Statistics on International Development 2006

Contents | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 | Section 5 | Table Index

Annex 3 - Data Sources

1. This Annex provides two types of information:

• Sources of data used in SID;
• Sources of data on MDG progress;

Sources of Data Used in SID

2. Figures for DFID programmes are produced from a combination of data from DFID’s internal accounting and management information systems which are used to process and monitor all DFID payments, and the UK attributions of EC budgetary spending.

3. Non-DFID aid figures are provided by the relevant agencies directly to DFID. Data are not obtained from public sources.

4. The CDC provides quarterly information on its new investments and equity purchases and sales, all of which are included in GPEX. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) reports annual aid flows to UN organisations and a proportion of its administration costs are reportable to DAC as aid to developing countries. The FCO also produce annual figures for expenditure on programmes for the control of illicit drugs, as well as other expenditure programmes classified as ODA.

5. The Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) reports new agreements and calculates annual disbursements of official debt relief on export credit debts. CDC provides details of debt relief on its loans quarterly.

6. In 2005/06, the Scottish Executive started reporting expenditure programmes which have been have been classified as ODA.

7. In addition to the above sources, DAC reporting on calendar years requires data on export credits (both official and private), provided by ECGD; on direct investments, provided by the Office for National Statistics; and on bilateral securities and other claims, provided by the Bank of England. Private flows from voluntary agencies are estimated from a statistical inquiry conducted by DFID in line with current survey control policy.

8. Sources for the international comparisons contained in Tables 6 and 15 are the DAC Chairman's Report , DAC ‘big book’ and DAC website. http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats 

9. The statistics on recipient countries given in Annex 1 are taken from the World Bank (see reference below) and DAC website.

Sources of Data on MDG Progress

10. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) represent a shared vision to rid the world of poverty. They provide a set of internationally agreed mutually-reinforcing objectives for development. The individual goals are derived from a series of United Nations conferences held during the 1990s. These were brought together as the MDGs in the Millennium Declaration, signed by 189 nations in September 2000. There are 8 goals with 18 targets and 48 proposed indicators for monitoring progress.

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development.

11. Each year since the Millennium Declaration the UN has produced a report outlining global progress against the MDG indicators. DFID in line with other agencies, utilises this report and data from the UN’s website in making its own assessments of MDG progress: http://millenniumindicators.un.org 

12. Another very important source of data on the MDGs and other development indicators is the World Bank’s annual report ‘World Development Indicators’ and on-line data source www.developmentgoals.org .

13. For poverty data, two other World Bank sites are also very useful: the online data base ‘Povcalnet’ www.worldbank.org/research/povmonitor  and the Global Economic Prospects Report available from: http://www.worldbank.org/prospects 

14. These sites have all been used in previous editions of SID where we reported in detail on MDG indicators.

15. As well as these international sources, individual developing countries have also reported on their own progress towards the MDGs and reports can be found at: http://www.undp.org/mdg/countryreports 

16. In the lead up to the UN’s 2005 Millennium Declaration Review, EU member states agreed to report on their contributions towards MDG 8 which calls on the donor nations to increase aid and debt relief and improve the terms of trade. The UK’s report is available at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/uk-cont-mdg-report.pdf . From 2006 the UK reports annually on its contributions towards MDG 8 in DFID’s Departmental Report.

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