Official data on Italian aid in 2008

According to the 2008 DAC data, released on December 8th, the Italian ODA/GNI ratio was at 0.22%, with a 15% increase from its 2007 level, still second last among EU donors. By discounting debt relief, ODA/GNI decreases to 0.18% with Italy ranking last in Europe. However Italy increased it total aid disbursement by 468 million dollars ( 234 million, net of debt).

The top 5 countries are Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Ethiopia and Lebanon. Iraq accounts for 45% in the total bilateral share, thanks to debt cancellations.

Italian aid - as share of bilateral aid - to sub-Saharan Africa decreases to the minimal share of 18,7%. The region received only 30% in the absolute bilateral aid increase ( 70 milion dollars, including debt), against 50% EU target. However, Italy has slightly sharpened its aid poverty focus, accounting for 25% of total bilateral aid from 24%, with an increase by 120 million dollars in one year.

As for sectoral investment, Italian support to Basic Social Services increases by 100 million dollars, accounting 7% of the total bilateral ( it was 5.4% in 2007).

Italia tied aid has decreased to 20% of total bilateral from 40% last year. By discounting debt relief, as being untied aid by default, Italian united aid share decreases from 78% to 38%, improving Italian ranking from the last position to the fourth last.

ODA from Italian Regions

According to a recent survey, the 22 Italian regions fund development cooperation interventions worth 45 million euro per year, to be counted within the Italian ODA. The first 4 most generous regions accounts to 74% of the total. Although decentralized cooperation is often featured as one of the postive development in the Italian development cooperation, financially speaking, it is still a limited actor. All regional resources account at 14% of the financial resources available the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and as much as two big NGOs ,such as MSF and Save the Children, annualy raise from private contributions.