Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Glob Health Action. 2023 Dec 31;16(1):2258707. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2258707. Epub 2023 Sep 21.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
官方发展援助（ODA）极大地促进了中低收入国家（LMICs）的可持续发展。然而，新冠疫情影响了援助分配，对实现可持续发展目标（SDGs）构成了挑战。
本研究探讨并强调了经合组织发展援助委员会（DAC）成员国因新冠疫情而导致的官方发展援助分配的深刻变化，为国际援助的不断发展提供了独特的视角。
本研究利用 DAC 成员国对 LMICs 的官方发展援助支出数据（2011 年至 2021 年），采用线性回归分析评估了官方发展援助金额、官方发展援助与国民总收入（GNI）之比、部门援助分配以及双边和多边援助之间的平衡的变化，主要关注新冠疫情前后的差异。对于非专门化多边机构的核心资金，采用经合组织计算估算多边官方发展援助的方法来估计官方发展援助流量。
研究发现，2011 年至 2021 年，DAC 成员国提供的官方发展援助总额呈上升趋势。然而，在疫情前，官方发展援助/GNI 比略有下降且具有显著意义，随后在新冠疫情后有所上升。疫情后，卫生部门获得的援助比例最高，双边和多边援助均显著增加。然而，其他部门，如人道主义援助、水和卫生以及能源，在部门援助份额方面显著下降。
从这项分析中得出的强烈建议是，DAC 成员国需要重新评估援助目标，并增加财政承诺，以加强可持续发展目标和可持续发展努力。虽然卫生援助的增加是必要的，但其他部门也需要同等关注，以抵消新冠疫情的影响。了解援助分配的复杂性可以提高援助的效果，从而为受援国带来更大、更具变革性的成果。
