Development Co‑operation Profiles: Finland

Finland’s development co-operation prioritises a closer connection between trade and development alongside areas identified as Finland’s strengths: fostering the rights of women and girls, education, and climate action. A growing share of Finland’s development co-operation programme focuses on trade support. Finland’s total official development assistance (ODA) (USD 1.4 billion, preliminary data) decreased in 2025, representing 0.44% of gross national income (GNI).

This profile presents verified data on Finland’s development assistance allocations. See the Development Co-operation Profiles.

In 2024, the Finnish government published the Report on International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation, which complements the government’s Report on Foreign and Security Policy with more detailed trade and development policy measures, giving attention to the rapid changes in the international environment. Finland aims to build equal and sustainable partnerships with partner countries based on mutual benefit and respect. The number of programme partners has decreased from 9 to 5 (Ethiopia, Nepal, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Tanzania and Ukraine). Ukraine is Finland’s largest partner country financially. Finland’s policy also includes a stronger focus on promoting its strategic interests and on fostering the strengths that have helped Finland develop into a stable democracy, such as the status of women and their right to self-determination, and local democracy.

Finland provides around half of its ODA multilaterally and has a strong practice of supporting the multilateral system. It has contributed to significant changes in the policies and practices of multilateral organisations, such as working to manage results and championing gender equality across a range of investments related to peace and security, agriculture, and climate change.

The 2024 Peer Review found that Finland’s strategic partnerships and political leadership to reduce poverty and inequalities have contributed to its strong reputation globally. The review also found that Finland had taken steps to address 11 of the 12 recommendations from the last Peer Review in 2017. Nevertheless, several policy changes and reforms are now significantly reshaping Finland’s international development co-operation, including a 25% reduction in ODA in the period 2024‑2027. New policies in 2024 emphasise support for Ukraine and the more explicit use of development co-operation to boost the international presence of Finnish companies.

Discover insights from Finland’s 2024 Peer Review and 2021 mid-term review, and learn about Finland’s practices in Development Co-operation Tools Insights Practices.

Finland provided USD 1.4 billion (preliminary data) of ODA in 2025 (USD 1.3 billion in constant terms), representing 0.44% of GNI.1 This was a decrease of 5.4% in real terms in volume and a decrease in the share of GNI from 2024. The decrease was due to a decline in its overall aid programme. Finland’s ODA will be reduced by 25% over 2024-27, putting it further off track in relation to its domestic, international and European Union (EU) commitments to achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio by 2030. Within Finland’s ODA portfolio in 2024, 100% was provided in the form of grants. As such, total ODA on a grant-equivalent basis has the same value as net ODA under the cash-flow methodology used in the past.

In 2025, Finland ranked 21^st among Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members in terms of ODA volume and 8^th when ODA is taken as a share of GNI. Finland has historically mobilised a high share of finance from the private sector targeting least developed countries (LDCs) and other low-income countries, however this focus declined since 2021. It allocates the highest share of these instruments to the communications sector and continues to rank among the top providers supporting domestic resource mobilisation. At USD 274.3 million in 2024, in-donor refugee costs remained a significant share of ODA (35.7% of gross bilateral ODA).

Finland is committed to several international targets and DAC standards and recommendations. Learn more about DAC Recommendations.

Finland provided a roughly equal share of its ODA bilaterally and multilaterally in 2024. Gross bilateral ODA was 55.6% of total ODA disbursements. Of this, 26% was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions).

In 2024, Finland provided USD 813.4 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, a fall of 20.9% in real terms from 2023. Of this, USD 613.7 million was core multilateral ODA (44.4% of total ODA), while USD 199.7 million was non-core contributions earmarked for a specific country, region, theme or purpose. Project-type funding earmarked for a specific theme and/or country accounted for 34.8% of Finland’s non‑core contributions, and 65.2% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds). The European institutions (USD 363.6 million) are Finland’s main multilateral partner.

