Decades of Promises, But Most Countries Fall Short on Foreign Aid Commitment
In 1981, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of major foreign aid donor countries made a pledge at the United Nations: to allocate at least 0.15% of their national income to assist the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). This commitment, aimed at addressing extreme poverty, called for the equivalent of about $1 out of every $700 to help those most in need.
Despite reiterating this promise over the years, by 2022, most wealthy nations failed to meet the target. Among the 20 OECD countries that provide the most aid, only three—Luxembourg, Sweden, and Norway—managed to honor the pledge. The chart comparing these nations reveals that even as many of the world’s richest countries amassed vast wealth, they fell short of supporting the global effort to help the poorest nations.
The failure to meet this target is particularly glaring when considering the financial resources of these wealthy nations, where even small adjustments to their budgets could make a life-saving difference to people in the world’s poorest regions.
This issue highlights the continued gap between the promises of developed nations and their actual commitment to global poverty reduction. While the disparity is clear, the need for meaningful action remains critical, especially as poverty and crises continue to ravage parts of the developing world.
References:
- Our World in Data
- Development Assistance Committee (DAC) pledge from 1981, United Nations records.
- OECD data on foreign aid contributions.
Foreign Aid by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images
