Policy Updates

On May 9, 2024, KOICA signed a MoU with the IFRC to support conflict-affected and fragile states, the most recent of a series of memoranda in 2024.

KOICA has signed MoUs with eight international organizations to implement new programs to support conflict-affected and fragile states in 2024, including with the IFRC. On February 28, 2024, KOICA and the IOM signed an MoU, followed by memoranda with UNFPA, UNHCR, and the WFP though May 9, 2024. KOICA is slated to sign three more memoranda with UNDP, ICRC, and UNICEF by May 17, 2024.

KOICA’s budget for conflict-affected and fragile states increased from KRW33.5 billion in 2023 to KRW123.3 billion in 2024. KOICA is slated to implement eight new programs to support more than 20 conflict-affected and fragile states, with a total of KRW243.6 billion over three years. The new program is designed to respond more effectively to transnational crises by providing long-term, 10-year support for regional projects. KOICA will also undertake the South Korean government’s strategy to implement the HDP nexus through the new programs.

On May 9, 2024, South Korea’s MOFA hosted the Grant Assistance Institutions Council 2024 to discuss 2025's grant projects, which total a reported KRW4.16 trillion (US$3.2 billion), an 21.4% increase compared to 2023.

30 relevant grant agencies, including government ministries, KOICA, and other grant aid implementing agencies, attended the Council.

The increase reflected South Korea’s stated willingness to expand contributions to the international community. Based on the discussion, the MOFA noted that it will develop a comprehensive implementation plan for 2025 grant assistance.

In 2024’s project review process, 74 private experts from 14 fields, diplomatic offices, and relevant departments within the MOFA were consulted to reflect the views of the business and private sector as well as strengthen the link between foreign policy and international development cooperation strategies.

On May 8, 2024, South Korean 2^nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Insun Kang presided over the 4^th Policy Dialogue between the MOFA and nine CSOs to discuss ways to work with civil society in development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

The policy dialogue was attended by representatives from nine CSOs, namely Food for Hungry, Good People International, Go & Do International, Good Neighbors International, Save the Children Korea, Serving Friends, World Vision, Child Fund Korea, and Heart-to-Heart Foundation International. Also in attendance were KOICA and KCOC. Kang emphasized the importance of civil society’s role in financing development cooperation and implementing programs that reflect the realities of the field. She also highlighted the need for multifaceted efforts to resolve global issues and achieve the UN SDGs in the context of complex crises, including various geopolitical conflicts as well as food and energy crises.

Kang noted that KOICA will communicate with civil society to create a healthy ecosystem for public-private partnerships. Representatives from the CSOs suggested ways to strengthen public-private partnerships with the help of grant aid. They also called for further partnerships by presenting the results of 2023’s humanitarian assistance program and direction for 2024.

On May 7, 2024, Norad presented the statistics on Norwegian development assistance in 2023, showing that Norwegian ODA reached a record high of NOK58.6 billion (US$5.4 billion), an increase of 18% or NOK9 billion (US$832 million) compared to 2022.

ODA increased in all regions, significantly affected by the one-time additional allocation of NOK5 billion (US$462 million) to LICs particularly affected by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

By region, the largest increase in ODA was to Europe. In total, European countries received NOK9.1 billion (US$842 million) in funding. Of the total European allocation, the largest share of funding went to Ukraine and Moldova. The funding to Ukraine in 2023 stood at NOK7.9 billion (US$730 million).

Development assistance to the African continent increased by NOK2.5 billion (US$321 million), reaching a total of NOK10.2 billion (US$943 million). Africa remains the region receiving the most development assistance from Norway. The increase in funding to Africa is explained by long-term assistance to agriculture, fisheries, food security and emergency relief.

Development assistance to the Middle East increased by over NOK1 billion (US$92 million), reaching NOK3.8 billion (US$351 million) in 2023. The increase was almost exclusively in emergency assistance. Palestine was the second-largest recipient of Norwegian development assistance in 2023, receiving NOK1.2 billion (US$111 million). The majority of the funding was given as humanitarian assistance and emergency relief.