The United Nations (UN) system received 33.7% of Finland’s contributions to multilateral organisations, of which USD 151.9 million (55.4%) represented earmarked contributions. Of a total volume of USD 274 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Finland’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (USD 37.8 million), World Food Programme (USD 32.3 million) and the United Nations Population Fund (USD 32 million).

See the section on Geographic, sectoral and thematic focus of ODA for the breakdown of bilateral allocations, including ODA earmarked through the multilateral development system.

Learn more by exploring the DAC members’ use of the multilateral system dashboard.

In 2024, Finland’s bilateral spending declined compared to the previous year. It provided USD 768.2 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented a decrease of 19% in real terms from 2023.

In 2024, country programmable aid amounted to USD 209.8 million, or 27.3% of Finland’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to the DAC country average of 46.5%.

Finland’s in-donor refugee costs amounted to USD 274.3 million (36.2% of gross bilateral ODA) in 2024, while humanitarian aid was USD 125.7 million, or 16.5% of gross bilateral ODA.

In 2024, Finland channelled its bilateral ODA mainly through public sector, multilateral organisations and NGOs. Technical co-operation made up 5.3% of gross ODA in 2024.

In 2024, civil society organisations (CSOs) received USD 161.1 million of gross bilateral ODA, of which 5.3% was directed to developing country-based CSOs. Overall, 1.6% of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions and 19.3% was channelled through CSOs to implement projects initiated by the provider (earmarked funding). From 2023 to 2024, the combined core and earmarked contributions for CSOs increased as a share of bilateral ODA, from 18.7% to 21%.

Learn more by reading the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid and by exploring the ODA to civil society organisations dashboard.

In 2024, Finland’s bilateral ODA primarily focused on countries in Africa. USD 162.8 million was allocated to countries in Africa and USD 65.9 million to Asia (excluding the Middle East), accounting respectively for 21.2% and 8.6% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 51.7 million was allocated to ODA-eligible countries in Europe (of which 90.3% was for Ukraine). Countries in Africa were also the main recipient of Finland’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations.

In 2024, 24.1% of gross bilateral ODA went to Finland’s top 10 recipients. In line with the 2024 policy, Ukraine now represents the largest recipient of Finland’s gross bilateral ODA. The share of gross bilateral ODA not allocated by country was 65.2%, of which 54.8% consisted of expenditures for processing and hosting refugees in ODA provider countries.

In 2024, Finland allocated 0.10% of its GNI to the LDCs. Finland allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (19%) to least developed countries in 2024, amounting to USD 146.2 million, noting that 65.2% was unallocated by income group. Finland allocated 9.8% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2024, equal to USD 75.3 million.

The distribution of Finland’s ODA in net terms in relation to “ODA per person in extreme poverty”2 was USD 0.3 in the LDCs, USD 0.6 in lower middle-income countries (LMICs) and USD 0.7 in upper middle-income countries.

In 2025, Finland provided USD 64.1 million of net bilateral ODA to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion, a 29.4% increase from 2024 in real terms. USD 25.2 million of the amount was humanitarian assistance in 2025, a 19.6% increase in real terms from 2024.

Support to contexts with high and extreme fragility was USD 180.8 million in 2024, representing 23.5% of Finland’s gross bilateral ODA. Of this, 27% was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, a slight increase from 26.4% in 2023, while 21.9% was allocated to peace, an increase from 19.6% in 2023. Conflict prevention, a subset of contributions to peace, represented 8.8% of gross bilateral ODA, increasing from 6.8% in 2023.

Learn more about the States of Fragility platform.

In 2024, the largest sectoral focus of Finland’s bilateral ODA was other macro sectors, notably support for refugees in provider countries. Investments in this area accounted for 49.5% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 376 million), with support to refugees in donor countries totalling USD 274.3 million and administrative costs of donors totalling USD 63.3 million. ODA for social infrastructure and services totalled USD 141.7 million, with a focus on government and civil society (USD 61 million). Humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 125.7 million (16.5% of bilateral ODA). Earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations focused on social sectors and other macro sectors in 2024.

