France ranked 20th among the donors in the HRI 2008 and again in the HRI 2009. France’s rankings by pillar were among the lowest in the donor group. Its highest ranking was 13th in Pillar 5 (Learning and accountability), largely due to the indicator on conducting evaluations, where it ranked 1st. This is followed by an 18th place ranking in Pillar 4 (Protection and International Law) and 20th position in Pillar 3 (Working with humanitarian partners). In Pillars 1 (Responding to needs) and 2 (Prevention, risk reduction and recovery), France ranked 22nd. In terms of generosity and burden sharing, France rated 21st compared with the rest of the OECD-DAC group.

France’s rankings in nearly all of the HRI’s quantitative and qualitative indicators were among the lowest compared with it peers. In key indicators such as neutrality and impartiality, independence from non-humanitarian objectives, assessing needs, timeliness of funding to complex emergencies, supporting the transition between relief, recovery and development, and longer term funding arrangements, France ranked 21st. It also scored well below average in respect for international humanitarian law (20th), crisis prevention and preparedness (20th), funding local capacity (22nd), conditionality of aid (20th), funding to CERF and other quick disbursement mechanisms (20th) and funding to UN consolidated appeals (20th). On a positive note, France was the third best donor in terms of timeliness of funding to sudden onset disasters, 7th for un-earmarked funding, and 9th for respect for human rights law and use of recommendations from evaluations. France performed well below the overall donor average in all of the crises studied for this year’s HRI, with the exception of Chad, where it rated close to average.
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