Annual Report 2023
2023 was a record year for Irish Aid – the Government of Ireland invested more than €2.6 billion in Official Development Assistance (ODA)
This figure includes money spent overseas, in over 100 countries across the world, as well as the eligible costs associated with providing services to Ukrainian refugees in their first year in Ireland. This figure is the highest ever amount, representing 0.67% of our GNI.
Excluding the costs relating to Ukrainian refugees, our ODA amount in 2023 was €1.467 billion, or 0.38% of our GNI. This also represents a record allocation from Ireland to ODA.
Some key facts from 2023
In 2023 Ireland responded to many of the world’s most pressing crises, including conflicts in the occupied Palestinian territory, Ukraine, and Sudan, as well as underfunded emergencies in Syria, Yemen, and the Horn of Africa.
We made important strides in achieving our climate goals, including at COP 28 where we had one of the highest per capita pledges to the new Loss and Damage fund, which we played a key role in designing. At COP 28 we also championed Locally Led Adaptation through a joint campaign with USAID, with whom we also partnered on a new and innovative food security programme in Malawi.
We continued our work on gender equality, we are among the OECD countries investing the highest proportion of ODA in gender equality, and this year launched a new initiative on reproductive health.
Top recipient countries
The five countries which received the highest amounts of bilateral ODA from Ireland in 2023 were:
- Ethiopia - €39m
- occupied Palestinian territory (including support to the Palestinian people across the Middle East region) - €36m
- Ukraine - €28m
- Mozambique - €26m
- Tanzania - €25m
Whole-of-government programme
Irish Aid is a whole-of-Government programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, with contributions and support from a range of government departments and agencies, including the Department of Finance, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the HSE.