In the period 2023-2024, Finland committed 66.5% of screened bilateral allocable ODA to gender equality and women’s empowerment compared to 67.6% in 2021-2022 and a DAC average of 48.2% in 2023-2024. This is equal to USD 290.5 million of screened bilateral allocable ODA in support of gender equality on average per year. In addition:

• The share of screened bilateral allocable ODA committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment as a principal objective was 3.3% in 2023-2024, below the DAC average of 4.2%.

• Finland includes gender equality objectives in 59.2% of ODA for humanitarian aid, above the 2023‑2024 DAC average of 21.5%.

• Finland screens the majority of bilateral allocable ODA against the DAC gender equality policy marker (88.6% in 2023-2024).

• Finland committed USD 2.9 million of ODA to end violence against women and girls, and USD 3.3 million to support women’s rights organisations and movements, and government institutions on average per year in 2023-2024.

Learn more by reading the DAC Recommendation on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance and the DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation in Development Co-operation, and by exploring the development finance for gender equality dashboard.

In 2023-2024, Finland committed 30.3% of its total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 149.4 million) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions, a roughly equal share to 2021-2022 (29.7%). The DAC average was 39%. In addition:

• 2.9% of screened bilateral allocable ODA focused on environmental issues as a principal objective, below the DAC average of 11.2%.

• 27% of total bilateral allocable ODA (USD 133.4 million) focused on climate change overall (the DAC average was 35.4%), a similar share to 2021-2022 (26.6%). Finland had a greater focus on mitigation (19.2%) than on adaptation (19%) in 2023-2024.

• 8.1% of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 39.1 million) focused on biodiversity overall (the DAC average was 8.6%), up from 4.7% in 2021-2022.

• 0.2% of screened bilateral allocable ODA (USD 1.2 million) focused on desertification overall (the DAC average was 4.2%), down from 1.6% in 2021-2022.

Learn more about the DAC Declaration on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The OECD's tracking of ODA for the sustainable ocean economy shows that Finland committed USD 1.9 million in support of the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean in 2024, USD 1.2 million less than in 2023. The 2024 value is equivalent to 0.5% of Finland's bilateral allocable ODA.

In 2024, Finland:

• Allocated 5.5% of its bilateral ODA (USD 42.2 million) to core poverty-reducing sectors as defined by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1.a.1. This indicator captures grants to basic social services (such as basic health and education, water supply and sanitation, multisector aid for basic social services) and development food aid. In addition, 0.8% of bilateral ODA (USD 5.8 million) went to social protection support. Learn more by exploring the Reducing poverty and inequalities through ODA data explainer.

• Committed USD 9.3 million (2.2% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to address the immediate or underlying determinants of malnutrition in developing countries across a variety of sectors, such as education; government and civil society; and agriculture, forestry and fishing.

• Committed USD 75.2 million (17.8% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to development co-operation projects and programmes that promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.

• Committed USD 2.8 million (0.7% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to the mobilisation of domestic resources in developing countries. Regarding the payment of local tax and customs duties for ODA-funded goods and services, Finland sometimes seeks exemptions. It makes this information available on the OECD Digital Transparency Hub on the Tax Treatment of ODA.

• Committed USD 83.2 million (19.7% of its bilateral allocable ODA) to promote aid for trade and improve developing countries’ trade performance and integration into the world economy in 2024. Learn more by exploring the Aid for Trade dashboard.

In 2024, total official and private flows from Finland to developing countries amounted to USD 2.1 billion in net terms. Official sources accounted for USD 1.4 billion, while USD 682 million originated from private sources.

To help build markets in developing countries and incentivise greater mobilisation of private resources for development, many providers, including Finland, have established development finance institutions and similar vehicles that extend private sector instruments (PSI). The Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd. (Finnfund) was assessed as an ODA-eligible PSI vehicle. PSI represented 2.9% of Finland’s ODA in 2024 while the DAC average stood at 1.9%.

In 2024, Finnfund extended USD 182 million in the form of PSI to developing countries.3 Of this, loans accounted for 38.5% whereas equities accounted for 32.2%. Other private sector instruments included mezzanine finance instruments.

