This briefing note builds on previous ODI research to examine how the European Union (EU) could play a leadership role in ending extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by better targeting support for human development in the poorest countries.

It sets forth four key actions the EU could take to finance human development and end extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa:

• Be more ambitious, i.e. stipulate that the 0.7% EU aid target should be met by the end of the Multi-annual Financing Framework period in 2027, rather than by 2030 as set out in the new European Consensus on Development.
• Ensure that the Multi-annual Financing Framework is consistent with delivering the 2030 Agenda and ending extreme poverty.
• Allocate at least 50% of EU development aid to least developed countries, and more than the 20% minimum share to social sectors.
• Ensure that the EU focus on leveraging private sector funding does not increase incentives to allocate Official Development Assistance to middle-income countries or away from social sectors.

Marcus Manuel, Stephanie Manea