DAC statistics aim to meet the needs of policy makers in the field of development co-operation, and to provide a means of assessing the comparative performance of aid donors.

The resources channelled by individual donors to a recipient or a group of countries should be seen in the context of a recipient's total resource receipts, and also in terms of the overall geographical distribution of aid and resource flows from all sources combined.

The data collection therefore covers non-aid as well as aid resource flows from DAC countries, and resource flows from other sources.

Comparability is of the essence and the data are reported on the same basis by all donor countries. Where possible the statistics conform with balance-of-payments norms and definitions.

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