The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is a key forum of major bilateral donors. They work together to increase the effectiveness of their common efforts to support sustainable development.

The DAC concentrates on two key areas:
a) how international development co-operation contributes to the capacity of developing countries to participate in the global economy, and
b) the capacity of people to overcome poverty and participate fully in their societies.

The DAC Chair Mr. Eckhard Deutscher presides over DAC meetings, attended by Paris-based delegates of member countries and by officials from capitals.

The Committee holds an annual High Level Meeting; participants are ministers or heads of aid agencies.

The work of the DAC is supported by the Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD), one of the OECD's dozen substantive directorates. The DCD is often referred to as the DAC Secretariat because of this key function.

Members of the DAC are expected to have certain common objectives concerning the conduct of their aid programmes. To this end, guidelines have been prepared for development practitioners in capitals and in the field.

For further information, see:

The OECD DAC (the work of the DAC)

Inside the DAC What is the DAC? How does it function? This brochure will give you all the answers.

DAC in Dates (major events from 1960 to 2006)

The Mandate of the DAC and its Subsidiary Bodies
DAC members and their date of membership
The Story of Official Development Assistance