Belgian overseas aid down 13%

Belgium’s official development assistance (ODA) dropped by 13% from 2011 to 2012, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Belgium’s ODA amounted to 0.54% of gross national income (GNI) in 2011, below the target of 0.7% and resulting in Belgium dropping from seventh to ninth in the list of donor countries. According to the report, overall aid from EU countries dropped by €10 billion last year, averaging 0.51% of GNI. Despite the drop, the EU, with €55.1 billion last year, remains the world’s leading development aid donor. Only four EU countries – Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands – devote more than 0.7% of their GNI to ODA.

(PANA)