The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informs that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published on Tuesday preliminary data regarding official assistance for development granted in 2021, based on information supplied by states involved in the process of reporting towards the organization, including Romania.
Thus, in the year 2021, the total volume of official assistance for development granted by Romania has gone up to 372 million dollars (1.36 billion RON), from 305 million dollars in 2020, being the largest value recorded until now. From the 40 states involved in the process of reporting to the OECD, Romania joined the other 30 states with levels of official assistance for development that are higher from the year 2020, MAE shows.
The importance of official assistance for development was much more highlighted in the recent context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Romania contributing to addressing immediate needs, to consolidating the resilience of the health system and supporting social and economic recovery of developing countries, including by donating 1.67 million vaccine doses.
The Republic of Moldova, in 2021, was once again the main partner of national policy of international cooperation for development and humanitarian assistance, with an allocation of 70% from bilateral type assistance, Agerpres.ro informs.
In total, 87% of official assistance for bilateral type development granted in 2021 was allocated to states with inferior average earnings and states that are less developed.
In accordance with the priorities established through the "Strategic multi-annual program regarding international cooperation for development and humanitarian assistance during the period of 2020-2023", education and promoting youths represented the main area in which Romania granted official assistance for development in 2021, namely 69% of bilateral type assistance.
Romania, as a donor state of official assistance for development, reports towards the OECD implemented actions and contributions granted by national public institutions in supporting developing states.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the role of national coordinator of international cooperation policy for development and humanitarian aid, carrying out every year a complex process of collecting and reporting towards OECD of data regarding official aid for development granted nationwide, in the year prior to the one in which the reporting takes place.