Belgium’s priorities are humanitarian aid, agriculture and food security, infrastructure, innovative financing, social development, education, health, climate change, biodiversity, gender equality, and migration. Belgium has cofinanced investment projects in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, India, and Sri Lanka.
The International and European Financial Affairs, 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.
Nonsovereign cofinancing. The Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) supported over 320 transactions valued at $211.5 million with banks domiciled in Belgium from inception to December 2022. During the same period, the TSCFP supported over 360 Belgian exports and/or imports valued at $177 million. In 2022 alone, the TSCFP supported 18 transactions valued at $6.6 million with banks domiciled in Belgium and supported 35 Belgian exports and/or imports valued at $12 million. Exports and/or imports were mainly to/from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Viet Nam. Underlying goods involved mostly raw and non-energy commodities, industrial machinery and capital goods, as well as food and agriculture-related goods.
Special funds. Belgium contributes to ADB special funds where contributions from financing partners are administered with the same level of care as ADB’s own resources. Since becoming a member in 1966, Belgium has committed a total of $268.7 million to special funds, of which $244.4 million went to the Asian Development Fund (ADF). The ADF provides grants to ADB’s low-income developing member countries to promote poverty reduction and improvements in the quality of life.
Active Trust Funds
Trust funds with ongoing projects or no active projects but with remaining funds are considered active
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Fostering Sustainable Development through Carbon Markets
The Future Carbon Fund—a trust fund managed by ADB with contributions from Belgium, Finland, 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.