Foreword
The OECD Multilateral Development Finance report (previously called ‘Multilateral Aid Report’ and henceforth ‘Report’) is a unique and internationally renowned reference for understanding developments in the multilateral development finance landscape. It provides a comprehensive baseline of data and analysis regarding the volume and nature of resources provided by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members and providers beyond the DAC to support over 200 multilateral organisations that contribute to development in partner countries. It thus offers a unique ‘systemic view’ of the multilateral development system, going beyond individual multilateral organisations or groups of institutions. In addition, the Report assesses the state of play regarding the policies, funding mechanisms and interactions of provider countries vis-à-vis these institutions – and implications for their efficiency and effectiveness. By holding a mirror up to funders of the multilateral development system, the report shows them how they are collectively supporting the multilateral development system, it provides accountability for official development assistance (ODA) spending through the multilateral system and encourages mutual learning for bilateral providers to engage most effectively with the multilateral development system. The report Findings from past editions of the Report have fostered policy dialogue and learning among DAC members, emerging providers, multilateral organisations, practitioners and think tanks, contributing to greater effectiveness of the multilateral development system.
This edition of the Report contributes to the broader international debate on why we need multilateralism and how we can forge a more effective, more inclusive and more accountable multilateral co-operation system that is fit-for-purpose for delivering on the 2030 Agenda. It provides new evidence and recommendations that can help lay the foundations of a new ‘pact’ on multilateralism, one founded on the recognition that sovereign states and multilateral institutions hold a mutual responsibility towards a stronger and more effective multilateral system. In addition to a detailed picture of official development assistance (ODA) spending through the multilateral system, this year’s report brings about three innovations: (i) it examines the growing role of People’s Republic of China, other sovereign states, philanthropy and the private sector as funders of multilateral organisations; (ii) it analyses concessional and non-concessional spending by multilateral institutions, and discusses how multilateral action needs to adapt to the new development agenda; (iii) it presents a new multi-dimensional metrics to measure the quality of multilateral funding, based on financing to the World Health Organisation as a case study. Building on this evidence, the report develops policy recommendations that could serve as a basis for principles of good multilateral donorship for the 2030 Agenda.