The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) (www.aecid.es/EN) is the main executive arm of the Spanish Cooperation, and is geared towards human sustainable development and fighting poverty. AECID was established to fully promote development, conceived to be a fundamental human right. AECID believes that fighting poverty is an essential process in establishing the right for development. Hence, the AECID adheres to the guidelines of the Fifth Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation, focusing on three cross-cutting elements: gender perspective, environmental quality, and for cultural diversity, in accordance with the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015, which will serve as a blueprint for global development planning during the coming 15 years. The Agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among them ending poverty in the world, eradicating hunger and achieving food security, guaranteeing good health and quality education for all, achieving gender equality, ensuring access to water and energy, promoting sustainable economic growth, adopting urgent action on climate change, promoting peace, and facilitating access to justice.

AECID is under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation through the State Secretariat for International Development Cooperation and for Ibero-America and the Caribbean. Act 23/1998 dated July 7 of the same year, on International Development Cooperation considers the Agency as the executive body for Spanish Cooperation, and defines its purpose through its priorities: fostering development and equality in international relations, preventing and addressing emergency situations, fostering democracy, and promoting relations with partner countries. To make all these possible, AECID relies on various instruments such as technical cooperation, economic and financial cooperation, humanitarian assistance and education for development and social awareness-raising.

AECID, together with its partners, operates in more than 30 countries through its network of Technical Cooperation Offices, Cultural Centres, and Training Centres.

AECID’s vision is defined in its 2014-2017 Strategic Plan, based on the Agency’s contribution to:

• Achieving development results favoring poverty reduction, social cohesion, and equal rights for people in partner countries
• Providing access to and protection of the essential rights of populations that fall victim to humanitarian crises
• Building a society aware of the importance of development