Development Co‑operation Profiles: Cyprus
Table of contents
In Cyprus, development co-operation is closely aligned with the European Union’s (EU) goals and priorities, with a central focus on poverty eradication and sustainable development. Over the past seven years, Cyprus has provided most of its official development assistance (ODA) through multilateral channels, but bilateral projects are also being implemented. Policy and priority setting and project implementation are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For its key partners, Cyprus’s co‑operation focuses on sharing know-how and expertise and providing in-kind, demand-driven humanitarian assistance (e.g. medical supplies). Cyprus’s total ODA was USD 11.7 million in 2023, representing 0.04% of gross national income (GNI). This was an increase of 18% in real terms in volume and a decrease in the share of GNI from 2022.
This profile presents verified data on development assistance allocation. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
After accession to the European Union in 2004, Cyprus redefined its development co-operation policy to align with EU policy and sectoral priorities. The 2013 Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 75.141 established a new institutional framework for development co-operation. Cyprus’s development co‑operation policy is currently under review. Its vision for development co-operation is focused on sharing its know-how in economic transition, as well as for its technical co-operation in key areas where Cyprus has established expertise, including tourism management and forestry. Cyprus is also engaged in trilateral co-operation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to strengthen peace, stability and prosperity.
Cyprus provided USD 11.7 million of ODA in 2023, representing 0.04% of GNI.1 This was a decrease of 18% in real terms in volume and a decrease in the share of GNI from 2022. Cyprus is not on track to meet its commitment to reach 0.33% of GNI by 2030 as part of the collective EU commitment to achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio by 2030. Within Cyprus’s ODA portfolio in 2023, 100% was provided in the form of grants.
Note: This table only includes information about ODA data-related DAC recommendations. ODA: official development assistance; GNI: gross national income.
Cyprus provided a higher share of its ODA multilaterally in 2023. Gross bilateral ODA was 35.3% of total ODA disbursements. Seventy-eight per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).
In 2023, Cyprus provided USD 10.4 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, a fall of 19.2% in real terms from 2022. Of this, USD 7.6 million was core multilateral ODA (64.7% of total ODA), while USD 2.8 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 91.5% of Cyprus’s non‑core contributions and 8.5% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The United Nations (UN) system received 49.5% of Cyprus’s contributions to multilateral organisations, of which USD 2.8 million (54.5%) represented earmarked contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 5.2 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Cyprus’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (USD 900 thousand), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (USD 600 thousand), and the World Health Organization (USD 600 thousand).
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.
In 2023, Cyprus’s bilateral spending declined compared to the previous year. It provided USD 4.1 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented a decrease of 19.3% in real terms from 2022.
In 2023, country programmable aid amounted to USD 0.7 million, or 17.9% of Cyprus’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the non-DAC country average of 37.7%.
In 2023, Cyprus channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through multilateral organisations and public sector.
In 2023, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 500 thousand of gross bilateral ODA. Overall, 2.7% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 9.7% 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 1.3% to 12.3%. Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2023, Cyprus’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on the Middle East. USD 2.3 million was allocated to the Middle East and USD 400 thousand to countries in Africa, accounting respectively for 55.5% and 10.4% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 400 thousand was allocated to ODA-eligible countries in Europe (of which 35.9% was for Ukraine). The Middle East was also the main regional recipient of Cyprus’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2023, 75.4% of gross bilateral ODA went to Cyprus’s top 10 recipients. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 21.8%.
In 2023, Cyprus allocated 0.01% of its GNI to the least developed countries (LDCs). Cyprus allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (38.6%) to lower middle-income countries in 2023, noting that 21.8% was unallocated by income group. LDCs received 6.5% of Cyprus’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 300 thousand). Additionally, Cyprus allocated 2.6% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2023, equal to USD 100 thousand.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 2.4 million in 2023, representing 57.7% of Cyprus’s gross bilateral ODA. Eighty-four per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, an increase from 9.1% in 2022, while 4.5% was allocated to peace, a decrease from 7% in 2022. Learn more about the OECD States of Fragility platform.
In 2023, more than half of Cyprus’s bilateral ODA was allocated to humanitarian assistance. Investments in this area accounted for 67.5% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 2.8 million), all for emergency response (USD 2.8 million). ODA for social infrastructure and services totalled USD 1 million, with a focus on education (USD 500 thousand).
In 2023, Cyprus allocated 7% of its bilateral ODA (USD 300 thousand) to core poverty-reducing sectors as defined by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1.a.1, which captures grants to basic social services (basic health and education, water supply and sanitation, multisector aid for basic social services) and development food aid.
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 Cyprus as TOSSD totalled USD 18.5 million, down from USD 25.2 million in 2022. Cyprus’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure). Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
Cyprus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for both setting and implementing Cyprus’s ODA policy. CyprusAid, the Development Cooperation Service of Cyprus, established by the Council of Ministers in 2005, is in the process of being upgraded.
Access the full list of providers at this link: Development Co-operation Profiles.
Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.gov.cy/mfa/en
Cyprus’s Trilateral Cooperation: https://www.gov.cy/mfa/en/documents/trilateral-cooperation-mechanisms
Cyprus reported to the OECD for the period 2005-15 and has been reporting activity-level data since 2019.
Cyprus is an Adherent to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Learn more about OECD legal instruments and DAC Recommendations.
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.
Note by the Republic of Türkiye
The information in this document with reference to “Cyprus” relates to the southern part of the Island. There is no single authority representing both Turkish and Greek Cypriot people on the Island. Türkiye recognises the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Until a lasting and equitable solution is found within the context of the United Nations, Türkiye shall preserve its position concerning the “Cyprus issue”.
Note by all the European Union Member States of the OECD and the European Union
The Republic of Cyprus is recognised by all members of the United Nations with the exception of Türkiye. The information in this document relates to the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.
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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.