OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Greece 2019
The OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) conducts periodic reviews of the individual development co-operation efforts of DAC members. The policies and programmes of each DAC member are critically examined approximately once every five years. DAC peer reviews assess the performance of a given member, not just that of its development co-operation agency, and examine both policy and implementation. They take an integrated, system-wide perspective on the development co-operation and humanitarian assistance activities of the member under review.
Since its last peer review, a severe economic recession brought about significant cuts to Greece’s national budget – including official development assistance. However, Greece has maintained its commitment to development co-operation. In response to the refugee and migration crisis Greece mobilised resources and its population to provide significant support to asylum seekers and refugees, and adapted its domestic policies to create conditions for peaceful co-existence between refugees, asylum seekers and the Greek population. As the economy recovers and Greece considers stepping up its development co-operation, this review recommends a number of steps that the government might take including building a new vision for development co-operation and putting in place the structures and systems to achieve it.
Greece's financing for development
This chapter considers how international and national commitments drive the volume and allocations of Greece’s official development assistance (ODA). It also explores Greece’s other financing efforts in support of the 2030 Agenda. Greece has maintained its commitment to development co-operation during the economic and migration crises. The economic recession saw Greece’s ODA drop to USD 190 million in 2013, representing just 0.10% of gross national income. Since the ODA budget was cut in 2009, the main components of Greece’s bilateral aid have been in-donor refugee costs and scholarships. In the wake of the economic crisis, Greece has adopted a pragmatic approach to its multilateral assistance. The country seeks to meet its commitments to EU institutions and other multilateral organisations. Although Greece recognises the private sector’s potential contribution to sustainable development, it has not set a clear approach to attracting finance beyond ODA.