Development Co‑operation Profiles: Liechtenstein
Table of contents
Liechtenstein’s development co-operation is geared towards the sustainable and comprehensive development of disadvantaged and marginalised regions of the world, especially rural regions in Africa, Latin America and Europe. This is in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and carried out through long-term relationships based on trust, responsibility and reliability. Almost all of Liechtenstein’s development co-operation is channelled bilaterally and is primarily implemented through the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) – a publicly owned foundation established in 1965. Liechtenstein’s total official development assistance (ODA) was USD 44.6 million in 2024 (preliminary data), which was an increase from 2023.
This profile presents verified data on development assistance allocation. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
The LED Strategy 2023-2026 aims to deliver on the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda through effective development co-operation. The strategy defines food security (sustainable food systems with a focus on agroecology) and vocational training and employability as key priority themes of Liechtenstein’s co‑operation. The LED’s activities are guided by the principles of leaving no one behind, gender equality, cultural diversity and ecological sustainability. Its approach is shifting from being project-based to programmatic, with a focus on one priority theme and local activities in each of its current nine priority countries: the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Mali, the Republic of Moldova, Mozambique, Senegal, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia. The strategy emphasises dialogue with partner country governments; partnerships, including with non-governmental organisations and the private sector; donor co-ordination; and physical presence in all partner countries as key tools. Liechtenstein’s multilateral co-operation is focused on fostering good governance, including advocacy for human rights; strengthening the rule of law and democracy; and fighting corruption and international crime. The basis for Liechtenstein’s commitment in development co-operation and humanitarian assistance remains its 2007 Act on International Humanitarian Co-operation and Development.
Liechtenstein provided USD 44.6 million (preliminary data) of ODA in 2024 (USD 43.6 million in constant terms).1 This was increase of 16.2 % in real terms in volume from 2023. Within Liechtenstein’s ODA portfolio in 2023, 100% was provided in the form of grants.
Liechtenstein provided most of its ODA bilaterally in 2023. Gross bilateral ODA was 96% of total ODA disbursements. Ten per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).
In 2023, Liechtenstein provided USD 4.9 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, an increase of 2.3% in real terms from 2022. Of this, USD 1.5 million was core multilateral ODA (4% of total ODA), while USD 3.4 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 72.7% of Liechtenstein’s non-core contributions and 27.3% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The United Nations (UN) system received 77.1% of Liechtenstein’s contributions to multilateral organisations, mainly through earmarked contributions, which represented USD 2.7 million. Out of a total volume of USD 3.8 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Liechtenstein’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the World Food Programme (USD 0.8 million), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (USD 0.7 million) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (USD 0.4 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.
In 2023, Liechtenstein’s bilateral spending increased compared to the previous year. It provided USD 36 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented an increase of 14.2% in real terms from 2022.
In 2023, country programmable aid amounted to USD 16.4 million, or 45.4% of Liechtenstein’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the non-DAC country average of 37.7%. In-donor refugee costs were USD 9 million in 2023, representing 25.1% of Liechtenstein’s gross bilateral ODA. This was an increase of 85.1% in real terms over 2022.
In 2023, Liechtenstein channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and public sector.
In 2023, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 20.5 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 19.5% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 1.7% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 55.1% 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 decreased as a share of bilateral ODA, from 64.8% to 56.9%. Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2023, Liechtenstein’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on countries in Africa. USD 11.1 million was allocated to countries in Africa and USD 5.2 million to ODA-eligible countries in Europe (of which 25.2% was for Ukraine), accounting respectively for 30.9% and 14.4% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 1.7 million was allocated to Latin America and the Caribbean. Europe was also the main regional recipient of Liechtenstein’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations. Liechtenstein’s geographic focus is in line with its overall policy regional focus.
In 2023, 37.9% of gross bilateral ODA went to Liechtenstein’s top 10 recipients, located across sub‑Saharan Africa, Europe and South America. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 46.5%, of which 54% consisted of expenditures for processing and hosting refugees in provider countries.
