Finland increased its development assistance in 2013
Press release 84/20148.4.2014
In 2013, Finland provided EUR 1,081 million in development assistance, which corresponds to 0.56% of Finland’s gross national income (GNI). There was a slight increase in the GNI share from previous year, when it was 0.53%.
In monetary terms, the increase from 2012 was EUR 54 million. Finland's assistance to the poorest countries also increased slightly.
The data published by OECD today are preliminary spending figures, pending detailed final data.
In 2013, the combined official development assistance (ODA) of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member states rose by 6.1% in real terms, despite the global economic crisis and continued pressure on budgets in OECD countries.
In 2013, OECD/DAC member states provided a total of USD 134.8 billion in ODA, standing at 0.3% of the combined GNI of these countries.
Five countries – Denmark, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden – hit the 0.7% target. In real terms, development assistance increased in 17 countries. In percentages, the increase in ODA was the highest in the United Kingdom, Poland and Sweden. The United Kingdom met the 0.7% ODA target for the first time, increasing its spending by almost four billion US dollars.
On the other hand, the ODA fell in 11 countries, with the biggest decreases in Canada, Portugal and France.
The bilateral aid provided by OECD/DAC member countries to sub-Saharan Africa decreased by 4% compared to the previous year. However, ODA to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) rose by 12.3%.
Overall, net ODA by the DAC-EU countries amounted to USD 71.2 billion in 2013, representing a 10% increase from the year before. In GNI, the ODA provided by EU Member States was 0.41% in 2013.
More detailed information about development assistance provided by Finland in 2013 is published in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ new statistics service at the address http://stats.formin.fi.
Additional information: Timo Olkkonen, Head of the General Development Policy and Planning Unit, tel. +358 295 350 945; and Eliisa Mäkelä, Inspector, tel. +358 295 351 819
OECD