1. Climate Action, Sustainable Development
  2. Our Partners
  3. Bilateral Partners
  4. Belgium
Belgium

Belgium

Cumulative

  • Project-Specific Cofinancing $200,000
  • Contributions Committed to Trust Funds $49.2 million

    Belgium’s development cooperation policy is set out in the 2013 Law on Development Cooperation. In addition to tackling fragility, other policy priorities include social protection, private sector development, climate change, digital development, and human rights–based approaches. Belgium’s priority countries are evolving in line with its focus on fragility. Since 2015, six middle-income countries have been removed from Belgium’s list of priority countries, while two fragile states have been added.

    The International and European Financial Affairs of the Belgian Federal Treasury is Belgium’s contact with international financial institutions. The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD), integrated into the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, drafts development policies, allocates Belgium’s official development assistance, and plans and monitors governmental cooperation programs. The DGD partners with the Belgian Technical Cooperation as the implementing agency for study and training grants as well as assignments on sustainable development on national and international levels.

    Highlights of ADB–Belgium Engagement in 2023:

    Nonsovereign Cofinancing. The Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) supported over 340 transactions valued at $218.3 million with banks domiciled in Belgium from inception to December 2023. During the same period, the TSCFP supported over 390 Belgian exports and/or imports valued at $191.7 million. In 2023 alone, the TSCFP supported 21 transactions valued at $6.8 million with banks domiciled in Belgium and supported 28 Belgian exports and/or imports valued at $14.3 million. Exports and/or imports were mainly to or from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Viet Nam. Underlying goods involved mostly raw and non-energy commodities, industrial machinery, capital goods, and food and agriculture-related goods.

    Special Funds. Belgium is a founding member of ADB and has, since 1966, committed $268.7 million to ADB special funds. Of this commitment, $244.4 million has gone to the Asian Development Fund (ADF). The ADF provides grants to ADB’s low-income, developing member countries to help reduce poverty and improve the quality of life.

    Active Trust Funds

    Active trust funds are those a) with ongoing projects; or b) with no active projects but have remaining funds.

    Story

    Standard Post with Image

    Fostering Sustainable Development through Carbon Markets

    The Future Carbon Fund—a trust fund managed by ADB with contributions from Belgium, Finland, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and two private partners—provides carbon finance to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The co-benefits of these projects have changed the lives of thousands of people, ranging from improved energy access and energy security, job creation, diffusion of low-carbon technologies, technological innovation, better health from reduced air pollution, reduced use of imported fuels, lower traffic congestion, and growing net trade of technologies and services.