Portugal increases the amount of Public Development aid

Portugal’s Public Development aid (APD) increased in 2021 to 380 M€, representing a 4% rise compared to the previous year. The preliminary data have just been introduced by the Organisation for Economic and Development (OCDE).

This increase establishes the national commitment and solidarity, part of a response in the sphere of the Covid-19 pandemic in support to the efforts of economic and social recovery of partnering countries, and defence of an effective multilateral system.

Regarding the distribution of the APD, the bilateral flow prioritised Mozambique, following by Guinea-Bissau, Timor-Leste, São Tomé and Príncipe and Cape Verde, maintaining similar levels to 2020 in the range of 137M€.

The multilateral APD recorded an expressive amount of 21M€, amounting to 243M€ compared to 22M€ in 2020 (at current prices), in result to the participation of Portugal within the framework of the joint efforts of the European Union and the African Development Bank. This is an essential response to the impacts of the pandemic and the socioeconomic recovery launch of the partnering countries.

Similarly, to mark the strengthening of the dialogue and the level of partnership with civil society organisations, which registered an increase of 7% compared to 2020.

Portugal follows the average of member states of the European Union, members of the Committee of Development Aid, whose APD registered an increase of 4.2% compared to 2020.

This year, the government will launch a new Portuguese Cooperation Strategy until 2030.

The OCDE announcement can be consulted in https://www.oecd.org/dac/covid-19-assistance-to-developing-countries-lifts-foreign-aid-in-2021-oecd.htm