Development Co‑operation Profiles: Qatar
Table of contents
Qatar places development co-operation and humanitarian assistance at the core of its foreign policy, aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Doha Programme of Action, demonstrating the state’s commitment to international development and global solidarity. Qatar aims to position itself as a key global partner in international co-operation that, guided by development effectiveness and humanitarian principles, ensures a co-ordinated, sustainable and impactful contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while maintaining flexibility to respond to humanitarian crises and emerging global challenges. Qatar’s total official development assistance (ODA) (USD 911.2 million, preliminary data) increased by 23.4% in 2025, representing 0.43% of gross national income (GNI).
This profile presents verified data on Qatar’s development assistance allocations. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
In line with Qatar National Vision 2030, the state’s international co-operation is operationalised through the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3), which builds on NDS1 (2011-2016) and NDS2 (2018-2022). Qatar’s ODA is primarily administered through the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), a government entity providing grants, concessional loans, guarantees, impact investments and other development finance that mobilises additional resources for the SDGs. Aligned with NDS3, the QFFD supports integrated, multisectoral interventions to advance inclusive economic growth, social well-being and environmental sustainability through innovative, high-impact, scalable approaches. Its portfolio promotes private sector development, sustainable infrastructure and job creation; strengthens health systems and access to quality care; supports food security through climate-smart agriculture and nutrition; advances education and skills development; and expands access to clean energy. It also delivers humanitarian assistance in response to international crises. The QFFD collaborates with multilateral organisations, in particular the United Nations (UN) and multilateral development banks, bilateral partners, the private sector, and civil society organisations (CSOs).
As part of its strategy, Qatar actively participates in multilateral organisations, networks and international fora to advance international co-operation. Regionally, Qatar is part of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and engages in the Arab Coordination Group. At the global level, Qatar engages in governance structures of the UN system and international financial institutions, including the World Bank, and provides core and bilateral project funding to the multilateral system. In 2025, Qatar hosted the Second United Nations World Summit for Social Development in Doha, contributing to renewed international momentum to advance the SDGs. Qatar also hosts the annual Doha Forum, a global platform that fosters dialogue on peace, security and development co-operation.
Qatar provided USD 911.2 million (preliminary data) of ODA in 2025 (USD 866.2 million in constant terms), representing 0.43% of GNI.1 This was an increase of 23.4% in real terms in volume and an increase in the share of GNI from 2024. Qatar is not in line with international commitments to achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio. Within Qatar’s ODA portfolio in 2024, almost all of Qatar’s ODA was provided in the form of grants, constituting 97.9%, and 2.1% was extended as loans.
In 2024, Qatar ranked as fourth in terms of ODA/GNI percentage share among other official providers beyond the DAC. Qatar’s ODA is mainly channelled bilaterally to the Middle East. Qatar ranked second in terms of bilateral ODA commitments supporting both gender equality and the environment among other official providers beyond the DAC in 2024.
Notes: This table only includes information about ODA data-related DAC recommendations. ODA: official development assistance; GNI: gross national income; DAC: Development Assistance Committee.
Qatar delivered most of its ODA bilaterally in 2024. Gross bilateral ODA was 88.3% of total ODA disbursements. Of this, 13.4% was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions), reflecting a model that combines strong bilateral delivery with active multilateral engagement.
In 2024, Qatar provided USD 167.8 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, an increase of 25.7% in real terms from 2023. Of this, USD 83.3 million was core multilateral ODA (11.7% of total ODA), while USD 84.4 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 72.6% of Qatar’s non-core contributions, and 27.4% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The United Nations (UN) system received 68% of Qatar’s contributions to multilateral organisations, of which USD 41.8 million (36.6%) represented earmarked contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 114.1 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Qatar’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (USD 28.2 million), the United Nations Development Programme (USD 23.5 million), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (USD 18.1 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 2024, Qatar’s bilateral spending declined compared to the previous year. It provided USD 630 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented a decrease of 7.8% in real terms from 2023.
In 2024, country programmable aid amounted to USD 352.6 million, or 56% of Qatar’s gross bilateral ODA. Qatar’s humanitarian aid was USD 91.6 million, or 14.9% of gross bilateral ODA.
In 2024, Qatar channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through public-private partnerships and the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and universities, research institutes or think tanks.
In 2024, CSOs received USD 108.9 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 11.6% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 0.2% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 17.1% was channelled through CSOs (for earmarked funding). From 2023 to 2024, the combined core and earmarked contributions for CSOs increased as a share of bilateral ODA, from 12.8% to 17.3%. Learn more by reading the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co‑operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2024, Qatar’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on the Middle East. USD 396.7 million was allocated to the Middle East and USD 74.6 million to countries in Africa, accounting respectively for 63% and 11.8% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 67.3 million was allocated to Asia (excluding the Middle East). The Middle East was also the main regional recipient of Qatar’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2024, 70.6% of gross bilateral ODA went to Qatar’s top 10 recipients. Its top 10 recipients are in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. The West Bank and Gaza Strip was the main recipient of Qatar’s bilateral ODA. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 12%.
In 2024, Qatar allocated 0.06% of its GNI to the least developed countries (LDCs). Qatar allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (49.8%) to upper middle-income countries in 2024, noting that 12% was unallocated by income group. LDCs received 16.6% of Qatar’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 104.9 million). Additionally, Qatar allocated 5.3% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2024, equal to USD 33.6 million. Qatar allocated USD 4.7 million to small island developing states (SIDS) in 2024.
