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2019 Peer Review Recommendations |
Progress |
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1. Italy should allocate sufficient resources to implement its updated anticorruption plan and ethics code, including by accelerating the training of its entire workforce and implementing partners. |
Partially implemented The 2022 Mid-term Review noted the existence of a clear and detailed anti-corruption strategy, action plan and ethics code, as well as several training sessions for persons working in Italian development co‑operation on the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH), with AICS driving these improvements. These efforts have been complemented by expanded oversight mechanisms including a corruption-prevention focal point, a whistleblowing portal, and confidential reporting channels. Training on corruption risks, procurement, conflicts of interest and risk management has intensified for managers and individuals involved in procurement. This has been supported by updated audit tools and an ERM-based Risk Management Manual. Contractual safeguards and due diligence procedures have also been reinforced. Linking risk assessments more systematically to programme design and partner selection as well as providing systematic training on AICS’s anti-corruption strategy, ethics code and whistleblowing mechanisms for all staff and partners (not just managers and those working in procurement) at country level would raise the visibility and usefulness of recent efforts. Moreover, recent reforms remain concentrated within AICS, as DGCS and embassies follow MAECI anti-corruption and ethics rules, pointing to further potential for system-wide harmonisation; and although CDP applies standard contractual safeguards against corruption, its expanding role reinforces the need for more coherent approaches across Italian co-operation actors. |
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2. In order to ensure the coherence of its policies with the sustainable development of partner countries, Italy should make full use of the mechanisms outlined in Law 125/2014 and implement its plans to assess, arbitrate, and monitor potential conflicts. |
Partially implemented Italy has taken steps to strengthen its institutional commitment to Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD), notably through the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) and the 2023 National Action Plan on PCSD (PCSD NAP). However, the mechanisms established under Law 125/2014 to arbitrate and monitor potential policy conflicts in the transboundary dimension are not yet used to their full potential. The Inter-ministerial Committee for Development Co-operation (CICS), which holds the mandate to resolve inconsistencies between sectoral policies and development objectives, continues to meet infrequently and there is limited evidence on the concrete use of this body for assessing, arbitrating and monitoring potential conflicts. |
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3. Italy’s new priority country strategies should be comprehensive and reflect whole-of-government co-operation activities. |
Partially implemented GPEDC data from the 4th monitoring round (2023-2026) show that in more than half of reporting countries Italy lacked an active country strategy. The 2024-2026 PPPD increases the number of priority partner countries and territories from 20 to 38, but only 11 countries have some form of comprehensive country strategy [Country Co-operation Frameworks or Multi-annual Indicative Plans (MIPs)]. Although AICS has opened new offices in Bogotá, Hanoi, Kyiv, Niamey, Abidjan and Kampala since the last peer review, country strategies have not kept pace with this expanding footprint. Moreover, the increasing use of Joint Declarations to define areas of engagement at the highest political level, which are then followed by the development of country co-operation frameworks, whose level of detail can vary and whose completion can take considerable time, further limits predictability. |
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4. Italy should move towards programmatic funding fully integrated into national programmes to achieve greater impact and influence. |
Partially implemented Multi-year country planning now takes place, which increases the potential for more programmatic approaches. Italy reports greater use of multi-year programmes and budget support, but project-type support remains dominant. In 2020, the volume of projects using programme‑based approaches stood at USD 140.9 million, before gradually declining to USD 124.0 million in 2021 and USD 89.7 million in 2022. This downward trend continued in 2023, when volumes fell further to USD 71.9 million. In 2024, however, programme‑based approaches increased significantly again, reaching USD 235.1 million. GPEDC data from the 4th monitoring round (2023-2026) show limited systematic use of partner-country public financial management (PFM) systems. Evidence of integration into national systems also remains uneven. According to the latest GPEDC data, Italy disbursed funds directly to the public sector in only four of the fourteen reporting countries and used partner-country PFM systems fully or almost fully in just two (Burkina Faso and Viet Nam). |
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5. Italy should find ways to capitalise on its strengths by maintaining and strengthening its support to its dense network of CSOs in the field through flexible, direct support, particularly in the most fragile contexts. |
Partially implemented In the Italian co-operation system, civil society organisations (CSOs) are the main actors advocating for the most vulnerable in fragile contexts where AICS offices no longer operate. Calls for proposals managed by headquarters offer multi-year funding to CSOs but can take up to one year to finalise. The inefficiencies of the call for proposals process, the results of which are also approved by the Joint Committee, were already cited in the 2019 Italy Peer Review (OECD, 2019[1]), while a 2022 National Audit report highlighted “the multiplicity of competitive procedures used for the allocation of grants” (Corte dei Conti, 2022[2]). Such modalities not only make it challenging for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to adapt rapidly to changing needs, but also to scale-up successful approaches. Emergency or relief calls for proposals managed from country offices are no longer screened for adherence to results-based management. Relief calls for proposals managed from country offices can be completed within a maximum of 7 days and emergency calls within a maximum of 30 days. The emergency calls offer long-term funding (18-21 months, with the possibility of extension) and flexibility across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. Further proposals to streamline procedures will be approved in 2026. CSOs also participated in the 2024 system-wide missions in Africa, through which they actively contributed to shaping strategies in new priority countries. In one of those new countries, Côte d’Ivoire, a 2024 call for proposals at a larger scale (EUR 30 million) was opened to all CSOs operating in the country. In 2023, CSOs received USD 201.7 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 44.2% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. |
