BRUSSELS, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Jun, 2021) In 2020, the EU's collective Official Development Assistance (ODA) reached EUR 66.8 billion, up from EUR 57.9 billion in 2019, according to the Annual Report on EU Development Aid Targets.
Member states effectively achieved a 15 percent increase through a Team Europe approach responding to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, noted the report.
The EU and its 27 Member States have maintained their position as the biggest global ODA provider, accounting - with the exception of the UK - for 46.2 percent of total ODA, and confirming their leadership in the global agenda on sustainable development and at the same time, EU collective ODA represented 5 percent of EU Gross National Income (GNI), an increase from 0.41 percent, which is significantly higher than the average of non-EU members of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC).
"Moreover, four EU member states exceeded the 0.7 percent threshold of ODA to GNI, while that ratio increased in 15 other member states. In ten member states the ratio remained stable, while it declined in two member states,'' the report added.
This came today after the European Council approved conclusions on the EU development aid targets for 2020 in the form of the eleventh annual report to the European Council.
The report welcomes the Commission’s analysis of trends with regard to EU collective and individual commitments on and delivery of ODA.
ODA continues to play a crucial role in the overall financing available to help achieve the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, global ODA remains a critical source of finance for the poorest countries that are in a state of increased fragility or in a state of conflict.
The 2021 report takes stock of the EU's development activities and its targets and financing for the year 2020.
