Policy Updates

On April 15, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmeh Hussen participated in the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbours, where he announced CAD132million (US$96 million) in international assistance funding to Sudan and neighbouring Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

The announcement included nearly CAD101 million (US$73 million) in humanitarian assistance and nearly CAD32 million (US$23 million) in development assistance amid the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan. The funding is slated to provide crisis-affected people with emergency health services, food and nutrition assistance, protection services for gender-based violence survivors, and other assistance including shelter, water, and sanitation services. The development assistance will support critical programming in SRHR and education infrastructure.

On April 11, 2024, statistics released by the OECD DAC showed that that South Korea provided US$3.1 billion in 2023 ODA, an 11.4% increase compared to 2022.

South Korea's ODA disbursement in 2023 indicated an increase both in bilateral assistance (US$2.3 billion) and multilateral assistance (US$830 million). In particular, contributions to international financial organizations, including the World Bank and IMF, increased. Bilateral assistance increased by 3.4% due to increases in grant assistance (US$1.6 billion) and loans (US$700 million). Multilateral assistance increased by 41.9% due to an increase in contributions to support the pandemic in low-income and vulnerable countries. With the increased multilateral contribution, the South Korean government responded quickly and effectively to the global shortage of development finances and expressed its willingness to contribute to resolving global issues as a global pivotal state.

ODA/GNI was 0.18%, an increase of 0.01% from 2022. As South Korea has expanded the 2024 ODA budget by the largest amount ever (31.1%) to fulfill its role as a global pivotal state amid a tight fiscal environment, this year’s ODA disbursement is expected to increase significantly.

On April 11, 2024, the US announced that it will provide an additional US$25 million in assistance to refugees in the Uganda. The resources from both the Department of State and USAID will go to the UN High Commission on Refugees and the WFP.

The resources will be used to support food, health care, and education, as well as other emergency support to refugees whom have fled South Sudan, the DRC, Somalia, and Sudan. The US noted that Uganda has the highest number of refugees in Africa, having received more than 130,000 refugees in 2023.

The US separately called out a 2024 ruling of the Ugandan court, which had upheld a controversial anti-homosexual law, stating that the US was committed to ensuring that all assistance would be delivered without discrimination.

In advance of the Paris International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and it Neighbors, the USAID Administrator also annouced an additional US$100,000 million in emergency assistance for the 25 million people who have been affected by the civil war in Sudan. Five million people are close to famine and 8 million have been displaced. USAID also called out the violence being perpetrated on the people of Sudan by both sides of the armed conflict. The emergency assistance will include food, nutrition, and other services. This brings the total US humanitarian assistance for Sudan to over US$1 billion.

On April 12, 2024, it was announced that South Korea was elected to the Executive Boards of UNICEF and the WFP for the 2025-2027 term.

The WFP Executive Board provides policy guidance and oversees all activities as the highest decision-making body. South Korea’s third consecutive election to the WFP Executive Board since 2019 reflects its role and contribution to reducing poverty and ending hunger around the world.

South Korea's election to the Executive Board of UNICEF for 2025-2027 marked its tenth consecutive nomination since 1988. The South Korean government will continue to proactively participate in discussions within UNICEF to advance the protection, health, and education of children and adolescents around the world. The government is also slated to further develop the partnership between South Korea and UNICEF.

On April 12, 2024, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that the Netherlands will make another EUR1.4 billion (US$1.5 billion) available this year to support Ukraine against Russia’s attacks and its recovery efforts.

Rutte announced that EUR1 billion (US$1.1 billion) will be available for military support and EUR400 million (US$435 million) to bolster Ukraine’s economy and for vital repairs to energy infrastructure.

This commitment is in addition to the EUR2 billion (US$2.2 billion) that the Netherlands committed to Ukraine in the form of a guarantee on February 9, 2024.

Rutte further stated that the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, and Finance agreed to make EUR3 billion (US$3.3 billion) available for military support in 2025.

On April 12, 2024, USAID Administrator Samantha Power testified before both chambers of Congress, making the case for the Biden Adminstration's FY2025 budget for USAID, which comprises US$28.3 billion in accounts that are either fully or partially managed by USAID.

Powers testified that in light of the humanitarian needs across the globe, USAID will need both the US$10 billion in the proposed budget along with the pending supplemental request of US$10 billion. She defended the rest of the budget request, while acknowledging that the proposed cuts in the FY2025 budget will have serious implications for USAID's development allocations.

In the testimony, Power also responded to questions about the conflict in Gaza. She stated that, based on a report from IPC, a famine was underway in Gaza, marking the first time a senior US official identified the food crisis in Gaza as a famine. Power faced protests from spectators in the hearing room.

On April 11, 2024, preliminary data from the OECD showed that Norway provided NOK58.6 billion (US$5.4 billion) to development assistance in 2023, or 1.09% ODA/GNI, the only OECD DAC country with more than 1% ODA/GNI.

Norwegian Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim noted that it is important that Norway continues to be a reliable partner with significant contributions to meet increasing needs for humanitarian assistance, development assistance, and climate financing. Tvinnereim also underlined the concern that more countries are failing to meet the UN target of 0.7% ODA/GNI.

According to the OECD's preliminary calculations, Norway's assistance to Ukraine accounted for 14.1% of Norway's development funding, up from 11.3 % of Norwegian development assistance in 2022.

On April 12, 2024, the Royal House of the Netherlands announced that as of April 15, 2024, Liesje Schreinemacher will return from maternity leave and resume her role as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Schreinemacher started her maternity leave on December 4, 2023. Since then, Geoffrey van Leeuwen has temporarily taken on the role of Minister.

On April 11, 2024, Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced CAD142 million (US$103 million) in funding for projects in the DRC and Benin to advance gender equality and women’s rights.

Six projects valued at a total of nearly CAD75 million (US$55 million) were announced for the DRC. The projects will improve access to health resources for women and girls, promote inclusive governance practices, improve women’s inclusion in public and democratic life, and help prevent and respond to SGBV. Funding also included humanitarian programming that will address critical needs arising from the conflict in eastern DRC.

Five projects valued at a total of CAD68 million (US$49 million) were announced for Benin. The initiatives are slated to increase women’s economic resilience, promote a greener economy and agricultural sector, address SGBV, and strengthen inclusive health systems.

On April 11, 2024, development association Partos criticized the newly released 2023 Dutch ODA numbers published by the OECD and argued for more stable, predictable ODA to help achieve the SDGs.

Partos noted that the Netherlands does not meet the internationally agreed-upon norm of 0.7% ODA/GNI. In addition, the numbers show that in 2023, 17.7% of the Dutch ODA went towards hosting asylum seekers in the Netherlands.

Partos argued that with this approach to ODA, the Netherlands risks its international reputation, influence, and economic interests, as they consider development cooperation essential to creating trust and positive relationships with other countries. The organization noted that without sufficient, stable funding, the Netherlands is unlikely to reach its development objectives.

Partos called on four political parties that are currently negotiating to form a new government coalition: the nationalist, right-wing populist PVV, the conservative-liberal VVD, the Christian Democratic NSC, and the right-wing populist BBB. Partos advocated that these parties to strengthen the Netherlands’ position in international fora and ensure a stable and predictable ODA to contribute to a world with equal opportunities and stability for all.