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6. Italy should reverse its recent decline in ODA and comply with the obligation under Law 125/2014 to meet its national and international commitments, including to least developed countries. |
Partially implemented Italy has reversed its previous decline in ODA, increasing its ODA to 0.29% of GNI (USD 6.8 billion) in 2024, from 0.27% in 2023. However, this remains well below both the DAC EU average (0.47%) and the international 0.7% target reaffirmed by Law 125/2014. Current budget projections make achieving this commitment unlikely. While Italy maintains strong support for least developed countries and allocates them a high share of bilateral ODA, a shift from grants to loans could pose future challenges in meeting the target. |
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7. In order to mobilise public and political support, Italy should develop and implement the action plan foreseen under its strategy for global citizenship education, backed by adequate resources. |
Fully implemented The National Strategy for Global Citizenship Education (GCE) was approved by the CICS in June 2020 and resources allocated. The GCE Action Plan was developed through a participatory process and works to reinforce global citizenship education through the Ministry of Education’s focus on national school curricula. A call for proposals of EUR 21 million for communication and awareness raising was launched for CSOs in 2021, with many projects ongoing and an evaluation planned in the next year. The latest call for proposals for global education awareness worth EUR 20 million was finalised in early 2022 with awards granted for 24 months. DGCS participates in and organises events, conventions and communication campaigns in support of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and to create greater awareness across multiple stakeholders (Rimini Meeting, “#InsiemepergliSDG”, Sustainable Development Festival, Codeway EXPO and the National Diaspora Summit, podcasts etc.). |
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8. In order to ensure a more strategic, whole-of-government approach to implement its policy vision outlined in the law, Italy should:
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Partially implemented The Programming and Policy Planning Document (PPPD) is a three-year standing document that no longer requires annual revision and approval of the Council of Ministers, as recommended in the last peer review. As such, it offers a medium-term vision and strategy (adopted by CNCS, the Italian Parliament and to some extent other ministries and subnational governments as well as by all other stakeholders of Italian development co-operation) that favours multi-year planning. Instead of being annexed to the PPPD, the Annual Development Cooperation Report is now transmitted to the two branches of the Parliament and the Unified Conference by 31 October of the following year, after approval by the CICS. Still, the PPPD approval process remains heavy as it works to secure broad buy-in, which can limit flexibility. The absence of explicit financial commitments in the PPPD also makes prioritisation more difficult. Policies, strategies and guidelines on gender equality and women’s empowerment, childhood and adolescence, migration and development, and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus are now finalised. |
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9. Italy should ensure that Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A. (CDP) has the framework, tools and resources to fulfil its mandate as a development finance institution. |
Fully implemented While the framework is in place, the legislation (Budget Law 2022) is not as flexible as is likely to be required for investments in partner countries and some instruments may soon require replenishments. As of end 2025, CDP has 78 staff members working on development co-operation, 10 of whom are abroad. CDP is still working to further increase its capacity in conducting risk assessments and identifying projects, but it scaled-up its disbursements significantly in 2025, thanks to the Italian Climate Fund. CDP also continues to face constraints in mobilising private finance. |
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10. Italy should define and consult broadly on a medium-term human resources strategy to attract and retain qualified staff and ensure the well-being, engagement and professional development for all categories of staff in Italy and in field offices. |
Partially implemented Restructuring in DGCS aligns to PPPD priorities, and short-term assignments in priority co-operation posts abroad support embassies through expanded technical expertise and closer co-ordination with AICS offices. Increasing staffing levels at AICS require amendments to Law 125/2014. AICS was able to recruit 60 new officials in 2023 and provided initial training to strengthen headquarters and field operations. However, challenges remain, including reliance on short-term contracts and limited career paths. |
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11. Italy should prioritise building a system to link projects and programmes with desired impact and long-term outcomes, including the SDGs. The system should also connect officials, partners and other stakeholders working on development co-operation with relevant information and evidence to improve decision making. |
Partially implemented Ongoing efforts to institutionalise results-based management show Italy’s commitment to link programming with longer-term outcomes. The Operational Manual for an Approach to Sustainable Development Results was approved in 2023 and is designed to provide a theoretical and practical toolkit to manage programmes, interventions and projects implemented by AICS according to a results-based management (RBM) approach. It delineates a methodology based on the Theory of Change (ToC) built on the 2021-2023 PPPD strategic vision and objectives. Nonetheless, there are still challenges in integrating results-based management, with partners viewing it more as a compliance exercise. Italy’s current evaluation system provides structure and transparency but remains limited in scope as the country expands its development portfolio. It will be important to show how evaluation results are used for system-wide learning given the emphasis on Sistema Italia (Team Italy) co-ordination and Piano Mattei. Equally, modernising systems for greater transparency, learning and accountability is a key objective for Italy, and still a work in progress. |
[2] Corte dei Conti (2022), “La gestione delle risorse assegnate all’agenzia Italiana per la cooperazione allo sviluppo [Management of resources allocated to the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation]”, https://www.corteconti.it/Download?id=67da398d-caeb-4e98-ba72-ed3b59023b24 (accessed on 11 February 2026).
[1] OECD (2019), OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Italy 2019, OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b1874a7a-en.