In recent years, the Brazilian government has dramatically increased its statistical capacity to monitor development assistance flows. However, comprehensive estimates are not yet available to the public. The government’s most recent estimate of Brazil’s global bilateral aid flows comes from the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA) and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC). This 2010 IPEA-ABC study estimates that Brazil spent $362.2 million in 2009.3 Other sources that include Brazil’s technical cooperation estimate that total ODA is more than $1 billion in 2010. Although the ABC-IPEA study does not provide an estimate of Brazil’s development assistance to Africa, external studies suggest that, while Latin American countries receive the majority of Brazilian aid, Portuguese-speaking African countries have received an increasing amount in recent years.

According to the ABC-IPEA report, Brazilian bilateral aid is focused on technical cooperation, humanitarian assistance, scholarships for foreign students and contributions to international organisations. While the majority of Brazilian aid has gone to international organisations over the past few years (76.5% in 2005–09), the proportion of technical cooperation has been gradually increasing (doubling from 7.2% in 2005 to 13.5% in 2009). A number of studies suggest that Brazil underestimates its levels of technical assistance. The Overseas Development Institute and Canada’s International Development Research Centre, for example, estimate that its technical assistance commitments in 2010 could have been worth as much as $470 million.

Brazil focuses on sharing its own development experiences with developing countries and facilitating ‘triangular cooperation’ with traditional donors, newer donors and developing countries. This assistance is often in the form of technical cooperation and is focused on agriculture, HIV/AIDS, water, energy and the environment. For example, the Brazilian government has established the office of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company (EMBRAPA) to help transfer agricultural technology from Brazil to Africa with the aim of contributing to more effective food security in the region.

In 2003, along with Chile, France and Spain, Brazil called for new, innovative mechanisms to help pay for international development. It was one of the 79 countries that endorsed the Declaration on Innovative Sources of Financing for Development in 2005. In 2006, it was president of the Leading Group on Solidarity Levies, created to develop advocacy and technical work. In the same year, Brazil announced that it would contribute $20 million over 20 years to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm), making it the first emerging donor to donate. Brazil’s donations to UNITAID are another indicator of its commitment to innovative financing. In 2007, it contributed $16.1 million, in 2008 $11.1 million and in 2009 $10 million, making it one of the largest non-DAC donors.