• Bilateral aid to sub-Saharan Africa drops to $29.2 billion in 2025.

• Total global aid records a historic 23.1% decline in real terms.

• U.S. cuts drive most of the drop, while Germany becomes top donor.

Bilateral official development assistance (ODA) from members and associates of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) to sub-Saharan Africa declined by 26.3% in 2025 to $29.2 billion, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said in a report published on April 9.

This amount remains below bilateral aid allocated to Ukraine, which reached $44.9 billion including contributions from European Union institutions. However, it remains slightly above total bilateral aid directed to all least developed countries (LDCs) worldwide, estimated at $28.1 billion.

Meanwhile, preliminary OECD data show that total ODA, across all components, declined by 23.1% in real terms compared with 2024, marking the largest drop ever recorded in the history of development aid.

During the year, DAC members and their partners provided $174.3 billion in ODA, representing 0.26% of their combined gross national income (GNI), down from $215.1 billion, or 0.34% of GNI, in 2024.

Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and France accounted for 95.7% of the total decline. The United States alone drove three-quarters of the drop, as its ODA fell by 56.9% compared with 2024. The decline followed the “America First” policy of Donald Trump, which included freezing and then eliminating more than 83% of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs. As a result, Germany became the largest ODA provider for the first time, with a total of $29.1 billion.

A further decline expected in 2026

Eight of the 34 DAC member countries maintained or increased their ODA budgets, while four countries exceeded the United Nations target of allocating 0.7% of GNI to development aid. These countries included Denmark (0.72%), Luxembourg (0.99%), Norway (1.03%) and Sweden (0.85%).

At the same time, sharp budget cuts affected both types of financing. Total bilateral ODA fell by 26.4% to $126.4 billion, driven by a significant reduction in grants. Multilateral ODA also declined for a second consecutive year, with cuts mainly affecting core contributions to the United Nations system, even as contributions to the World Bank and regional development banks increased.

In parallel, 12 official providers outside the DAC reported total ODA commitments of $13.3 billion, reflecting continued engagement in development cooperation. These included Turkey, which contributed $7.52 billion, and the United Arab Emirates, which provided $3.41 billion.

The OECD also warned that declining aid levels raise concerns about fiscal space in developing countries, as well as the effectiveness and catalytic potential of remaining aid flows. Based on a survey of DAC members and official data, the organization expects ODA to decline by a further 5.8% in 2026, a projection that does not take into account the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

This article was initially published in French by Walid Kéfi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum