Official Development Assistance (ODA) is one of the most powerful tools for enabling both governments and civil society to support those left furthest behind. But since 2005, when CONCORD began its annual AidWatch report, the European Union (EU) has failed to meet internationally agreed-upon ODA targets.
Each year, the AidWatch report monitors the quantity and quality of EU ODA through the ‘four Es’: Is it enough? Is it employed correctly? Is it effective? And is it equality-focused? AidWatch, and its ongoing activities, holds EU institutions and Member States accountable to meet their own target of allocating at least 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to ODA by 2030. It also provides recommendations for those funds to be used in a genuine and effective way.
The urgency of scaling up efforts towards more and better funding is only underscored in the current context of compounding global challenges.If we are to overcome the obstacles ahead, international cooperation will be paramount. And the EU, as the world’s largest donor of ODA, must do its part to move from a payer to player.
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