By partner, multilateral organizations were the largest partner group for Norwegian ODA, followed by CSOs and the public sector. Multilaterals received NOK31.7 billion (US$2.9 billion) in 2023, an increase of NOK6.3 billion (US$582 billion) from 2022. CSOs received NOK13.2 billion (US$1.2 billion) in 2023, compared to NOK10.3 billion (US$952 million) in 2022.

The World Bank Group was the largest partner with NOK7.4 billion (US$684 million) in 2023, of which slightly over one-fifth was core support. The WFP was the second-largest recipient with NOK2.4 billion (US$222 million), approximately half of which was earmarked for emergency relief. Overall, multilateral organizations were the dominant partner group for Norwegian health assistance, with over 80% being channeled through multilateral partners in 2023.

By sector, emergency relief and multisectoral support saw the largest growth from 2022 to 2023, while there was a decrease in refugee expenses and earmarked assistance for education.

ODA to agriculture, fisheries, and food security significantly increased from NOK3.9 billion (US$360 million) in 2022 to NOK6.4 billion (US$592 million) in 2023. Most of the increase of NOK2.5 billion (US$231 million) was funded by the one-time funding package for LICs particularly affected by Russia's war against Ukraine.

Total Norwegian ODA to health stood at NOK6.5 billion (US$601 million) in 2023, up from NOK6.3 billion (US$582 million) in 2022. This is significantly lower than in 2020 and 2021, when development assistance globally was influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Between 2014 and 2023, health assistance slightly increased when measured in 2024 prices, from NOK4.7 billion (US$434 million) in 2014. The largest partners in health assistance in 2023 were Gavi at NOK1.5 billion (US$138 million), UNFPA at NOK1.1 billion (US$101 million) and the WHO at NOK687 million (US$63.5 million). Of the earmarked health ODA, totaling NOK3.5 billion (US$323 million) in 2023, 58% went to programs targeting LICs not geographically earmarked. Africa received the most of the geographically earmarked health support, with around NOK600 million (US$55.5 million).

In 2023, NOK1.7 billion (US$157 million) went to SRHR, down from NOK1.8 billion (US$166 million) in 2022. Multilateral organizations, an important partner group in Norwegian SRHR efforts, received 51% of the earmarked support in addition to the calculated core support, totaling 81% of SRHR support. UNFPA was the largest individual partner and received nearly half of total SRHR support.

On May 6, 2024, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze unveiled a new BMZ strategy for collaboration with civil society, emphasizing gender equality promotion and supporting partner organizations.

Schulze presented the new strategy in Leipzig, Germany, and placed priority on promoting gender equality and supporting organizations in the 'global south'.

The BMZ's strategy aims to intensify political dialogue with civil society both in Germany and with partner countries. Schulze emphasized the need to protect and expand the scope for action for civil society, particularly feminist development policy and strengthening the ownership of actors in partner countries in light of a global trend towards autocracy and a limited scope of action.

A central point of the strategy is the simplification of existing support for civil society. The BMZ relies on a peer-to-peer approach in which the majority of funding is passed on to partners via German CSOs. This approach is intended to facilitate a mutual transfer of knowledge and strengthen long-term local partner ownership and institutional capacity.

Schulze is slated to hold a series of discussions with civil society on further dates, including:

• July 8 in Dresden, Germany, titled 'Inequality';
• September 4 in Potsdam, Germany, titled 'Dialogue between the generations';
• September 17 in Bonn, Germany, titled 'Climate'; and
• December 2 in Munich, Germany, titled 'Feminist development policy'.

On May 3, 2024, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced that the agency will be providing an additional US$200 million for RUFT as well as other specialized food used for acute malnutrition.

Approximately 300 million people worldwide are in need of humanitarian relief, where conflicts, climate change, and lack of access to critical food assistance exacerbates food insecurity. 45 million children face wasting, the most serious form of child malnutrition. USAID's RUFT food product is part of a package of services to prevent and treat child wasting.

