EU election needs to bring out the best of Europe — not the worst

Thus, the EU must opt for impactful solutions that are proven to work. One of these is a breakthrough, a simplified approach to tackling childhood acute malnutrition using Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic-Food — over 90 percent effective in saving lives and 20 percent more cost-effective. The IRC has recently launched a new effort, the Movement Against Malnutrition, to promote this approach, and it’s calling for the EU to help lead by setting ambitious global targets and championing the use of simplified treatment to tackle the malnutrition crisis.

Third, asylum and migration. In the absence of a fair and effective Continent-wide system that works for both states and those on the move, the EU has been left to rely on fragile deals with third countries. The aim here has been to stop people reaching European shores, but those fleeing conflict, climate change and economic crisis will continue to arrive — this is a strength not a weakness, reflecting wealth and stability. We also have evidence that this approach doesn’t work and puts vulnerable people at greater risk, as smugglers simply divert to ever more dangerous routes. Moreover, it skews the EU’s foreign policy priorities — and when politics in a country like Niger, for example, change overnight, the EU is left short.

The alternative is simply clear legal routes — safe pathways to hope provided before people make risky journeys to Europe. Recent experience from both EU and U.S. borders shows the dangers of mismanaged migration. But buried under the political rhetoric is interesting evidence that when the Biden administration offered a limited number of legal options to migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, arrivals from those countries fell by as much as 44 percent.

Fourth, and finally, global problems need global institutions that are fit for purpose. The institutions designed to manage international finance after World War II — the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and regional development banks — are facing calls to reform the way finance is provided. However, they also need to change the way they deliver aid to the conflict states where 50 percent of the extreme poor now live.

What we need is people-centered aid. We believe that by using civil society — and not just governments to get aid to those in need — efficiency and effectiveness can be served, and the delivery gap closed. From vaccinations and education to the empowerment of women and girls, this is the way to make aid money go further and accomplish more.

The European Parliament election will reflect Europe’s diversity and show a new balance of power across the Continent. But there’s also a new balance of power across the world — and Europe needs to engage with it.