Official development assistance (ODA) has helped finance international development for decades. Governments provide assistance, including grants and concessional loans, to support economic development and welfare in eligible countries. ODA is particularly important for countries with limited access to other sources of affordable finance, helping support services such as health care, education and clean water. The OECD monitors these flows and their impact on international development financing.

France’s Cuts to Foreign Aid

France remains one of the world’s largest ODA donors. According to OECD preliminary figures for 2025, France provided about $14.5 billion in development assistance, a 10.9% real-terms reduction from 2024. Aid from OECD Development Assistance Committee members and associates fell by 23.1% overall in 2025, the largest annual contraction recorded. France’s budget reductions have raised concerns among development organizations about the consequences for countries and communities relying on development funding.

In response, organizations in France and internationally have campaigned to protect aid, inform the public and press policymakers to maintain development commitments. Three organizations illustrate how civil society has responded. Here are the three organizations responding to France’s aid cuts.

Coordination SUD

Coordination SUD is France’s national coordinating body for international solidarity NGOs, bringing together nearly 200 organizations. It advocates for development funding, works with public institutions and runs awareness campaigns. In January 2025, the coalition criticized proposed aid cuts exceeding 2 billion euros in the draft national budget, warning that reductions could affect people living in poverty and communities facing humanitarian and climate crises.

Coordination SUD also contributed to the 2026 Civil 7 (C7) policy brief, which urged G7 governments to prioritize grants and highly concessional financing for least developed countries, improve international development cooperation and consider a binding U.N. convention on development cooperation. These proposals seek to make aid more accountable and responsive to the needs of people affected by poverty.

Global Citizen

Global Citizen has drawn attention to France’s foreign aid cuts and encouraged public engagement. Its reporting explains the potential consequences for global health and poverty reduction and outlines ways citizens can express their concerns to elected representatives. The organization has also highlighted debates over the use of revenue from solidarity taxes historically linked to development assistance.

ONE

ONE advocates for policies and investments aimed at reducing extreme poverty and supporting global health. Through grassroots organizing, research and campaigning, it encourages citizens to engage with policymakers and hold governments accountable for their international development commitments. According to ONE’s own impact reporting, its advocacy has helped secure $1 trillion in new investments for economic opportunity and healthier lives worldwide since 2004. This is an organization-wide total, not an amount raised for France’s foreign aid budget.

ONE’s French advocates have also engaged directly with political leaders. At the 2023 Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, three ONE youth ambassadors delivered a collection of 1,800 supporter messages urging President Emmanuel Macron to act for international solidarity. More recently, ONE campaigned against the removal of development-earmarked revenue from the financial transactions tax and the solidarity tax on airline tickets under France’s 2025 budget legislation. The group has called for these funds to be directed toward international development again.

Looking Ahead

The sharp reduction in international aid during 2025 poses challenges for development programs and the communities they serve. Yet Coordination SUD, Global Citizen and ONE demonstrate how advocacy can keep international development on the public agenda. By providing evidence, mobilizing supporters and engaging lawmakers, these organizations aim to protect resources for health, education and poverty reduction.

– Melody Hubbard

Melody is based in Knoxville, TN, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

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