Public Development Assistance (ODA) in Portugal reached 480 million euros in 2022, according to preliminary data released today by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 100 million more than in 2021.
The increase in ODA from Portugal was “the biggest recorded since 2010, corresponding to 0.23% of Gross National Income”, says in a statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE).
The bilateral aspect registered an increase of 31% compared to 2021, accounting for 186 million euros, and Ukraine, after Mozambique, entered the group of main beneficiaries, which also included São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde .
“This increase in Portuguese ODA reflects Portugal’s commitment to continued support for the sustainable development of our partners on the African continent, as well as humanitarian aid to Ukraine within the framework of joint efforts at the multilateral level, with a focus on the European Union”, sustains the MNE in the note.
Multilateral ODA flows registered a 19% increase compared to the previous year, reaching 294 million euros, as a result of the reinforcement of Portugal’s contribution to partnerships with the European Union, the African Development Bank and the International Association for the Development of the World Bank group.
The MNE considers that these data reaffirm the “national commitment to the gradual and sustained increase in ODA, in line with the 2030 Portuguese Cooperation Strategy”, noting that they are above the average growth rate of the members of the Development Assistance Committee.
According to the OECD report, foreign aid from official donors increased by 13.6% in real terms in 2022 compared to 2021, as “developed countries increased their spending on humanitarian aid and on the processing and reception of refugees”.