Which countries supply the most aid?

The world’s principal aid donors are the 22 rich DAC (Development Assistance Committee) states of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Of these, the USA, Germany, France and UK give the most aid in real terms, but as a percentage of Gross National Product (GNP) they give less than the 0.7% demanded by the UN in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals. In fact, most DAC countries are lagging behind on an average of 0.47% of GNP—the only countries doing better than the 0.7% target, and therefore the most generous donors in relative terms, are Sweden, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. In 2005, wealthy countries pledged to step up their aid donations at the G8 summit at Gleneagles, and also agreed to write off US$40 billion worth of debt owed by 18 HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Countries) to the World Bank, IMF and African Development Fund. Since then the UK has made good on its commitments to increase aid, and this looks set to continue despite the economic crisis, with Alistair Darling’s 2009 Budget pledging to deliver 0.6% of GNP by 2010-11 and reach the UN target of 0.7% in 2013.