ODA Spending


How much ODA does Spain allocate to education?


Spain spent 4% of total ODA in 2022 on education, sitting below the DAC average of 7%.



How is Spanish educational ODA changing?



How does Spain allocate educational ODA?


Bilateral Spending


Spain channeled 39% of ODA to education bilaterally in 2022, including 2% as earmarked funding through multilaterals.



Multilateral Spending and Commitments


In 2022, 62% of Spain's education ODA, or US$117 million, was disbursed as core contributions to multilateral organizations.



Funding & Policy Outlook


What is the current government's outlook on educational ODA?


SDG #4 is a top strategic priority under the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2018-2020.


Spain aims to focus external action in the field of education on:

  • Strengthening educational systems;
  • Fostering quality, inclusive education; and
  • Strengthening schooling of the most vulnerable children.

Under Spain’s Foreign Action Strategy (2021-2024), fostering global education is a key element.


Education has been listed as a priority intervention under MAEC’s COVID-19 response plans for partner countries.


Spain has increasingly prioritized education within national and international policies. In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Spain prioritized education support as a key component of the socio-economic recovery cooperation extended to partner countries affected by the pandemic. In 2019, at the BMGF Goalkeepers conference, Sánchez named health and education as two of the most valuable sectors of development for accelerating progress on Agenda 2030.


At the TES, held on the sidelines of UNGA77 in September 2022, Spain announced that Barcelona would host the Giga Technology Centre to foster digital education in collaboration with UNICEF. Before the UNGA plenary session, Prime Minister Sánchez outlined education among Spain’s development priorities. Sánchez stated that it is essential to continue fostering quality education, particularly girls’ education, to advance the human rights and sustainable development agendas.


UN Transforming Education Summit Round-up


Key Bodies



Related Publications

UNGA79: Leaving No One Behind

Key Commitments and Takeaways from UNGA 79

A new era of development assistance: Key takeaways from the G7 summit

Donor Updates in Brief: 2023 OECD Preliminary Data

Looking for a cross donor perspective?

Learn more about SEEK's work on education

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Matteo Kuhn

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