User's Guide to the DAC Statistics database

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Finding information
• Description of datasets

Introduction

DAC statistics provide comprehensive data on the volume, origin and types of aid and resource flows to over 180 aid recipients.  The data cover official development assistance (ODA), other official flows (OOF) and private funding (foreign direct investment, bank and non-bank flows) from members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), multilateral organisations and other donors.  For a more detailed description of the data and definitions, please refer to the DAC Statistical Reporting Directives.  Key development indicators are also provided for reference.

Where do I find the information I am looking for?

The following list is not exhaustive and provides a few examples on finding information. See Section III for a complete list and description of available information.

Example 1. Trends in total ODA flows: Total flows by type by DAC donor => Table DAC 1.  This table contains historical series on ODA, OOF, private flows and outflows by NGOs, broken down by category of expenditure.  (e.g. ODA will include bilateral and multilateral flows; bilateral ODA will include emergency aid, debt forgiveness, food aid, technical co-operation etc.).

Example 2.  Flows by donor and recipient country:

Example 3.  Flows by sector:  Aggregate data on bilateral ODAfrom DAC donors by sector => Table DAC 5.  For detailed information on activities by donor, sector and aid recipient, please refer to the CRS on-line.

Description of datasets

The data cover flows from all bilateral and multilateral donors except for Tables DAC 1, DAC 4, DAC 5 , DAC 5a and DAC 7b which focus on flows from DAC member countries and the EC.

Table DAC 1: Official and Private Flows - Disbursements and Commitments. Aggregate data (no breakdown by recipient) on ODA, OOF, private and NGO data by donor, type of aid and flow.

Table DAC 2a: Destination of Official Development Assistance and Official Aid Disbursements. Geographical breakdown by donor, recipient and for some types of aid (e.g. grant, loan, technical co-operation) on a disbursement basis (i.e. actual expenditures).

Table DAC 2b: Destination of Other Official Flows Disbursements [aggregates only¹]. Geographical breakdown of official export credits and other official non-concessional lending. 

Table DAC 3a: Destination of Official Development Assistance and Official Aid Commitments. Geographical breakdown by donor, recipient and for some types of aid on a commitment basis.

Table DAC 4: Destination of Private Direct Investment and Other Private Capital [aggregates only¹]. Geographical breakdown of foreign direct investment, bank flows and non-bank flows.

Table DAC 5: Official Bilateral Commitments (or Gross Disbursements) by Sector. Aggregates (no breakdown by recipient) by donor, sector, and type of flow to countries on Part I of the DAC List only.

Table DAC 7b: Tying Status of Bilateral Official Development Assistance Commitments. Aggregates (no breakdown by recipient) by donor and type of aid. Note:  Excludes administrative costs and TC.

Reference Table – Indicators: Selected development indicators by recipient.

Reference Table - Total Net ODA/OA (DAC2a, indicators). Geographical breakdown of total net ODA/OA by donor and recipient ($ million, ODA/OA per Capita ($) and as % of recipient’s GNI).

Reference Table - Total ODF (DAC2a, DAC2b). Geographical breakdown of Official Development Finance (ODA/OA + OOF, excluding export credits) (from all donor sources) by recipient.

Reference Table - Total Official Flows (DAC2a, DAC2b). Geographical breakdown of total Official Flows (ODA/OA + OOF) by donor, recipient and type (gross or net).

Reference Table - Total OOF (DAC2b).  Geographical breakdown of total Other Official Flows by donor, recipient and type (gross or net).

Reference Table:  Total Receipts (DAC2a, DAC2b, DAC4 : ODA/OA + OOF + Private). Geographical breakdown of total net official and private flows by donor and recipient.

[1] Please note that given the confidentiality of OOF and private flows, data are not shown by individual donor or recipient, but by aggregates (e.g. USA’s private flows to Asiaor the group of UMICs; or, FDI flows to Chinafrom all DAC donors combined).