Development Co‑operation Profiles: Slovak Republic
Table of contents
The Slovak Republic’s development co-operation programme is based on its own transformative experience of building independent state institutions, developing a market economy and fulfilling the principles of democracy. Most of the Slovak Republic’s official development assistance (ODA) is delivered multilaterally through European Union (EU) institutions. The Slovak Republic’s total official development assistance (ODA) increased in 2024 to USD 191.4 million (preliminary data), representing 0.14% of gross national income (GNI).
This profile presents verified data on development assistance allocation. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.
The Medium-Term Strategy for Development Cooperation of the Slovak Republic for 2025-30 (in Slovak), adopted in early 2025, maintains the thematic priorities of previous strategies (infrastructure, agriculture, markets, health, education and governance) and introduces a new “Green Programme” to foster action on environmental sustainability within these priorities. To strengthen the regional focus of its development co‑operation programme, the Slovak Republic reduced the number of partner countries in its new Medium-Term Strategy, maintaining the regional focus on the neighbourhood region (Western Balkans and EU Eastern partnership countries), the Middle East and East Africa. The Slovak Republic’s main programme countries are Georgia, Kenya and the Republic of Moldova.
The Slovak Republic sees its multilateral engagement as a complement to its bilateral efforts, including in regions where its bilateral co-operation is limited and in least developed countries (LDCs). The Slovak Republic has demonstrated leadership in international fora such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (when it held the position as chair in 2019), the Human Rights Council (vice-chair in 2020), and the United Nations General Assembly (vice-chair in 2020-21).
The 2022 OECD-DAC mid-term review noted that the Slovak Republic had taken steps to address all 13 recommendations the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) made in 2019. It commended the Slovak Republic for strengthening its strategic focus by reducing geographic and thematic fragmentation and developing country strategies and guidance on cross-cutting issues. It also highlighted efforts to enhance partnerships with civil society organisations (CSOs). The mid-term review stressed the need for a cross-government effort to increase ODA and noted that human resources remain a concern for sustaining the reform dynamic. The next OECD-DAC Peer Review should be published by the end of 2025. Discover insights from the Slovak Republic’s 2022 mid-term review and 2019 Peer Review.
The Slovak Republic provided USD 191.4 (preliminary data) of ODA in 2024 (USD 182.3 million in constant terms) representing 0.14% of GNI.1 This was an increase of 3.9% in real terms in volume and a decrease in the share of GNI from 2023. Slovak Republic has no roadmap or concrete plans to increase its ODA volumes to reach its European commitment to achieve 0.33% ODA/GNI and collectively achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio by 2030. The Slovak Republic provided all of its ODA as grants in 2023.2
In 2024, the Slovak Republic ranks 31st among DAC member countries in terms of ODA/GNI ratio. Its ODA/GNI has been on a slight upward trend between 2019 and 2022 but decreased in 2023. The Slovak Republic is among the DAC members with the highest share of ODA as core contributions to multilateral organisations (78.3%). It has the second-highest share in bilateral ODA for the health and population sector (33.0%).
The Slovak Republic 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.
The Slovak Republic provided most of its ODA multilaterally in 2023. Gross bilateral ODA was 21.7% of total ODA disbursements. Forty-two per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).
In 2023, the Slovak Republic provided USD 153.3 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, a fall of 4.4% in real terms from 2022. Of this, USD 137.4 million was core multilateral ODA (78.3% of total ODA), while USD 15.9 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 59.9% of the Slovak Republic’s non-core contributions and 40.1% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
The UN system received 5.5% of the Slovak Republic’s contributions to multilateral organisations, of which USD 1.8 million (21.2%) represented earmarked contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 8.5 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of the Slovak Republic’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the UN secretariat (USD 2.4 million), the International Trade Centre (ITC) (USD 0.9 million) and UNDP (USD 0.9 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, the Slovak Republic’s bilateral spending declined compared to the previous year. It provided USD 38.1 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented a decrease of 17.3% in real terms from 2022.
In 2023, country programmable aid amounted to USD 23.7 million, or 62.1% of the Slovak Republic’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the DAC country average of 43.1%. Provider reports less than 4.1% of ODA as refugee costs.
In 2023, the Slovak Republic channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through multilateral organisations and the public sector. Technical co-operation made up 2% of gross ODA in 2023.
In 2023, CSOs received USD 7.4 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 34.9% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 0.2% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 19.2% 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 13.7% to 19.4%. Learn more about the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2023, the Slovak Republic’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on ODA-eligible countries in Europe. USD 14.1 million was allocated to ODA-eligible countries in Europe (of which 62.2% was for Ukraine) and USD 6.7 million to Asia (excluding the Middle East), accounting respectively for 37.1% and 17.5% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 4.3 million was allocated to Latin America and the Caribbean. Europe was also the main regional recipient of the Slovak Republic’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, in line with its policy focus.
In 2023, 68.1% of gross bilateral ODA went to the Slovak Republic’s top 10 recipients. Five of its top 10 recipients are in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, and East Africa, which are the Slovak Republic’s priority regions. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 20.2%, of which 20.2% consisted of expenditures for processing and hosting refugees in the Slovak Republic.
In 2023, the Slovak Republic allocated 0.01% of its GNI to LDCs. The Slovak Republic allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (39.2%) to upper middle-income countries in 2023, noting that 20.2% was unallocated by income group. LDCs received 6.9% of the Slovak Republic’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 2.6 million). Additionally, the Slovak Republic allocated 14.8% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2023, equal to USD 5.6 million.
