Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic: trends in development assistance committee countries' aid allocation, 2011-2021

Shuhei Nomura; Cyrus Ghaznavi; Kazuki Shimizu; Alton Cao; Miho Sassa; Manae Uchibori; Rauniyar Santosh Kumar; Lisa Yamasaki; Hana Tomoi; Haruka Sakamoto

doi:10.1080/16549716.2023.2258707

Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic: trends in development assistance committee countries' aid allocation, 2011-2021

Glob Health Action. 2023 Dec 31;16(1):2258707. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2258707. Epub 2023 Sep 21.

Authors

Shuhei Nomura^{1

2

3

4}, Cyrus Ghaznavi^{1

5}, Kazuki Shimizu^{3

6}, Alton Cao^{1

2}, Miho Sassa², Manae Uchibori^{1

3}, Rauniyar Santosh Kumar^{1

7}, Lisa Yamasaki^{2

8}, Hana Tomoi^{9

10}, Haruka Sakamoto^{3

11}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
² Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Better Co-Being, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
⁶ Department of International Medical Education, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
⁷ Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.
⁸ Center Hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
⁹ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
¹⁰ School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
¹¹ Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract

Background: Official Development Assistance (ODA) significantly aids sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted aid allocation, posing challenges for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Objective: This study explores and underscores the profound implications of shifts in ODA allocation by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of international aid.

Methods: Drawing from the gross ODA disbursement data for LMICs by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021, a linear regression analysis assessed the changes in ODA amount, ODA-to-gross national income (GNI) ratio, sectoral aid allocation, and the balance between bilateral and multilateral aid, primarily focusing on the differences pre- and post-COVID-19. For non-specialised multilateral agencies' core funding, the OECD's methodology for calculating imputed multilateral ODA was employed to estimate ODA flows.

Results: The study found an increasing trend in the total ODA provided by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021. However, the average ODA/GNI ratio showed a slight but significant decrease before the pandemic, followed by an increase after the COVID-19 pandemic. The health sector received the highest percentage of aid after the pandemic, with a marked increase in both bilateral and multilateral aid. However, other sectors such as humanitarian aid, water and sanitation, and energy experienced a significant decrease in sectoral aid share.

Conclusions: Emerging from this analysis is a strong recommendation for DAC members to re-evaluate aid objectives and escalate their financial commitments to reinforce SDGs and sustainable development efforts. While the rise in health aid is essential, other sectors also require equal focus to offset the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the intricacies of aid allocation can improve aid efficacy, culminating in greater, transformative results for recipient countries.

Keywords: COVID-19; DAC; ODA; OECD; SDGs.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
Humans
Income
Pandemics
Sanitation

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a grant PRESTO [JPMJPR22R8] from the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the authors.