- Policy
- ODA allocation overview
- ODA to and through the multilateral system
- Bilateral ODA
- Geographic, sectoral and thematic focus of ODA
- Private sector instruments
- Mobilised private finance
- Total Official Support for Sustainable Development
- Institutional set-up
- Quality and oversight
- Other profiles
- Additional resources
Development Co‑operation Profiles: Belgium
Table of contents
Belgium’s development co-operation prioritises least developed countries (LDCs) and fragile contexts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Belgium’s total official development assistance (ODA) increased in 2024 to USD 3.2 billion (preliminary data), representing 0.48% of gross national income (GNI).
This profile presents verified data on development assistance allocation. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
Belgium aims to promote global public goods and address the causes of growing inequality through mutual beneficial partnerships and international co-operation. Belgium’s development co-operation policy is set out in the 2013 Law on Development Co-operation, which identifies Belgium’s main policy priorities: equal access to basic services, including health, education, food security and social protection; climate change and environment; gender equality; support to civil society; and private sector development. Belgium’s priority countries are evolving in line with its focus on fragility. Belgium focuses its co-operation on LDCs, fragile contexts and humanitarian situations. In the new Minister of Foreign Affairs’ policy statement, more focus is put on the promotion of the global public goods of climate resilience, global health and stability. Belgium’s bilateral governmental co-operation prioritises partnerships with 14 partner countries: Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Rwanda, Senegal, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda.
Belgium is strongly committed to the European Union (EU) and the multilateral system and actively contributes to ongoing discussions on sustainable finance for development, including the role of international financial institutions in mobilising resources for climate action. Its peers recognise Belgium’s dialogue with partner governments on human rights and governance issues. Belgium’s commitment to global citizenship education reflects its focus on addressing global issues.
The 2023 OECD-DAC mid-term review praised Belgium for its focus on poverty and inequality and continued leadership as an advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Committed to the principles of partnership, the mid-term review found that Belgium empowers multilateral, civil society and private sector organisations to achieve their mandates while striving for increased coherence among channels of delivery. The mid-term review suggested that increased budget flexibility and continued attention to country ownership could increase impact in fragile contexts. The mid-term review noted that Belgium had made progress on six of the ten recommendations and limited progress on four. Discover insights from Belgium’s 2020 Peer Review and 2023 mid-term review, and learn from Belgium’s practices in Development Co-operation Tools Insights Practices (TIPs).
Belgium provided USD 3.2 billion (preliminary data) of ODA in 2024 (USD 3.2 billion in constant terms) representing 0.48% of GNI.1 This was an increase of 12.2% in real terms in volume and in the share of GNI from 2023. Belgium is not in line with its domestic, international and EU commitments to achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio by 2030. While the 2025 budget has not been adopted yet, ODA is set to decline in the coming years. Within Belgium’s ODA portfolio in 2023, 93.5% was provided in the form of grants and 6.5% in the form of non-grants.2
Belgium ranked tenth among Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries for the ODA/GNI ratio in 2024. Belgium stands out for its support to LDCs, with 29.9% of Belgium’s gross bilateral ODA committed to these countries, as well as its commitment to gender equality with 75.9% of its screened bilateral allocable aid to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as either a principal or significant objective, compared with the DAC average of 45.8%.
Belgium has committed to several international targets and DAC standards and recommendations. Learn more about DAC Recommendations.
Note: This table only includes information about ODA data-related DAC Recommendations. ODA: official development assistance; GNI: gross national income; DAC: Development Assistance Committee.
Belgium provided most of its ODA multilaterally in 2023. Gross bilateral ODA was 48.9% of total ODA disbursements. Sixteen per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).