Looking at the distribution of the Slovak Republic’s ODA in relation to "ODA per person in extreme poverty"3, the amount was USD 0.04 per person in LDCs, compared to USD 0.3 in LMICs and USD 0.7 in UMICs.
In 2024, the Slovak Republic provided USD 11.9 million of net bilateral ODA to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s full-scale invasion, a 29.1% increase from 2023 in real terms. USD 1.2 million of the amount was humanitarian assistance in 2024, a 57.8% decrease from 2023.
Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 5.8 million in 2023, representing 15.3% of the Slovak Republic’s gross bilateral ODA. Nine per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, an increase from 0.1% in 2022, while 2.4% was allocated to peace, a decrease from 4.4% in 2022. Two per cent of gross bilateral ODA went to conflict prevention, a subset of contributions to peace, representing a decrease from 4% in 2022. Learn more about the OECD States of Fragility platform.
In 2023, more than half of the Slovak Republic’s bilateral ODA was allocated to social infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 66.6% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 25.5 million), with a strong focus on support to health and population (USD 12.7 million), government and civil society (USD 7.8 million), and education (USD 3.3 million). ODA for other sectors totalled USD 6.9 million, with a focus on administrative costs of donors (USD 2.9 million). Humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 3.2 million (8.4% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations also focused on social sectors and other macro sectors in 2023.
In the period 2022-23, the Slovak Republic committed 15.6% of screened bilateral allocable ODA to gender equality and women’s empowerment, compared to 20.2% in 2020-21,4 and a 2022-23 DAC average of 45.8%. This is equal to USD 5.9 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 1.2% in 2022-23, compared with the DAC average of 4%.
The Slovak Republic includes gender equality objectives in 15.4% of ODA for humanitarian aid, below the 2022-23 DAC average of 19.1%.
The Slovak Republic screens all bilateral allocable ODA activities against the DAC gender equality policy marker.
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, the Slovak Republic committed 7.9% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 3 million) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions, down from 12% in 2020-21. The DAC average was 39% in 2022-23. In addition:
Two per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA focused on environmental issues as a principal objective, compared with the DAC average of 9.6%.
Six per cent of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 2.4 million) focused on climate change overall, up from 4.5% in 2020-21 (the DAC average was 34.8%). The Slovak Republic had a greater focus on mitigation (4.7%) than on adaptation (3.6%) in 2022-23.
Two per cent of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 0.7 million) focused on biodiversity overall, down from 2.7% 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.
In 2023, the Slovak Republic:
Allocated 34.7% of its bilateral ODA (USD 13.2 million) to core poverty-reducing sectors as defined by Sustainable Development Goal (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, 0.1% of bilateral ODA went to social protection support.
Committed USD 3.2 million (9.6% 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, agriculture, forestry, fishing and other multisector.
Committed USD 0.7 million (2% 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 (1.6% 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, the Slovak Republic does not typically seek tax exemptions. It makes this information available on the OECD Digital Transparency Hub on the Tax Treatment of ODA.
Committed USD 2.1 million (6.3% 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 Slovak Republic uses leveraging mechanisms to mobilise private finance for sustainable development. In 2023, the Slovak Republic’s Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC) mobilised USD 0.2 million from the private sector through simple co-financing.
Private finance mobilised by the Slovak Republic in 2022-23 targeted middle-income countries only.
Mobilised private finance by the Slovak Republic in 2022-23 related mainly to activities in water supply and sanitation (24.5%) as its top sector. Furthermore, over this period, 85.7% of the Slovak Republic’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 the Slovak Republic as TOSSD totalled USD 179.5 million, down from USD 200.5 million in 2022. The Slovak Republic’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals) and SDG 3 (good health and well being). Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.
The Slovak Republic’s development co-operation system operates under the unified brand of SlovakAid, encompassing multiple government actors. The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA) plays the lead role in managing development co-operation and oversees the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC). Other key actors include the Ministry of Finance, which engages in public financial management, good governance and private sector development initiatives, as well as the Ministries of Education, Environment, Interior and Defence (the latter two for humanitarian assistance). The Slovak import-export bank, EXIMBANKA, is developing concessional loans for businesses looking to invest in emerging markets and developing countries. The Slovak Development Cooperation Coordination Committee, chaired by the Secretary of State of the MFEA, brings together relevant actors and compiles the annual bilateral ODA plan.
Twenty-nine staff work on development co-operation in the headquarters (9 in the MFEA, 17 at SAIDC and 3 at the Ministry of Finance). In addition, there are 3 staff positions – development diplomats – being placed at embassies in partner countries.
The Coordination Committee for Development Cooperation includes representatives of civil society active in development co-operation, humanitarian assistance and global citizenship education, which are co‑ordinated under the umbrella body Ambrela.
Internal systems and processes help ensure the effective delivery of the Slovak Republic’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.
2022 OECD-DAC mid-term review of the Slovak Republic: https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/AR(2024)3/29/en/pdf
2019 OECD-DAC Peer Review of the Slovak Republic: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264312326-en
Medium-term Strategy for Development Co-operation 2019-2023: https://slovakaid.sk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/strednodoba_strategia_rozvojovej_spoluprace_eng_2019-2023_644_stran_final.pdf
Slovak Development Agency (SlovakAid): https://www.slovakaid.sk/en
Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic: https://www.mfsr.sk/en/european-international-affairs
CSO umbrella organisation Ambrela: https://ambrela.org/about-us
Slovak Republic’s practices on the Development Co-operation TIPs: Tools Insights Practices learning platform: https://www.oecd.org/development-cooperation-learning?tag-key+partner=slovak+republic#search
The Slovak Republic has been a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 2013.
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. 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.