To ensure uniform, consistent statistical reporting, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has put in place ODA peace and security eligibility rules.
Peace and security expenditures in official development assistance (ODA)
For donor expenditures in the context of peace and security to be considered as official development assistance (ODA), they must promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries.
About
Principles
Development as a primary purpose
As for all ODA, the main objective needs to be the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries.
No diversion of ODA for military purposes
Financing of military equipment or services is generally excluded from ODA reporting to avoid channelling funds to the partner country military.
No diversion of ODA for donor security interests
Development co-operation should not be used as a vehicle to promote the provider's security interests.
No diversion of ODA for weapons
The supply of equipment intended to convey a threat of, or deliver, lethal force is not reportable as ODA.
Overview of eligibility rules by activity
When assessing the ODA eligibility of activities involving engagement with the military, specific rules and exclusions apply.
- Reportable as ODA
- Using military personnel as a last resort to deliver humanitarian aid or perform development services. Only additional costs are eligible, i.e. those in excess over what the personnel or equipment would have cost to maintain, had they not been assigned to the development activity concerned. Neither regular salaries and expenses, nor regular equipment costs (e.g. maintenance costs) are eligible.
- Excluded from ODA
- Supply or financing of military equipment or services to strengthen military capabilities.
- The use of military personnel to control civil disobedience.
- Activities to protect the security of persons or property through the use or display of force.
- Exceptions
- Provider engagement with partner country's military forces is excluded from ODA except for support for civilian oversight and democratic control of the military system.
- Training of the partner country military is excluded from ODA (including in non-military matters), except when under civilian oversight and with a clear developmental purpose for the benefit of civilians in the following areas:
- human rights,
- protection of women in conflict and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence,
- international humanitarian law,
- humanitarian response and disaster relief preparedness,
- prevention and treatment of communicable diseases,
- anti-corruption, including prevention of predatory behaviour against civilians, and
- transparency, respect of civilian oversight and democratic control.
- Reportable as ODA
- Developmental tasks performed by the provider country police (additional costs only).
- Financing for civil police work by the partner country police.
- Excluded from ODA
- The supply of provider country police to control civil disobedience.
- Police training on counter-subversion methods, suppression of political dissidence, and intelligence gathering on political activities.
- Reportable as ODA
- Disarmament activities involving small arms and light weapons (SALW) control.
- Activities involving the removal of landmines and explosive remnants of war which have benefits to developing countries as their main objective (e.g. for agricultural purposes).
- Activities involving reintegration, and the prevention of the recruitment of child soldiers.
- Excluded from ODA
- Mine clearance for military purposes, e.g. to allow military training.
- Reportable as ODA
- Specific components in a peacekeeping context such as human rights and election monitoring.
- Excluded from ODA
- Enforcement aspects of peacekeeping operations.
On multilateral contributions in the context of peacekeeping, see below.
- Reportable as ODA
- Activities involving measures to prevent violent extremism if they have a primary developmental purpose, are led by partner countries, and are conducted in the spirit of the recommendations in the 2016 UN Secretary General’s Plan of Action to prevent violent extremism.
- Excluded from ODA
- Activities involving measures to combat violent extremism including: kinetic activities, the use of force, and support for armed response or combat operations.
Further clarification on each topic can be found in the Statistical Reporting Directives.
Safeguards of ODA integrity
1. Use of the military as the last resort
Costs are reportable as ODA if a specific good or service cannot timely and effectively be delivered by available civilian means.
2. Humanitarian principles are a key referent point
Costs associated with the delivery of humanitarian aid can be recorded as ODA only if in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
3. Only additional costs can be reported as ODA
The primary objective of the armed forces is the country’s own defence, therefore, their role in delivering humanitarian aid or other development services can only be a secondary objective. In this context, only additional or “extra” costs associated with the ODA-eligible task are reportable as ODA.
The OECD may request justification for ODA used to finance development or humanitarian activities delivered by the military.
Multilateral contributions to peace & security
The List of ODA-eligible international organisations sets out the ODA eligibility of members’ core contributions to various organisations active in the field of peace and security, including for the United Nations peacekeeping budget (see the ODA coefficient for UN peacekeeping operations explained).