In 2023, Belgium provided USD 1.7 billion of gross ODA to the multilateral system, a fall of 1.7% in real terms from 2022. Of this, USD 1.5 billion was core multilateral ODA (51.1% of total ODA), while USD 229.5 million was non-core contributions earmarked for a specific country, region, theme or purpose. Project-type funding earmarked for a specific theme and/or country accounted for 1.3% of Belgium’s non‑core contributions and 98.7% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The United Nations (UN) system received 19.4% of Belgium’s contributions to multilateral organisations, of which USD 175.2 million (53.4%) represented earmarked contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 328.3 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Belgium’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (USD 59 million), the World Food Programme (USD 33 million) and the United Nations Development Programme (USD 30.3 million).
See the section on Geographic, sectoral and thematic focus of ODA for the breakdown of bilateral allocations, including ODA earmarked through the multilateral development system.
Learn more by exploring the dashboard on DAC members’ use of the multilateral system.
In 2023, Belgium’s bilateral spending declined compared to the previous year. It provided USD 1.4 billion of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented a decrease of 0.5% in real terms from 2022.
In 2023, country programmable aid amounted to USD 296.7 million, or 21.1% of Belgium’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the DAC country average of 43.1%. In-donor refugee costs were USD 358.4 million in 2023, representing 25.5% of Belgium’s gross bilateral ODA. This was an increase of 4.3% in real terms over 2022.
In 2023, Belgium channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through public sector, NGOs and multilateral organisations. Technical co-operation made up 0.4% of gross ODA in 2023.
In 2023, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 319.9 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 1.6% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 15.2% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 7.6% was channelled through CSOs to implement projects initiated by the donor (earmarked funding). From 2022 to 2023, the combined core and earmarked contributions for CSOs increased as a share of bilateral ODA, from 21.3% to 22.8%. Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2023, Belgium’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on countries in Africa. USD 471.5 million was allocated to countries in Africa and USD 84.8 million to ODA-eligible countries in Europe (of which 90.4% was for Ukraine), accounting respectively for 33.6% and 6% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 79.1 million was allocated to the Middle East. Europe was also the main regional recipient of Belgium’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2023, 30.7% of gross bilateral ODA went to Belgium’s top 10 recipients. All except Ukraine and the Syrian Arab Republic are among its 14 priority partner countries. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 53.8%, of which 47.4% consisted of expenditures for processing and hosting refugees in Belgium.
In 2023, Belgium allocated 0.13% of its GNI to the least developed countries (LDCs). Belgium allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (29.9%) to LDCs in 2023, noting that 53.8% was unallocated by income group. Additionally, Belgium allocated 13.3% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2023, equal to USD 186.7 million.
Looking at the distribution of Belgium’s ODA in relation to “ODA per person in extreme poverty”,3 the amount was USD 1.1 in LDCs, USD 1.4 in lower middle-income countries and USD 2.7 in upper middle-income countries (UMICs).
In 2024, Belgium provided USD 94.5 million of net bilateral ODA to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s full-scale invasion, a 20.8% increase from 2023 in real terms. USD 16.8 million of the amount was humanitarian assistance in 2024, a 73% decrease from 2023.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 457.4 million in 2023, representing 32.6% of Belgium’s gross bilateral ODA. Twenty-nine per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, an increase from 25.4% in 2022, while 6.5% was allocated to peace, an increase from 6.1% in 2022. 1 per cent of gross bilateral ODA went to conflict prevention, a subset of contributions to peace, representing a slight increase from 0.9% in 2022. Learn more about the OECD States of Fragility platform.
In 2023, the largest focus of Belgium’s bilateral ODA was other macro sectors. Investments in this area accounted for 37.7% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 532.5 million), with a strong focus on support to refugees in donor countries (USD 358.4 million), administrative costs of donors (USD 88.7 million), and unallocated/unspecified (USD 78.8 million). ODA for social infrastructure and services totalled USD 396 million, with a focus on health and population (USD 141.9 million). Humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 235.2 million (16.6% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations also focused on other macro sectors and social sectors in 2023.
In the period 2022-23, Belgium committed 75.8% of screened bilateral allocable ODA to gender equality and women’s empowerment, compared to 67.9% in 2020-214 and a 2022-23 DAC average of 45.8%. This is equal to USD 480 million of screened bilateral allocable ODA in support of gender equality on average per year. In addition:
The share of screened bilateral allocable ODA committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment as a principal objective was 7.4% in 2022-23, compared with the DAC average of 4%.
Belgium includes gender equality objectives in 76.3% of ODA for humanitarian aid, above the 2022‑23 DAC average of 19.1%.
Belgium screens the majority of bilateral allocable ODA activities against the DAC gender equality policy marker (73.2% in 2022-23).
Belgium committed USD 9 million of ODA to end violence against women and girls and USD 5.5 million to support women’s rights organisations and movements, and government institutions on average in 2022-23.
Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance and the DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation in Development Co-operation, and by exploring the dashboard on DAC members’ development finance for gender equality.
In 2022-23, Belgium committed 40.1% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 346.6 million) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions, up from 39% in 2020-21. The DAC average was 37.5% in 2022-23. In addition:
Twenty per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA focused on environmental issues as a principal objective, compared with the DAC average of 9.6%.
Thirty-two per cent of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 257.9 million) focused on climate change overall, up from 26.5% in 2020-21 (the DAC average was 34.8%). Belgium had a greater focus on adaptation (39.7%) than on mitigation (32.8%) in 2022-23.
Twenty-four per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 144.1 million) focused on biodiversity overall, up from 17.4% in 2020-21 (the DAC average was 7.6%).
Learn more about the DAC Declaration on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Note: Individual Rio Markers should not be added up as this can result in double counting.
The OECD’s tracking of ODA for the sustainable ocean economy shows that Belgium committed USD 5.7 million in support of the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean in 2023, USD 1.9 million more than in 2022. The 2023 value is equivalent to 0.6% of Belgium’s bilateral allocable ODA.
In 2023, Belgium:
Allocated 7.1% of its bilateral ODA (USD 100 million) to core poverty-reducing sectors as defined by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1.a.1. This indicator captures grants to basic social services (basic health and education, water supply and sanitation, multisector aid for basic social services) and development food aid. A further 1.5% of bilateral ODA (USD 20.6 million) went to social protection support.
Committed USD 234.2 million (24.3% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to address the immediate or underlying determinants of malnutrition in developing countries across a variety of sectors, such as emergency response, agriculture, forestry, fishing and health.
Committed USD 112.4 million (11.7% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to development co-operation projects and programmes that promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Committed USD 0.5 million to the mobilisation of domestic resources in developing countries. Regarding the payment of local tax and customs duties for ODA-funded goods and services, Belgium decided to renounce fiscal exemption on ODA expenditure in its partner countries and territories for new government co-operation portfolios. It does not make information available on the OECD Digital Transparency Hub on the Tax Treatment of ODA.
Committed USD 127.1 million (13.2% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to promote aid for trade and improve developing countries’ trade performance and integration into the world economy in 2023.
To build markets in developing countries and incentivise greater mobilisation of private resources for development, many providers, including Belgium, have established development finance institutions (DFIs) and similar vehicles that extend private sector instruments (PSI). The Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO) was assessed as an ODA-eligible PSI vehicle. PSI represented 0.3% of Belgium’s ODA in 2023 while the DAC average stood at 1.3%.
In 2023, Belgium’s BIO extended USD 189.2 million in the form of PSI to developing countries.5 Of this, loans accounted for 62.1% whereas equities accounted for 37.9%.
In 2023, USD 37.2 million (19.7%) of Belgium’s PSI were allocated to the LDCs and other low-income countries (LICs), with a majority of 69.4% received by middle-income countries and UMICs in particular (35%). USD 20.6 million was unallocated by income. Belgium’s PSI primarily supported projects in the banking and financial services (57.4%) and industry, mining and construction (22.8%).
Belgium uses leveraging mechanisms to mobilise private finance for sustainable development. In 2023, Belgium’s development finance institution – BIO – mobilised USD 82.3 million from the private sector through shares in collective investment vehicles and direct investment in companies and special purpose vehicles. This constituted a 72.7% increase compared to 2022.
Private finance mobilised by Belgium in 2022-23 mainly targeted middle-income countries, representing 83.1% of its total mobilised. Only 4.7% of total mobilised private finance during this period benefited the LDCs and other LICs, noting that 12.2% was unallocated by income.
Mobilised private finance by Belgium in 2022-23 related mainly to activities in industry, mining and construction (71.9%) as its top sector.
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) is an international statistical standard that monitors and increases transparency of all official and officially supported resources for financing the SDGs in developing countries, as well as for addressing global challenges. In 2023, activities reported by Belgium as TOSSD totalled USD 3.1 billion, down from USD 3.4 billion in 2022. Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation is responsible for development co‑operation. It develops strategies according to political orientations and the legal framework, grants funding, and monitors the co-operation programme implemented by autonomous or independent partners. Some contributions to multilateral organisations are under the responsibility of other federal public services (such as Finance). The DGD finances and/or steers some of these contributions politically – such as contributions to the European Commission. Enabel, the Belgian development agency, implements Belgium’s governmental co-operation. Belgium’s development finance institution, the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries, invests directly in private sector projects in developing and emerging economies. Belgium’s whole-of-government co-ordination mechanisms are based on the mobilisation of task forces that bring together key federal departments – sometimes alongside external actors – around specific issues.
The Directorate General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid has about 140 staff, 25% of whom are in embassies abroad. Enabel has about 2 385 staff, with a significant majority of 1,804 national staff, accounting for 75.7% of the total. The Brussels office employs 301 individuals, making up 12.6% of the workforce, while expatriates represent 279 staff members, or 11.7%.
CSOs active in development co-operation, humanitarian assistance and global citizenship education co‑ordinate through the following national platforms: Acodev, the Flemish Federation of NGOs; and the National Center for Cooperation and Development (CNCD-11.11.11).
Internal systems and processes help ensure the effective delivery of Belgium’s development co-operation. Select features are shown in the table below.
Access the full list of providers at this link: Development Co-operation Profiles.
2023 OECD-DAC mid-term review of Belgium: https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/AR(2024)3/3/en/pdf
2020 OECD-DAC Peer Review of Belgium: https://doi.org/10.1787/026f1aad-en
Belgian Development Agency (Enabel): https://www.enabel.be
Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO): https://www.bio-invest.be
Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/politique/cooperation-developpement
Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/politique/cooperation-au-developpement-et-aide-humanitaire/qui-sommes-nous/notre-organisation
Acodev, the Flemish Federation of NGOs: https://www.acodev.be
National Center for Cooperation and Development (CNCD-11.11.11): httpsB://www.cncd.be/?lang=fr
Belgium has been a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 1960.
The methodological notes provide further details on the definitions and statistical methodologies applied, including the grant-equivalent methodology, core and earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, country programmable aid, channels of delivery, bilateral ODA unspecified/unallocated, bilateral allocable ODA, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.
This work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Member countries of the OECD.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.
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← 1. DAC members adopted the grant-equivalent methodology starting from their reporting of 2018 data as a more accurate way to count the donor effort in development loans. See the methodological notes for further details.
← 2. Non-grants include sovereign loans, multilateral loans, equity investment and loans to the private sector.
← 3. Aid per person in extreme poverty is calculated by dividing net ODA (bilateral and imputed multilateral) by the population in extreme poverty in each country. Group averages are calculated based on a weighted average of aid per person in extreme poverty and the number of people in extreme poverty for each country in the group. For more information on this indicator, please see here.
← 4. The use of the recommended minimum criteria for the marker by some members in recent years can result in lower levels of ODA reported as being focused on gender equality.
← 5. In 2023, the DAC agreed on revised reporting methods for measuring PSI in ODA based on ODA grant equivalents. Members may, however, take up to two years to transition to the new methods, with their PSI continuing to be accounted for on a net ODA basis during the transition period.