Liechtenstein allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (30.8%) to least developed countries in 2023, noting that 46.5% was unallocated by income group. Least developed countries received 30.8% of Liechtenstein’s gross bilateral ODA (11.1 million). Additionally, Liechtenstein allocated 22.4% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2023, equal to USD 8.1 million.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 11 million in 2023, representing 30.5% of Liechtenstein’s gross bilateral ODA. Twenty per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, a decrease from 20.4% in 2022, while 2.2% was allocated to peace, an increase from 0% in 2022. Learn more about the OECD States of Fragility platform.
In 2023, the largest focus of Liechtenstein’s bilateral ODA was social infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 36.5% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 13.1 million), with a strong focus on support to education (USD 5.4 million), government and civil society (USD 4.3 million), and health and population (USD 1.7 million). ODA for other macro sectors totalled USD 9.1 million, with a focus on refugees in donor countries (USD 9 million). Production sectors amounted to USD 8 million (22.2% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations focused also on social sectors and production sectors in 2023.
In the period 2022-23, Liechtenstein committed 11.7% of screened bilateral allocable ODA to gender equality and women’s empowerment, compared to 7.5% in 2020-212 and a non-DAC country average of 2.2%. This is equal to USD 3 .1 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 2.6% in 2022-23, compared with the non-DAC country average of 0.5%.
Liechtenstein screens all bilateral allocable ODA activities against the DAC gender equality policy marker (100% in 2022-23).
Liechtenstein committed USD 0.2 million of ODA to end violence against women and girls and USD 0.1 million to support women’s rights organisations and movements, and government institutions on average per year 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, Liechtenstein committed 30.1% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 8.1 million) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions (the non-DAC country average was 0.4%). In addition:
Twenty-nine per cent of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 7.7 million) focused on climate change overall (the non-DAC country average was 2.5%). Liechtenstein largely focused on adaptation (28.6%) in 2022-23.
Seven per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 1.8 million) focused on biodiversity overall (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.
In 2023, Liechtenstein also:
Allocated 4% of its bilateral ODA (USD 1.4 million) 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. A further 2.6% of bilateral ODA (USD 0.9 million) went to social protection support.
Committed USD 8.4 million (31.3% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to promote aid for trade and improve developing countries’ trade performance and integration into the world economy in 2023.
The 4th global monitoring round of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC) (2023-26) is underway, and Liechtenstein is participating in the exercise as a development partner. Information on partner countries’ participation, progress and results, including a mid-term observations brief, is available at the Global Dashboard.
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 Liechtenstein as TOSSD totalled USD 38.4 million, up from USD 33.9 million in 2022. Liechtenstein’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 2 (zero hunger) and SDG 13 (climate action). Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
The LED is Liechtenstein’s official bilateral development co-operation organisation. It follows a bottom-up approach and relies on the insights of its implementing partners and stakeholders. It discusses the needs and appropriateness of interventions with representatives of its beneficiaries.
International humanitarian co-operation and development is co-ordinated by the Office for Foreign Affairs (OFA) and implemented in co-operation with the LED in four categories and under the responsibility of three institutions: emergency and reconstruction assistance (OFA), international refugee and migration assistance (OFA and Immigration and Passport Office), bilateral development co-operation (LED), and multilateral development co-operation (OFA). Bilateral development co-operation is the largest pillar of international humanitarian co-operation and development.
Access the full list of providers at this link: Development Co-operation Profiles.
Liechtenstein Office for Foreign Affairs: https://www.llv.li/en/national-administration/office-for-foreign-affairs/topics/international-humanitarian-cooperation-and-development
Liechtenstein Act on International Humanitarian Co-operation and Development (IHZEG): https://www.gesetze.li/konso/2007149thousand
Liechtenstein Development Service (LED): https://www.led.li/DE/Default.asp
Liechtenstein Development Service’s Strategy 2023-2026: https://www.led.li/Portal/UserFiles/files/Strategy%202023-2026%20short%20version%20English.pdf
Liechtenstein has been an Invitee to the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 2023.
Liechtenstein has been reporting to the OECD since 2009 and at activity level since 2021.
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.
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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. 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.