EU foreign ministers have agreed conclusions calling for a stronger, more co-ordinated and long-term European Union approach to countries and regions facing high levels of fragility.
The Council of the EU described fragility in a release on Monday as an increasingly acute and systemic global challenge with consequences for international stability, security and development.
It said the EU approach should be based on the “humanitarian-development-peace nexus” — linking emergency aid, longer-term development work and peacebuilding.
The Council stated the EU should keep a sustained focus on “fragile partner countries and regions”, using development co-operation, flexible financing and closer “Team Europe” co-ordination — a term used for joint work by EU institutions and member states.
It also reaffirmed EU commitments to human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and young people, alongside support for resilient institutions, access to basic services, job creation and local ownership.
Aid focus and spending figures
The Council said EU official development assistance should be directed towards fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
It added that EU external action should remain coherent, conflict-sensitive and based on strong context analysis.
The Council also pointed to the Global Gateway strategy — the EU’s programme for investment and partnerships — as a tool that could support sustainable investment and economic opportunities in fragile settings.
The EU reaffirmed its position as the world’s largest provider of official development assistance, representing 48% of global ODA in 2025, the Council said, while noting concern about a historical worldwide decline in ODA in 2025 reported by the OECD.
It also cited the European Court of Auditors’ findings on EU support to fight hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa, saying EU actions across funding instruments signed contracts worth about €23.2 billion for hunger-related initiatives from 2014 to 2024, with nearly half of that amount destined for Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Council said humanitarian support should be balanced with long-term sustainable development outcomes and resilience building.
