The Council of Ministers adopted the fourth consecutive Medium-Term Program for Development Assistance and Humanitarian Aid of Bulgaria, covering the period 2025-2030, the government press service announced.
The document reinforces our country's role as a predictable and responsible donor within the European Union and the international community, adapting Bulgarian cooperation policy for development and humanitarian aid to contemporary global challenges, the press service notes.
The new program builds on the results achieved from the previous three program periods and introduces a flexible framework to support partner countries. Bulgarian official development assistance will continue to be primarily directed towards regions with traditional historical and cultural ties, as well as areas of strategic importance for national interests and security - the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.
The program focuses on four main sectoral priorities for cooperation with partners - quality education, healthcare, good governance, and economic growth. These efforts are complemented by three key horizontal priorities - gender equality, environmental protection and climate change adaptation, and the protection of the rights of children and young people.
Bulgarian humanitarian aid will continue to be provided in strict compliance with the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. The main goal is to save human lives and alleviate suffering in regions affected by crises, ensuring that support reaches the most vulnerable groups. Humanitarian support will be primarily directed to countries and regions that have the potential to generate migration flows.
In the new program period, Bulgaria will strive to strengthen its participation in the EU's "Team Europe" initiatives and the "Global Gateway" strategy. Through active multilateral cooperation, our country will further develop its bilateral activities and increase the impact of its development priorities on the international stage, the press release further states.
In November 2025, the government approved the provision of humanitarian aid and development assistance in support of Ukraine, the civilian population of the Gaza Strip, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, etc., in the form of voluntary contributions to international organizations with a total value of 2,382,390.5 leva.