Spain’s Progress: 2004–11

Spain pledged to reach a 0.56% ODA/GNI target in 2010,[1] but fell short of this by roughly €1.66 billion. Global ODA levels disbursed in 2010 reached 0.4% of total GNI.[2] Its 2010 Africa target (based on 50% of the increase to the global interim target)[3] was €2.63 billion; it also fell short of this target, with levels of ODA disbursed to Africa reaching €1.39 billion in 2010. This meant that it met 34.3% of the target increases promised to Africa for 2010. Between 2004 and 2011, Spain increased development assistance to Africa by 51.2% (€383.2 million); its development assistance to the sub-Saharan region increased by 70.1% (€377.7 million), while its overall development assistance increased by 38.2% (€840.6 million).[4]

In 2011, Spain received high marks from the DAC’s peer review, which stated that it had made strong progress in both the quantity and quality of its aid.[5] This praise came despite a slight decrease in its total ODA volume between 2009 and 2010. However, further cuts to Spanish development assistance took place in 2011 as a result of deteriorating fiscal conditions and the ongoing debt crisis. These cuts reduced Spain’s total ODA budget by 29.2% between 2010 and 2011.

In recent years, Spain has made significant contributions to the Global Fund (€499.7 million during the 2004–10 period)[6] and the GAVI Alliance (€82.2 million between 2006 and 2011).[7] Spain is a founding member of GAFSP, pledging €70 million to date.[8]  In February 2012, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Manuel García-Margallo, announced the resumption of contributions to the Global Fund, GAVI and GAFSP after a freeze on contributions the previous years.[9]

Aid Effectiveness

In terms of ODA effectiveness, Spain ranks in the bottom third on three of the four QuODA dimensions. Its best performance was in terms of ‘Transparency and Learning’, with a rank of 13th out of 31 donor countries and institutions. The proportion of Spanish assistance channelled through country financial management systems increased from 17% in 2005 to 54% in 2010, and in procurement country systems from 14% in 2005 to 65% in 2010. The share of its bilateral ODA classified as CPA increased from 37% in 2005 to 48% in 2010. Spain is a signatory of the International Aid Transparency Initiative mmes.

Looking Ahead: 2012–15

Spain’s global ODA target in 2015 is €7.82 billion. Between 2011 and 2015, it needs to increase global ODA levels by €4.78 billion, which would amount to an annualised increase of €1.2 billion required in 2012. However, Spain’s draft 2012 budget included a €1.4 billion cut to development assistance, and is currently under debate as this report goes to print.[10] Spain’s ODA target for Africa in 2015 is €3.56 billion. Between 2011 and 2015, it needs to increase ODA levels to the continent by €2.43 billion, or by €606.9 million each year.

The ‘2013–2016 Master Plan of the Spanish Cooperation’ is forthcoming and will outline Spain’s foreign assistance-oriented goals over the coming years. For the period 2012–15, it has pledged €38.5 million to GAVI.[11]. While Spain has attempted to resume programmes that had previously been cut, it remains unclear whether it can overcome the significant budgetary pressures it faces and still meet its 0.7% ODA/GNI target by 2015. With 27.6% of its ODA being channelled through the EU in 2011, it is in Spain’s interests to protect the proposed funding for development under the EU budget for 2014–2020 in negotiations with other Member States.

Notes