Ninove (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ninove is closing its Municipal Council for Development Cooperation (GROS) and cutting €20,000 in funding for groups like Oxfam. Mayor Guy D’Haeseleer (Forza Ninove) prioritises local issues like jobs and Dutch language integration over international aid.
The city council, led by Mayor Guy D’Haeseleer, decided to get rid of GROS. The mayor said that development cooperation is not something the city should be responsible for. The Belgian government has cut its funding for development cooperation by 25%.
He mentioned that instead of spending money on international projects, the city will focus on helping people in Ninove who are unemployed, teaching them Dutch, and making it easier for people who don’t speak Dutch to be part of the community.
Why is Ninove cutting GROS funding and shifting priorities?
According to officials, the decision to close GROS in Ninove is part of a bigger trend in Belgium and Europe. Some governments are choosing to focus on their own countries instead of helping other countries. The Belgian government has cut money for development cooperation, which worries aid organisations. They think this could affect international solidarity and humanitarian assistance.
In Ninove, some people think cities should still help other countries, while others think cities should focus on problems in their communities, like jobs and social integration. Officials mentioned that by closing GROS, Ninove wants to focus on its problems instead of helping other countries.
We want to use the resources to activate people who are not yet working, and to teach Dutch and integrate people who speak other languages,
says Mayor Guy D’Haeseleer (Forza Ninove),
Ninove is closing its Municipal Council for Development Cooperation (GROS) and taking away 20,000 euros in funding for groups like Oxfam. This money is used to help these groups work on development projects in other countries. The mayor of Ninove says this money will now be used for things he thinks are more important, like helping people find jobs and making sure people who don’t speak Dutch can fit in.
The mayor thinks these things need more attention and money from the city, and that helping other countries is not important for the city. Ninove is changing its priorities, focusing on its community instead of helping people in other countries.
We will be able to use the money very well to continue to focus on our core tasks,
says D’Haeseleer.
The city stopped giving money to Babbelonie, a program that helps new people learn Dutch and make friends with locals. Even though the city stopped helping, Babbelonie raised enough money from people to keep going for another year. Ninove also decided not to be a “Fairtrade Municipality” anymore, which means they are not supporting fair trade products and ethical shopping.
The Council for Development Cooperation was part of the city’s social welfare centre, but it’s being closed. Officials mentioned that no one will lose their jobs because of this change, but they will now focus on other things that are more important to the city.
The Municipal Council for Development Cooperation (GROS) in Ninove, Belgium, was created in 2014 to help the city council with development projects and support countries in the Global South. GROS worked to educate people about development cooperation and give money to residents, schools, and businesses that were involved.
