Cyprus
For Cyprus, development co-operation is closely aligned with the European Union’s (EU) goals and priorities, with a central focus on poverty eradication and sustainable development. Over the past five years, Cyprus has provided most of its official development assistance (ODA) through multilateral channels, but bilateral projects are also being implemented. Policy and priority setting and project implementation are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For its key partners, Cyprus’ co-operation aims to share know-how and expertise and provide in-kind, demand-driven humanitarian assistance (e.g., medical supplies).
Find the methodological notes behind the profile here
After it acceded to the EU in 2004, Cyprus redefined its development co-operation policy to align with EU policy and sectoral priorities. The 2013 Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 75.141 established a new institutional framework for this development co-operation. Cyprus’ development co-operation policy is under review. It outlines Cyprus’ vision for sharing its know-how in economic transition, as well as for its technical co-operation in key areas where Cyprus has established expertise, including tourism management and forestry.
Preliminary statistics on ODA in 2022 were not available at the time of publication. Cyprus's ODA as a share of its GNI amounted to 0.07%, a slight increase from 2020 (0.06%) and totalling USD 20.5 million.
Cyprus provided a higher share of its ODA multilaterally in 2021. Gross bilateral ODA was 30.2% of total ODA. Fifty-seven per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions). Cyprus allocated 69.8% of total ODA as core contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2021, Cyprus provided USD 17.8 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, an increase of 15.6% in real terms from 2020. Of this, USD 14.3 million was core multilateral ODA, while non-core contributions were earmarked for a specific country, region, theme or purpose. Project-type funding earmarked for a specific theme and/or country accounted for 36.6% of Cyprus’s non-core contributions and 63.4% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
Sixty-nine per cent of Cyprus’s total contributions to multilateral organisations in 2021 was allocated to the UN system, EU Institutions, and UN funds and programmes (in descending order).
The UN system received 39.4% of Cyprus’s multilateral contributions, mainly in the form of core contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 7.0 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of Cyprus’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were UNDPO-UN Peacekeeping operations (USD 1.4 million), UNICEF (USD 1.3 million) and the UN Secretariat (USD 1.0 million).
See the section on Geographic and sectoral focus of ODA for the breakdown of bilateral allocations, including ODA earmarked through the multilateral development system. Learn more about multilateral development finance.
In 2021, Cyprus’s bilateral spending increased compared to the previous year. It provided USD 6.2 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented an increase of 119.0% in real terms from 2020. In 2021, Cyprus focused most of its bilateral ODA on SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
In 2021, country programmable aid was 61.3% of Cyprus’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to a non-DAC country average of 46.4%.
In 2021, Cyprus channelled bilateral ODA through multilateral institutions, as earmarked funding and through the public sector.
In 2021, Cyprus’s bilateral ODA was primarily focused on Asia. USD 3.9 million was allocated to the Middle East and USD 0.1 million to Asia (excluding the Middle East), accounting respectively for 62.9% and 1.6% of gross bilateral ODA. Bilateral allocations to sub-Saharan Africa are decreasing, in line with government policy. Asia was also the main regional recipient of Cyprus’s earmarked contributions to multilateral
In 2021, 65.1% of gross bilateral ODA went to Cyprus’s top 10 recipients. Its top 10 recipients are in the Middle East region, where Cyprus has programmes with 25 countries, in line with its focus on its immediate neighbourhood and its policy priorities. The share of gross bilateral ODA that was not allocated by country was 34.9%.
In 2021, the least developed countries (LDCs) received 1.7% of Cyprus’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 0.1 million). This is lower than the non-DAC country average of 13.7%. Cyprus allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (57.4%) to upper middle-income countries in 2021, noting that 34.9% was unallocated by income group.
In 2021, more than half of Cyprus’s bilateral ODA was allocated to social infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 61.3% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 3.8 million), with a strong focus on support to health (USD 2.6 million), government and civil society (USD 1.2 million. Bilateral humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 0.2 million (2.7% of bilateral ODA). In 2021, earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations focused on health, emergency response and government and civil society.
Cyprus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for both setting Cyprus’ ODA policy as well as for its implementation. The decision of the Council of Ministers No. 75.141, dated 24 May 2013, sets out this framework for Cyprus’ development co-operation.
Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://mfa.gov.cy/goals-and-objectives/
Reporting to the OECD since 2005 for the period 2005-15 and reporting activity-level data since 2019.
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 aid, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.