Spanish Official Development Assistance (ODA) grew by 12% during 2024 after exceeding 4 billion euros (430 million more), according to the preliminary data on the previous year announced last Wednesday, 16 April, by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The figures place Spain in twelfth place in terms of ODA volume within the OECD. ODA from DAC member countries reached 212 billion USD in 2024, which represents a decrease of 7.1% with respect to 2023, marking the first drop after five years of consecutive growth.
Foreign Affairs increases its contribution
The volume of ODA managed by the General State Administration grew by 14%, to over 3.6 billion euros. For its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation has consolidated its position as the second largest manager of ODA funds, with 21% of the total, behind only the Ministry of Treasury, which is responsible for channelling Spain's contribution to the European Union budget.
The ODA volume of the budget of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), which reports to the State Secretariat for International Cooperation, has increased by almost 20 million euros in 2024, to more than 592 million euros, the highest figure since 2011. Since 2021, the volume of ODA managed by AECID has more than doubled, from 275 to 592 million euros, rising from 9% to 15% of the total of the Spanish ODA.
Commitment towards multilateralism
Additionally, strategic contributions to multilateral development organisations made by the State Secretariat for International Cooperation to accelerate the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda experienced a significant increase, which materialises the commitment undertaken by the Government at the highest level in international summits and forums, and they channel support to the multilateral system as a priority for Spain's development cooperation policy.
Thus, the contribution to the regular budget of UN-Women tripled in 2024 compared to the previous year, while in the case of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) it increased fivefold, and in the case of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) it increased sixfold. This also responds to Spanish Cooperation's commitment to gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights, and children's rights.
According to estimates, decentralised cooperation would once again account for around 10 per cent of total ODA. As for the autonomous communities, Catalonia and the Basque Country consolidate their position as those that contribute the greatest volume of ODA to Spanish Cooperation as a whole, with the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, the Basque Country and Navarre being the communities that most increased their contribution in 2024. The data provided by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) point to an increase in aid flows from local governments.
Spanish ODA is allocated to respond to major humanitarian crises, as well as to work with developing countries in their efforts to generate economic and decent work opportunities for all people; to fight hunger and poverty in all its dimensions; to reduce inequalities; to achieve gender equality; and to achieve ecological, digital and economic transitions, among other challenges with our partner countries in all regions of the world.
It is also a fundamental tool for protecting human rights, including cultural rights, the rights to education, health, food and access to water and sanitation, and for fighting the effects of climate change and for environmental conservation.
Sustainable development financing
Within the framework of international efforts to improve and increase financing for sustainable development beyond official development assistance, Spain is working on preparations for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development of the United Nations, to be held in Seville from 30 June to 3 July.
This Conference comes at a crucial time for development and multilateralism, and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we are promoting an ambitious but also realistic agreement, as well as a follow-up mechanism, which will allow us to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals five years before the 2030 Agenda expires.
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