.34%, which is relatively low compared to the United Nations
target of 0.7%.
The figure for Finland's total official development
assistance allocation in 1997 was 348.4million euros, in 1998 373.9million
euros, in 1999 401.6million euros, in 2000 421.2million euros and in the year
2001 452million euros.
In Zambia Finland's Development Co-operation started in the 1970's. Zambia
has been one of Finland's biggest recipient countries with regards to
development assistance since the beginning of the implementation of development
co-operation. Between 1970-1994 Finland has allocated altogether FIM1,302.8
mill. (approximately 219.1million euros) to Zambia as funds for development
co-operation activities.
In 1996 the total bilateral development
assistance allocation for Zambia amounted to approximately 9.1million euros, in
1997 7.4million euros, in 1998 6.4million euros, in 1999 3.6million euros and in
2000 3.6million euros.
The preconditions for economic development can be defined as investments
in human beings and the use of market forces. Finland is working towards the
latter goal by supporting structural change in economies of developing
countries, together with economic reforms aimed at exploiting market forces and
developing price mechanisms.
In supporting activities designed to promote
economic growth and structural change in the developing countries, Finland
stresses measures related to not only growth, but also to greater distribution
of well-being, together with the alleviation of the adverse effects which will
inevitably accompany structural adjustment.
In supporting private
enterprise and the necessary infrastructure investments in the developing
countries, Finland will avoid any distortion of competitive conditions and
thereby the creation of unsustainable production. Support will be channelled
especially to small-scale enterprises and to farming and forestry that is
economically and environmentally sustainable. Impact on labour will be taken
into account and labour-intensive solutions favoured.
Finland aims to
promote planning and decision-making systems based on popular participation, on
the principle that every individual has the right to help make decisions that
affect him/her. In local economic decision-making, the necessary preconditions
will be created by supporting the formation of associations or organisations or
businesses, employees and farmers, or of co-operatives.
Because most of
the poor in developing countries live in rural areas, action to develop the
countryside must play a central role in strategy to alleviate poverty. In
practice, this means projects giving the rural population access to natural
resources (i.e. land and water) and to production technology, as well as access
to markets for their products.
When targeting both its bilateral and its
multilateral assistance, Finland will continue to give priority to the poorer
countries and disadvantaged population groups in developing countries.
In a poor developing country, sustainable development means finding the right
balance between growth, environmental considerations and income distribution.
This is a task for the developing country itself. Assistance will be targeted at
activities promoting this end. Finland will channel its support to areas where
the problem has been satisfactorily solved, or where Finland can help solve it.
Hence, Finland will:
Democracy is the only lasting basis for the rule of the law. In the long
term, it has proven more effective than other options as a basis for economic
and social development. Each nation must find its own way to democracy and
respect for human rights, building on its own history and political situation.
Finland respects the principle in international law of non-interference in the
internal affairs of the other state, and will thus use the means available to
development co-operation to consolidate democracy and human rights. Hence
Finland:
