- 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: Australia
Table of contents
Australia’s development co-operation focuses on the Indo-Pacific region. Through its development co‑operation, Australia works to reaffirm and strengthen the centrality of gender equality, disability and LGBTQIA+ rights in its foreign policy. Australia’s total official development assistance (ODA) increased in 2024 to USD 3.3 billion (preliminary data), representing 0.19% of gross national income (GNI)
This profile presents verified data on development assistance allocation. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
Australia’s International Development Policy articulates Australia’s ambition to contribute to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, including supporting ambitious action on climate change. The policy prioritises locally led development through country and regional development partnership plans, reflecting priorities agreed upon with partner governments, and informed by consultation with civil society, business, academia and other local actors. Thematic strategies for gender equality, and disability equity and rights, help to support all people to fulfil their potential. Australia’s new Humanitarian Policy outlines its approach to preventing, preparing for and responding to humanitarian crises.
Australia effectively uses regional and multilateral channels to pursue its regional and global priorities. It advocates in the United Nations (UN) system and multilateral development banks for the needs of the Indo-Pacific region and the unique vulnerabilities of small island developing states (SIDS).
The 2021 OECD-DAC mid-term review found that Australia had substantially changed its development co‑operation to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 in the Indo-Pacific region. It commended Australia’s partner-driven approach and its efforts to integrate development policy capabilities alongside foreign policy and trade within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The review encouraged Australia to increase its ODA, align its policy and performance framework to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), broaden its efforts on policy coherence for sustainable development beyond the Pacific region, and grow its staffing capabilities. Australia is undergoing a Peer Review in 2025. Discover insights from Australia’s 2018 Peer Review and 2021 mid-term review, and learn from Australia’s practices in Development Co-operation Tools Insights Practices (TIPs).
Australia provided USD 3.3 billion (preliminary data) of ODA in 2024 (USD 3.3 billion in constant terms), representing 0.19% of GNI.1 This was an increase of 0.3% in real terms in volume and a decrease in the share of GNI from 2023. Australia’s ODA volume declined substantially after 2012 and has hovered around USD 3 billion over the past eight years. Australia is not in line with its international commitments to achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio. Within Australia’s ODA portfolio in 2023, 99.9% was provided in the form of grants and 0.1% in the form of non-grants.2
Australia ranks 28th among Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries when ODA is taken as a share of GNI. Australia stands out for the relatively high share of gross bilateral ODA that is programmable by country (68.1% in 2023). In line with its policy priorities, Australia’s ODA continues to be strongly focused on SIDS, which equals 46.8% of gross bilateral ODA in 2023, and the Pacific. In 2022‑23, Australia ranked third among DAC member countries for the share of bilateral ODA commitments allocated to persons with disabilities.
Australia 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.
Australia provided most of its ODA bilaterally in 2023. Gross bilateral ODA was 83.6% of total ODA disbursements. Twenty-three per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).
In 2023, Australia provided USD 1.2 billion of gross ODA to the multilateral system, a fall of 1.5% in real terms from 2022. Of this, USD 533.2 million was core multilateral ODA (16.4% of total ODA), while USD 633.7 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 56.5% of Australia’s non-core contributions and 43.5% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The United Nations (UN) system received 45.5% of Australia’s contributions to multilateral organisations, mainly through earmarked contributions (USD 327.6 million). Out of a total volume of USD 530.5 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Australia’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the United Nations Children’s Fund (USD 90.5 million), the World Food Programme (USD 70.6 million) and the World Health Organization (USD 45.3 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, Australia’s bilateral spending increased slightly compared to the previous year. It provided USD 2.7 billion of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented an increase of 4.6% in real terms from 2022.
In 2023, country programmable aid amounted to USD 1.9 billion, or 68.1% of Australia’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the DAC country average of 43.1%.
In 2023, Australia channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through the public sector and multilateral organisations, and to a lesser extent non-governmental organisations. Technical co-operation made up 4.8% of gross ODA in 2023.
In 2023, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 335 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 18.1% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 0.9% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 11.4% 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 11.8% to 12.3%. Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2023, Australia’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on Oceania. USD 1.2 billion was allocated to countries in Oceania and USD 962.3 million to countries in Asia (excluding the Middle East), accounting respectively for 43.2% and 35.4% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 76.5 million was allocated to countries in Africa. Asia (excluding the Middle East) was also the main regional recipient of Australia’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations. This reflects Australia's policy priorities.
In 2023, 49.4% of gross bilateral ODA went to Australia’s top 10 recipients. Australia’s top 10 recipients are in the Asia-Pacific region, topped by Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, in line with its focus on its immediate neighbourhood and Australia's policy priorities. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 30.4%.
In 2023, Australia allocated 0.04% of its GNI to the least developed countries (LDCs). Australia allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (37%) to lower middle-income countries in 2023, noting that 30.4% was unallocated by income group. LDCs received 23.1% of Australia’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 629 million). Australia allocated 4.3% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2023, equal to USD 116.2 million. Australia allocated 46.8% of gross bilateral ODA to SIDS in 2023, equal to USD 1.3 billion.
Looking at the distribution of Australia’s ODA in relation to “ODA per person in extreme poverty”,3 the amount was USD 1 in LDCs, USD 2.1 in lower middle-income countries (LMICs) and USD 4.9 in upper middle-income countries.
In 2024, Australia provided USD 19.9 million of net bilateral ODA to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s full-scale invasion, a 182.1% increase from 2023 in real terms. USD 6.6 million of the amount was humanitarian assistance in 2024, a 7% decrease from 2023.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 1.1 billion in 2023, representing 39.1% of Australia’s gross bilateral ODA. Twenty-one per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, an increase from 18.7% in 2022, while 15.6% was allocated to peace, a decrease from 18.4% in 2022. Less than one per cent of gross bilateral ODA went to conflict prevention, a subset of contributions to peace, representing a decrease from 1.9% in 2022. Learn more about the OECD States of Fragility platform.
In 2023, the largest focus of Australia’s bilateral ODA was social infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 43% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 1.2 billion), with a particular focus on support to government and civil society (USD 442.6 million), health and population (USD 356.9 million), and education (USD 195.2 million). ODA reported as multi-sector totalled USD 552.4 million, with a focus on multisector aid (USD 278.2 million) and multisector education and training (USD 193.4 million). Humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 345.7 million (12.7% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations focused also on social sectors and other macro sectors in 2023.
In the period 2022-23, Australia committed 51.1% of screened bilateral allocable ODA to gender equality and women’s empowerment, compared to 40.5% in 2020-214 and a DAC average of 45.8% in 2022-23. This is equal to USD 1.2 billion 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 7.1% in 2022-23, compared with the DAC average of 4%.
Australia includes gender equality objectives in 75.7% of ODA for humanitarian aid, well above the 2022-23 DAC average of 19.1%.
Australia screens virtually all bilateral allocable ODA activities against the DAC gender equality policy marker (99.8% in 2022-23).
Australia committed USD 42.1 million of ODA to end violence against women and girls and USD 20.3 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, Australia committed 45% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 1.1 billion) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions up from 35.8% in 2020-21. The DAC average was 39%. In addition:
Four per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA focused on environmental issues as a principal objective, compared with the DAC average of 9.6%.
Forty-five per cent of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 1.1 billion) focused on climate change overall, up from 34.4% in 2020-21 (the DAC average was 34.8%). Australia had a greater focus on adaptation (42.5%) than on mitigation (22.9%) in 2022-23.
Four per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 106.1 million) focused on biodiversity overall, down from 6.5% 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 Australia committed USD 76.1 million in support of the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean in 2023, USD 14 million less than in 2022. The 2023 value is equivalent to 3.1% of Australia’s bilateral allocable ODA.
In 2023, Australia:
Allocated 13.6% of its bilateral ODA (USD 369.6 million) to core poverty-reducing sectors as defined by SDG 1.a.1.This indicator captures grants to basic social services (such as basic health and education, water supply and sanitation) and development food aid. In addition, 2% of bilateral ODA (USD 54.2 million) went to social protection support.
Committed USD 135.4 million (5.6% 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, health, and water supply and sanitation.
Committed USD 941.3 million (38.6% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to development co-operation projects and programmes that promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Committed USD 7.8 million (0.3% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to the mobilisation of domestic resources in developing countries. Regarding the payment of local tax and customs duties for ODA-funded goods and services, Australia seeks exemptions. It does not have a general policy; however, it makes information available on the OECD Digital Transparency Hub on the Tax Treatment of ODA.
Committed USD 531 million (21.8% 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 Australia, have established development finance institutions (DFIs) and similar vehicles that extend private sector instruments (PSI). The Australian Development Investments (ADI) and the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) were assessed as ODA-eligible PSI vehicles. PSI represented a tiny share of Australia’s ODA, noting that the DAC average of PSI in ODA stood at 1.3% in 2023.
In 2023, ADI and AIFFP extended USD 5.5 million in the form of PSI to developing countries.5 Of this, loans accounted for 69% whereas equities accounted for 31%.
In 2023, USD 3.8 million (69.1%) of Australia’s PSI were allocated to the LDCs and other LICs, with 12.6% received by LMICs. USD 1 million was unallocated by income. Australia’s PSI primarily supported projects in transport and storage (69%) and industry, mining, and construction (31%).
Australia uses leveraging mechanisms to mobilise private finance for sustainable development. In 2023, the Australian Government mobilised USD 38.4 million from the private sector through shares in collective investments and simple co-financing – a 66.5% decrease compared to 2022.
Private finance mobilised by Australia in 2022-23 mainly targeted middle-income countries, representing 0.9% of its total mobilized. Only 0.4% of its total mobilised private finance during this period benefited the LDCs and other low-income countries (LICs), noting that 98.6% was unallocated by income.
Mobilised private finance by Australia in 2022-23 related mainly to activities in general environment protection (60%), as its top sector. Furthermore, over this period, 85.1% of Australia’s total mobilised private finance was for climate action.
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 Australia as TOSSD totalled USD 3.7 billion, the same amount as in 2022. Australia’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 13 (climate action). Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
DFAT has overall responsibility for development co-operation policy and is responsible for most of Australia’s ODA budget. Within DFAT, development-related work cuts across many divisions, with geographic divisions and embassies responsible for managing country and regional development programmes. A Development Program Subcommittee provides oversight and governance of the overall development co-operation programme to ensure that it is consistent with the government’s policy. It advises the Secretary of DFAT and the Executive Committee and engages with the department’s other subcommittees.
DFAT has around 1 500 staff working on development, 32% of whom are in country offices and embassies abroad. Seventeen overseas posts have senior responsible officers, who are responsible for major bilateral and regional development programmes. Approximately a quarter of all staff working on development are locally engaged.
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Treasury, and other federal departments and agencies contribute to Australia’s development co-operation efforts. However, Australia does not report the different government channels disbursing ODA. The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade provides additional accountability towards Australia’s Federal Parliament.
CSOs active in development co-operation, humanitarian assistance and global citizenship education are co-ordinated by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), supporting policy engagement with the Australian government.
The Committee for Development Co-operation (CDC), established in 1975, is a joint DFAT and civil society advisory body made up of members from the Australian CSO community and DFAT. The CDC meets a minimum of three times a year and is chaired by DFAT. ACFID and DFAT jointly provide secretariat services to the CDC.
Internal systems and processes help ensure the effective delivery of Australia’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.
2021 OECD-DAC mid-term review of Australia: https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/AR(2024)3/23/en/pdf
2018 OECD-DAC Peer Review of Australia: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264293366-en
Australia’s development programme: https://www.dfat.gov.au/development/australias-development-program
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): https://dfat.gov.au/pages/default.aspx
CSO umbrella organisation, the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID): https://acfid.asn.au
Australia has been a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 1966.
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.
Note by the Republic of Türkiye
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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.