This resource highlights key facts from Development Iinitiative’s analysis of global aid reported in 2021, using the most recently available dataset (published in late December 2022). It includes data on aid (specifically official development assistance – ODA) reported to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee (OECD DAC).
Key facts about ODA in 2021
- Total ODA gross disbursements from DAC donors and multilateral organisations decreased in 2021 to US$205.6 billion, from US$209.6 billion in 2020.
- India, Bangladesh and Sudan received the largest amounts of ODA in 2021.
- Health, humanitarian and infrastructure sectors received the largest amounts of ODA in 2021.
- Less than a third of ODA was disbursed to countries grouped as least developed and/or low income in 2021 (a fall of 2.0% from 2020).
- Total bilateral ODA marked as having a climate objective grew
- The proportion of ODA that governments provided as grants increased for the first time since 2018 (up from 78% in 2020 to 81% in 2021).