New OECD figures prove: Austria remains at the bottom of the table when it comes to development aid
AG Global Responsibility appeals to the federal government to finally increase Austria’s development aid in the face of multiple crises
Vienna (OTS) – “According to preliminary figures from the OECD, with a so-called ODA ratio of 0.31% – i.e. the proportion of its gross national income (GNI) that the state makes available for official development assistance – Austria will continue to be at the bottom of the list in Europe in 2021. This means that Austria is still far from the internationally agreed target of providing 0.7% of GNI.
Austria’s ODA ratio increased by only 0.01% compared to 2020. multiple, mutual crises, this is regrettable and neither forward-looking nor in the spirit of the government program, which provides for a substantial increase in funds for development cooperation and humanitarian aid,” says Annelies Vilim, Managing Director of the AG Global Responsibility, Austria’s Public Development Aid, ODA). presented today by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
With a provisional ODA quota of 0.92%, Sweden has repeatedly exceeded the 0.7% target, Norway with 0.93% and Luxembourg even with 0.99%. As in the previous year, Germany is well above the target with 0.74%. “Austria is likely to have quickly doubled its expenditure to contain the pandemic in the countries of the Global South with a total of 53.14 million euros compared to 2020. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 aid from Germany and Denmark was with over 2.5 billion euros and 104 Despite an increase from more than 126 million euros to almost 577 million euros within one year, Austria’s total bilateral aid – the visiting card for Austria’s commitment in the world – is sobering in a per capita comparison: Austria is likely to be scarce per inhabitant 65 euros in direct project aid, while Germany provides around 241 euros and Sweden even 323 euros per capita,” Vilim compares.
Does Austria underestimate the crisis of our time?
“It is important that, according to OECD-DAC data, there should have been increases in some areas in 2021. Austria’s expenditure on humanitarian aid has doubled compared to 2020 to 97 million euros to achieve the internationally agreed 0.7% target. The question arises as to whether Austria is still underestimating the massive challenges posed to the world by the war in Ukraine and other conflicts, COVID-19, the climate crisis and increasing poverty. In these times, you need short-term aid packages and plannable means to prevent, contain and deal with the effects of these crises
“, addressed Vilim to the Austrian federal government.
It is not surprising that the need for international commitment increases with the crisis of multiple crises. “Extreme poverty has risen again for the first time in two centuries. According to the FAO, the number of hungry people in the world has also increased to a total of 811 million people in the first year of the pandemic, more than in 2019. Due to the effects of the climate crisis or beyond In addition, COVID-19 has massively overburdened international health systems, not to mention the social and economic consequences of the pandemic, which many poor countries are far from over,” Vilim elaborates.
“We therefore appeal to the Austrian federal government, as promised in the government program, to tackle the 0.7% target more resolutely and to ensure development aid that can be planned for the long term. With a substantial increase in this, Austria makes a lasting contribution to human security for millions of people and thus to stability in the world. This is probably in the interests of Austria and Europe; because we are only safe when everyone is safe
‘ concludes Vilim.
to die GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY – Working Group for Development and Humanitarian Aid is the umbrella organization of 35 Austrian development policy and humanitarian non-governmental organizations. Our member organizations carry out 1,000 projects in 120 countries around the world every year and contribute to enabling a decent life for everyone.
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