Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation
Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional for Development (AECID)


The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) was created in November 1988 as the administering body for the Spanish Development Cooperation policies under the Ministry of Foreign Affaires and Cooperation (MAEC) and within the Secretary of State for International Cooperation (SECI).

AECID is responsible for elaboration, execution and management of the cooperation programs and projects, either directly, through its own resources or the collaboration with other national or international organizations and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).

In order to carry out these tasks AECID developed extensive structure abroad, consisting of 36 Technical Offices for Cooperation, 12 Cultural Centers and 3 Training Centers, situated in the countries where AECID is carrying out its principal cooperation projects: South American, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries; African, Asian and Eastern European countries.

Objectives

The fight against poverty is a final objective of Spanish policy of international development cooperation. AECID also aims to foster cultural and scientific cooperation between Spain and the developing countries and coordinate development policies of donor countries, specially those of the European Union.


Field of Work

AECID periodically establishes a series of horizontal and sector priorities which are included in MASTER PLANS (every four years) and respective ANUAL PLANS; these priorities need to be present in all projects of cooperation for development. In the last Master Plan (2005-2008), AECID established the following priorities:

Horizontal priorities:

  • Fight against poverty.
  • Defense of human rights.
  • Gender equality.
  • Environmental sustainability.
  • Respect for cultural diversity.

Strategies and sector priorities:

  • Increase of social and institutional capacities (democratic governance, civic participance).
  • Increase of human capacities (coverage of basic social needs).
  • Increase of economic capacities (promotion of economic and business fabric).
  • Increase of the capacities to improve environmental sustainability.
  • Increase of liberty and cultural capacities.
  • Increase of the capacity and autonomy of women.
  • Prevention of conflicts and building towards peace.

More information: www.aecid.es