The distribution of Qatar’s ODA in net terms in relation to “ODA per person in extreme poverty”2 was USD 0.1 in LDCs, USD 0.2 in lower middle-income countries (LMICs) and USD 2.8 in upper middle-income countries.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 490.3 million in 2024, representing 77.8% of Qatar’s gross bilateral ODA. Of this ODA, 17% was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, a decrease from 55% in 2023, while 0.6% was allocated to peace, a decrease from 2.8% in 2023. Learn more about the States of Fragility platform.
In 2024, more than half of Qatar’s bilateral ODA was allocated to social infrastructure and services. Contributions in this area accounted for 74.6% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 458.7 million), with a strong focus on support to education (USD 218.3 million), other social infrastructure and services (USD 217.6 million) and health and population (USD 16.4 million). ODA for humanitarian assistance totalled USD 91.6 million, with a focus on emergency response (USD 91.4 million). Other macro sectors amounted to USD 49.8 million (8.1% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations also focused on social sectors and other macro sectors in 2024.
In the period 2023-2024, Qatar committed 2.3% of screened bilateral allocable ODA against the OECD-DAC gender equality policy marker compared to 1% in 2021-2022 and a non-DAC country average of 8.5% in 2023-2024. This is equal to USD 7.6 million of screened bilateral allocable ODA in support of gender equality on average per year. Qatar screens more than half of bilateral allocable ODA against the DAC gender equality policy marker (54.2% in 2023-2024).
Learn more by reading 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.
In 2023-2024, Qatar committed 1.2% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 7.1 million) against the OECD-DAC Rio markers, down from 1.9% in 2021-2022. The non-DAC country average was 0.5%.
1.2% of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 7.3 million) focused on climate change overall, down from 1.9% in 2021-2022. Qatar had a greater focus on adaptation (2.1%) than on mitigation (1.7%) in 2023-2024.
Learn more about the DAC Declaration on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
In 2024, Qatar:
Allocated 14% of its bilateral ODA (USD 88 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, multisector aid for basic social services) and development food aid. In addition, 0.3% of bilateral ODA (USD 2 million) went to social protection support. Learn more by exploring the Reducing poverty and inequalities through ODA data explainer.
Committed USD 5.2 million (0.9% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to promote aid for trade and improve developing countries’ trade performance and integration into the world economy in 2024. Learn more by exploring the Aid for Trade dashboard.
Total official support for sustainable development (TOSSD) is an international statistical standard that monitors and increases the transparency of all official and officially supported resources for financing the SDGs received by developing countries (Pillar 1) and for addressing global challenges (Pillar 2). In 2024, activities reported by Qatar as TOSSD totalled USD 789 million, marking a 1% increase compared with the previous year. Qatar’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities). Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
Qatar’s international co-operation is led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which sets overall policy direction, and is primarily implemented through the QFFD as the principal implementing institution.
The QFFD is a public entity affiliated with the Council of Ministers, established under Law 19/2002 and governed by a Board of Directors. It serves as Qatar’s primary entity for providing ODA, ensuring alignment with national priorities and international development frameworks. In 2024, the QFFD underwent further institutional reforms to enhance its effectiveness, efficiency and accountability. These include the development of a new corporate strategy for 2025-2030, aligned with the State’s International Co-operation Strategy, to guide its long-term vision and priorities. Furthermore, the QFFD has been strengthening its independent risk, compliance, and monitoring and evaluation functions to reinforce governance and oversight, ensuring adherence to international financial integrity standards, and further strengthening results-based management and impact assessment frameworks. To advance the diversification of its development finance instruments, the QFFD has established and operationalised a dedicated Investment Department. Additionally, the QFFD is advancing digital transformation to streamline ODA delivery and enhance institutional performance and operational efficiency.
Besides the QFFD, Qatar also disburses its ODA through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Qatar Foundation, and other ministries and government agencies.
Access the full list of development co-operation providers at: Development Co-operation Profiles.
Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD): https://qatarfund.org.qa.
Qatar’s Foreign Policy: https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/media-centre/in-focus/foreign-policy.
Qatar National Vision 2030: https://www.npc.qa/en/QNV/pages/default.aspx.
Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy for 2024-2030: https://www.npc.qa/en/planning/nds3/Documents/QNDS3_EN.pdf.
Qatar has been a Participant of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 2016.
Qatar has been reporting to the OECD at activity level since 2020 for 2019 activities.
Qatar (through the QFFD) participated as an observer in the DAC Peer Review of Switzerland in 2019 and the DAC Peer Review of the Netherlands in 2022/2023 to further strengthen its development co-operation approach.
The QFFD is a member of the Arab Coordination Group and regularly participates in the Arab-DAC Dialogue on Development. It also engages in the OECD Peer Learning Circles for Development Impact and other DAC peer learning networks. The QFFD became a member of the DAC Community of Practice of Private Finance for Sustainable Development (CoP PF4SD) in December 2025.
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. 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. It estimates how much ODA each person in extreme poverty would receive if total ODA was divided evenly among the extreme poor. This metric does not measure the amount of ODA actually received by each person in extreme poverty, nor does it measure how much ODA goes to poverty reduction. It instead highlights patterns in total ODA allocations relative to the number of people living 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. See the methodological notes for further details.