Statistical release - Statistics on International Development 2009

The 2009 edition of the National Statistics publication Statistics on International Development produced by the Department for International Development (DFID) was published on 8th October 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

Description

DFID has released final details of UK Official Development Assistance for calendar year 2008 in the 2009 edition of Statistics on International Development (SID). SID also reports figures for UK Gross Public Expenditure on Development (GPEX) in financial year 2008/09. The publication includes data on the volume, type, destination and purpose of UK ODA and GPEX for each of the last 5 years. The publication also contains detailed information on the DFID aid programme a summary of which was published in its Annual Report in July 2009, in accordance with the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006.

Summary

The key points from the latest publication are:

Gross Public Expenditure on Development (GPEX)

The UK’s GPEX was £7,183 million in 2008/09 up from £6,027 million in 2007/08 an increase of £1,156 million or 19 per cent.
The DFID aid programme accounted for £5,803 million (81%) of total GPEX in 2008/09 compared to £5,200 million (86%) in the previous year.
GPEX excluding debt relief increased to £6,835 million in 2008/09, up £883 million (16%) since the 2007/08 total of £5,952 million.
Total GPEX in Africa increased to £1,761 million in 2008/09 from £1,552 million in 2007/08, up £209 million (13%).

Table 1: UK GPEX 2007/08 to 2008/09, £ millions
	2007/08	2008/09	Difference
Total GPEX	6,042	7,183	+1,156
DFID Programme	5,200	5,803	+603
Non-DFID aid	827	1,380	+553

Bilateral GPEX	3,517	4,334	+817
DFID Bilateral Programme	2,962	3,288	+326
Non-DFID Debt Relief	4	280	+276
CDC Gross Investments	361	436	+75
FCO Bilateral Aid	103	123	+20
Other	87	206	+119

Multilateral GPEX	2,262	2,600	+338
DFID Multilateral Programme	2,005	2,277	+272
Other	257	323	+66

Administration	263	318	+55
DFID Administration	248	238	-10
Other Administration	15	11	-4

The DFID Aid Programme

In 2008/09, £3,288 million (or 56%) of the DFID aid programme was bilateral assistance and £2,277 million was multilateral assistance. The remaining £238 million was spent on administration costs.

DFIDs bilateral expenditure rose by 11 per cent to £3,288 million in 2008/09 from £2,962 million in 2007/08.
The amount of DFID bilateral assistance going to Sub-Saharan Africa rose to £1,466 million in 2008/09 from £1,302 million in 2007/08 up £164 million (13 per cent).
DFID Bilateral assistance to Asia rose to £1,088 million in 2007/08 from £931 million in 2007/08.
DFID’s total multilateral expenditure was £2,277 million 2008/09, up from the 2007/08 figure of £1, 990 million.

UK Official Development Assistance (ODA)

The UK reported £6,356 million as Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the calendar year 2008.
The UK’s ODA/GNI ratio for 2008 was 0.43 per cent.
ODA excluding debt relief was £6,052 million in 2008, representing 0.41% of GNI.
Bilateral ODA increased to £4,072 million in 2008 from £2,799 million in 2007. This represents an increase of £1,273 million (45%).
Excluding debt relief, bilateral ODA increased to £3,768 million in 2008 from £2,785 million in 2007. This represents an increase of £983 million (35%)
Bilateral ODA to sub-Saharan Africa increased to £1,302 million in 2008, from £1,176 million in 2008, up £126 million (11%).

Table 2: UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) 2007 to 2008, £ millions
	2007	2008

Total UK ODA	4 921	6 356

Of which:
DFID (exl EC Attribution)	4 490	4 785
EC Attribution	658	764
CDC Net Investments & admin	- 472	172
Non-DFID Debt Relief	4	280
Conflict Pool & Stabilisation Aid Fund (FCO & MoD)	17	97
Other FCO	138	164
Other	88	94

Background notes

Official Development Assistance (ODA) is the internationally agreed classification of aid. It is defined as flows to developing countries and multilateral organisations provided by official agencies or by their executive agencies, each transaction of which meets the following criteria:

It is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main aim
It is concessional in character and conveys a grant element of at least 25 per cent.

ODA figures are calculated on a calendar year basis. SID 2009 presents data for the calendar year 2008.

Gross Public Expenditure on Development (GPEX) is broadly equivalent to ODA, except it is reported on a gross basis and includes some small elements of expenditure that do not qualify as ODA. GPEX is reported on a UK financial year basis and SID 2009 presents data for financial years 2004/05 to 2008/09.

The United Nations has a target stating that donors should give 0.7% of their gross national income (GNI) as ODA. The UK has agreed to reach this target by 2013.