UNICEF and the UN WFP are slated to distribute the food goods to areas including Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Haiti. The effort builds upon an earlier commitment spearheaded by USAID that announced US$500 million by a public-private coalition at the 2022 UNGA. USAID has already worked in Gaza and Ethiopia to address nutritional needs.

On May 3, 2024, representatives from the Netherlands attended the 30^th ICPD in New York, where Dutch Director-General for International Cooperation Pascalle Grotenhuis and Dutch SRHR Youth Ambassador Sarah Bahgat called for further action on CSE and youth involvement to continue SRHR progress.

Grotenhuis delivered a statement on behalf of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg and highlighted priorities set out by young people. The Netherlands also supported the ICPD Program of Action and co-hosted 300+ young people at the Global Youth Dialogue to reflect on its urgent call to ensure women and girls’ right to decide over their bodies and futures.

Bahgat delivered a statement at the General Debate of the Commission on Population and Development, highlighting the need to tackle information online, deliver CSE in humanitarian settings, and showcase the outcomes of the Global Youth Dialogue.

On May 3, 2024, Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy announced a pledge of AUD492 million (US$317 million) to the Asian Development Funds’ 14^th pledging round, covering the period of 2025–2028.

The low-interest financing arm of the ADB focuses on grants to lower-income countries. Conroy emphasized the value of these grants to regional needs such as climate resilient hospitals and education facilities, as well is improving the systems that run them.

Conroy indicated Australia had worked with representatives from Kiribati and the Cook Islands to ensure that more funding would be received by the Pacific. An increase of over AUD500 million (US$323 million) was expected for the Pacific, compared to the previous replenishment.

Australia has also pursued arrangements to ensure access to finance for people in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh, particularly women and girls. Australia urged the ADB and the World Bank to improve their procurement processes by avoiding approving artificially low-priced, poor-quality projects where higher prices were later demanded during implementation. Conroy encouraged tender processes to focus more strongly on quality and value for money and expressed concerned that low bid prices were discouraging a broader range of bidders from seeking work, particularly in the Pacific countries.

Australia is the second-largest contributor to the fund, behind Japan.

On May 3, 2024, Canada announced CAD65 million (US$48 million) in international assistance funding to Lebanon, including CAD38 million (US$28 million) in development assistance funding and CAD27 million (US$20 million) in humanitarian assistance funding.

The humanitarian assistance will help provide WASH services, health care including SRH services, and protection services including for survivors of SGBV.

The development funding includes:

• CAD20 million (US$15 million) to the UN FAO to improve the capacities of farmers and increase food security in response to climate change and economic shocks;
• CAD13 million (US$10 million) to UNDP to improve the economic security and prosperity of women-led micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises in sectors with high growth and export potential; and
• CAD5 million (US$4 million) to UN Women and UNDP to address barriers facing women’s representation in decision-making and leadership positions, specifically for women in parliament and municipal councils.

On May 3, 2024, USAID announced that it is providing US$190 million to Ukraine for energy assistance to build resilient, reliable, affordable and secure energy supplies to Ukraine.

The program, titled Securing Power, Advancing Resilience and Connectivity, will provide critical technical and equipment over a five-year period. The announced funding adds to the nearly US$1 billion in energy assistance that the US has provided since the start of the war in February 2022.

The US also passed the National Security Supplemental Bill, comprising US$95 billion in 'foreign aid' supplemental appropriations (with US$61 billion for Ukraine), and is slated to provide an additional US$1.4 billion from this bill in economic recovery assistance to Ukraine.

Additionally, USAID will launch Harvest, a program to invest in micro-, small-, and medium-sized grain and oil seed producers in Ukraine's agricultural sector. Harvest is an extension of USAID's Agriculture Resilience Initiative-Ukraine, through which USAID has invested over US$350 million and has leveraged more than that through the private sector and other donors.