In 2024, USD 17.6 million (9.7%) of Finland’s private sector instruments were allocated to the LDCs and other low-income countries (LICs). By contrast, 27.4% was allocated to middle-income countries, notably lower middle-income countries (21.1%). USD 114.4 million was unallocated by income group. Finland’s PSI primarily supported projects in the banking and financial services (53.9%) and agriculture, forestry, fishing (18%) sectors.

Finland uses leveraging mechanisms to mobilise private finance for sustainable development. In 2024, Finland’s FinnFund and the Finnish Government mobilised USD 130.4 million from the private sector through direct investment in companies and special purpose vehicles. This constituted a 625% increase compared to 2023.

Private finance mobilised by Finland in 2023-2024 mainly targeted middle-income countries, representing 11.3% of its total mobilised finance. Only 10.5% of mobilised private finance during this period benefited the LDCs and other LICs, noting that 78.2% was unallocated by income.

Private finance mobilised by Finland in 2023-2024 related mainly to activities in the communications sector (55.9%). Furthermore, over this period, 82.6% of Finland’s total mobilised private finance was for climate action.

Learn more by exploring the Mobilisation of private finance for development dashboard.

Total official support for sustainable development (TOSSD) is an international statistical standard that monitors and increases the transparency of all official and officially supported resources for financing the SDGs received by developing countries (Pillar 1) and for addressing global challenges (Pillar 2). In 2024, activities reported by Finland as TOSSD totalled USD 1.6 billion, marking a 9% decrease compared with the previous year.4 Finland’s TOSSD activities mostly targeted SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 1 (no poverty).

Activity-level data on TOSSD by recipient are available at: https://tossd.online.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is under the direction of three ministers dedicated to foreign affairs, foreign trade and development, and Nordic co-operation. The Department for Development Policy within the MFA is responsible for Finland’s international development and humanitarian policy, development finance, and overall planning and monitoring of development co-operation. The Political Department and the Department for External Economic Relations provide policy guidance to the regional departments responsible for their respective geographic areas. Finnfund is Finland’s development finance institution.

The MFA employs around 2 200 staff; around one-third (800 staff) are based in headquarters and two‑thirds in embassies (1 400). Approximately 100 MFA staff work on development co-operation, with a further 30 locally hired staff working on development in Finnish embassies.

The Development Policy Committee, Finland’s government-appointed advisory body, monitors and reviews Finland’s development co-operation and policy. It is also an important mechanism for consulting stakeholders that includes parliamentarians, experts, civil servants, civil society actors and researchers. It plays a key role in producing evidence for policy and encouraging dialogue, serving as a sounding board for the MFA. CSOs active in development co-operation co-ordinate under the umbrella body, the Finnish Development Organizations – Fingo.

The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development placed a renewed emphasis on strengthening the effectiveness of all forms of development co-operation by upholding and elevating the Effectiveness Principles. Adherence to these principles is measured through the partner country-led monitoring exercise of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC).

Internal systems and processes help ensure the delivery of Finland’s development co-operation. The table below highlights select features.

Access the full list of development co-operation providers at: Development Co-operation Profiles.

2024 OECD-DAC Peer Review of Finland: https://doi.org/10.1787/2a9a43a2-en.

2021 OECD-DAC mid-term review of Finland: https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/AR(2024)3/22/en/pdf.

2017 OECD-DAC Peer Review of Finland: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264287235-en.

Development Policy Committee: https://www.kehityspoliittinentoimikunta.fi/en.

Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://um.fi/development-policy-and-development-cooperation.

Finnfund: https://www.finnfund.fi/en.

Finnish Development Organizations – Fingo: https://fingo.fi/en/finnish-development-ngos-fingo.

Finland has been a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) since 1975.

The methodological notes provide further details on the definitions and statistical methodologies applied, including the grant-equivalent methodology, core and earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, country programmable aid, channels of delivery, bilateral ODA unspecified/unallocated, bilateral allocable ODA, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.