What is the One DATA Report?

Since its inception, the One DATA Report has held the world’s wealthiest countries accountable for their commitments to the world’s poorest countries.

It has previously tracked progress against the Gleneagles commitments made by the G7 in 2005. However, with those commitments expiring in 2010, key donors such as the United States, Canada and Japan no longer have overall official development assistance (ODA) targets. For this reason, the 2012 DATA Report turns its principal attention to the European Union (EU) and its bold commitment to continue increasing development assistance to 0.7% of gross national income up to 2015 and for half of ODA increases to go to Africa. It also examines progress by the EU towards reaching intermediate targets in 2010.

Specifically, the report profiles the 15 EU states who were members of the Union prior to 2004 (the EU15), providing detailed analysis of their progress on individual global and Africa targets, as well as policy reforms. As in past years, the 2012 DATA Report focuses special attention on development assistance to Africa.

How is the One DATA Report produced?

The main analysis presented in the report was undertaken by Development Initiatives in partnership with One using data from the OECD DAC database, tracking ODA disbursements from donors. Other data sources and documents are then used to analyse the effectiveness of ODA financing. The report also highlights how aid needs to work alongside other resources and, in time, will evolve to measure development financing more broadly. It will strive to evaluate not just inputs but also the significant outcomes in alleviating poverty, hunger and preventable disease.

During the process, regular consultations are undertaken with donors where development priorities and plans are discussed, together with discussions on the best ways to track and monitor progress.

What are the One DATA Report’s key findings?

• The EU represents the biggest donor, providing more than half of global ODA and from 2004 to 2011 it increased its ODA/GNI ratio by a tenth of a percentage point (from 0.3% to 0.4%). Moreover the EU’s 2011 ODA/GNI of 0.4% in 2011 was much higher than the DAC average (0.3%) and that of the US (0.2%), Japan (0.17%) and Canada (0.31%).
• Despite this the EU hasn’t reached its target of 0.56% of ODA/GNI by 2010, while the EU15 fell far short of their target increase to Africa.
• To meet the 2015 commitments (0.7% of GNI), the EU will need to increase ODA globally by almost €43 billion to meet the overall target of €94 billion, having achieved in 2011 just 54% of its collective target
• Given the increasing resource constraints, donors increasingly need to improve aid effectiveness. While some donors are leading the way, others need to increase their efforts.

What is the importance of the next Multiannual Financial Framework?

In addition to assessing EU Member States, the 2012 report also looks at development assistance channelled through the EU institutions. Member States are in the process of negotiating the EU’s next seven-year budget, spanning the 2014–20 period; where between approximately €50 and €100 billion can be potentially directed to global development. The report explores how the EU’s development budget complements the efforts of Member States, while helping them to reach their 0.7% targets; this is underlined by the fact that in 2011, member States channelled an average of 21.5% of all ODA through EU institutions.