The geographic areas in which aid will be concentrated in terms of overseas assistance are Latin America and the Caribbean, North Africa and West Africa... Especially hunger aid, rural development and food security... and other core development work including health, education, water and sanitation programmes...

The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECI) says bilateral cooperation will be prioritised against multilateral development work, in order to maintain direct dialogue with partner countries and continuity of programmes...

In 2012 the forecast is to reach €0.22 per 100 of gross national income, with a total volume of €1,049,240.27 million of net official development assistance...

The severity of the impact of global crisis across the euro area has resulted in cuts in the draft budgets approved by the Council of Ministers on 30 March, says the AECI in a statement.

The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation says its Annual Plan is produced at a time of international financial constraints and that reflects the volume of official development assistance...

The announcement follows a recent appeal by more than 400 NGOs that called for a boost in spending on national and international humanitarian causes.

The NGO campaign has been launched by Coordinating NGO-Spain, the member association of NGOs which promotes the work of charities and non-profits in Spain...

Member NGOs behind the campaign include Assembly of Cooperation for Peace (ACPP), ActionAid, Manos Unidas and Medicus Mundi...

25 Spanish NGOs, including the Spanish Red Cross, also announced an annual day of action this year to promote solidarity amongst fundraising organisations and encourage Spanish donors to give to charity in such a time of great need for those affected by poverty and other hardship...

The next day of NGO solidarity is on June 7, 2013...

Despite the recession the Somos Asi campaign says the time is ripe to support Spanish NGOs...

About 62 million people currently need humanitarian aid in the world because of food insecurity, conflict and natural disasters, according to the United Nations...

More than three million people work regularly with an NGO in Spain and collectively the fundraising public provides over 500 million euros a year to good causes...