Czech Republic
The Czech Republic’s development co-operation focuses on contributing to reducing global poverty, fragility and inequality while also promoting its national interests: strengthened security and economic diplomacy through stronger political, trade and investment relations. The Czech Republic promotes the humanitarian-development-peace nexus in both its bilateral and multilateral development support. The Czech Republic’s total official development assistance (ODA) (USD 987.1 million, preliminary data) increased in 2022 due to support to Ukraine and in-donor refugee costs. It represents 0.36% of gross national income (GNI).
Find the methodological notes behind the profile here.
The 2010 Act on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid provides the framework for the Czech Republic’s development co-operation. The 2018-2030 Development Cooperation Strategy sets out five thematic priorities: 1) building stable and democratic institutions; 2) sustainable management of natural resources; 3) agriculture and rural development; 4) inclusive social development; and 5) economic growth. The Czech Republic’s partner countries are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Moldova, and Zambia. The Czech Republic puts special emphasis on building partnerships across the public, private, civil and academic sectors.
The Czech Republic seeks to advance these national priorities, particularly in the European Union (EU) context, through which the bulk of its ODA is channelled. The Czech Republic’s priorities within the broader EU development policy include stronger linkages and coherence between development co-operation and security-building measures, the development of international trade and investment, the prevention of forced displacement and irregular migration, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation.
Findings from OECD-DAC reviews
The 2019 OECD-DAC mid-term review found that the Czech Republic is focusing its limited bilateral resources on fewer sectors and countries and is updating its rules and procedures for both development and humanitarian programming. It has introduced a new tool to better integrate cross-cutting issues into its programmes, is starting to link bilateral and multilateral partnerships at the country level, and is strengthening its evaluation system. It noted room for improvement in terms of increasing the ODA budget and funding predictability, and addressing human resource and capacity constraints. Learn more about the Czech Republic’s 2019 mid-term review. The Czech Republic’s peer review is underway and will be finalised in 2023.
The Czech Republic provided USD 987.1 million (preliminary data) of ODA in 2022 (USD 977.9 million in constant terms), representing 0.36% of GNI.1 This was an increase of 167.1% in real terms in volume and an increase in share of GNI from 0.13% in 2021. Excluding in-donor refugee costs, its ODA fell. Over the previous years, ODA had remained relatively stable. If the 2022 increase in ODA is maintained, the Czech Republic will be on track to meet its commitment to reach 0.33% of GNI by 2030 as part of the collective EU commitments to achieve a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio by 2030. The Czech Republic provided all of its ODA as grants in 2021.2
In 2022, the Czech Republic ranked 17th among Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries in relation to its ODA/GNI ratio. In 2021, the Czech Republic was among DAC members with the highest core contributions to multilateral organisations, notably through its contributions to the EU budget. It had one of the highest shares of bilateral ODA provided to and through civil society organisations (CSOs) (28.2% in 2021). A high share of Czech ODA is tied (see Performance against commitments and DAC recommendations).
The Czech Republic is committed to several international targets, Development Assistance Committee standards and recommendations. Learn more about DAC recommendations.
The Czech Republic provided a higher share of its ODA multilaterally in 2021. Gross bilateral ODA was 27.1% of total ODA. Twenty-seven per cent of gross bilateral ODA was channelled through multilateral organisations (earmarked contributions). The Czech Republic allocated 75.8% of total ODA as core contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2022, the Czech Republic provided USD 23.2 million of gross bilateral ODA to Ukraine to respond to the impacts of Russia’s war of aggression, of which USD 20.7 million was humanitarian assistance (preliminary data). In 2021 it provided USD 4.1 million.
In 2022, the Czech Republic provided USD 4.7 million in ODA for the COVID-19 response. Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, donations of excess doses to developing countries accounted for USD 4.7 million of ODA. In 2020 and 2021, the Czech Republic’s total bilateral support for COVID-19 response was USD 6.2 million and USD 13.7 million, respectively.
In 2021, the Czech Republic provided USD 301.6 million of gross ODA to the multilateral system, an increase of 11.7% in real terms from 2020. Of this, USD 277.6 million was core multilateral ODA, while non-core contributions were earmarked for a specific country, region, theme or purpose. Project-type funding earmarked for a specific theme and/or country accounted for 14.9% of the Czech Republic’s non-core contributions and 85.1% was programmatic funding (to pooled funds and specific-purpose programmes and funds).
Ninety-five per cent of the Czech Republic’s total contributions to multilateral organisations in 2021 was allocated to EU Institutions, other UN organisations, and World Bank (in descending order).
The UN system received 9.1% of the Czech Republic’s multilateral contributions, mainly in the form of core contributions. Out of a total volume of USD 27.4 million to the UN system, the top three UN recipients of the Czech Republic’s support (core and earmarked contributions) were the UN secretariat (USD 5.4 million), UNHCR (USD 2.9 million) and IOM (USD 2.7 million).
See the section on Geographic and sectoral focus of ODA for the breakdown of bilateral allocations, including ODA earmarked through the multilateral development system. Learn more about multilateral development finance.
In 2021, the Czech Republic’s bilateral spending increased compared to the previous year. It provided USD 88.5 million of gross bilateral ODA (which includes earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations). This represented an increase of 10.1% in real terms from 2020. In 2021, the Czech Republic focused most of its bilateral ODA on addressing the health, peace and poverty eradication goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.
In 2021, country programmable aid was 63.9% of the Czech Republic’s gross bilateral ODA, compared to a DAC country average of 45.2%. In-donor refugee costs were USD 6.4 million in 2021, an increase of 5.4% in real terms over 2020, and represented 7.3% of the Czech Republic’s gross bilateral ODA.
The Czech Republic disbursed USD 1.5 million for triangular co-operation in 2021. Its regional priority is Africa and Asia, with a focus on agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Learn more about triangular co-operation and specific projects at the OECD’s voluntary triangular co-operation project repository.
In 2021, the Czech Republic channelled bilateral ODA through public sector, CSOs and multilateral organisations as earmarked funding. Technical co-operation made up 3% of gross ODA in 2021.
Civil society organisations
In 2021, CSOs received USD 25 million of gross bilateral ODA. One per cent of gross bilateral ODA was allocated to CSOs as core contributions, and 27.3% was channelled through CSOs to implement projects initiated by the donor (earmarked funding). From 2020 to 2021, the combined core and earmarked contributions for CSOs decreased as a share of bilateral ODA, from 35.7% to 28.2%. Learn more about ODA allocations to and through CSOs, civil society engagement in development co-operation, and the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid.
In 2021, the Czech Republic’s bilateral ODA was primarily focused on Africa and Europe, in line with its geographic priorities. USD 24.4 million was allocated to Africa and USD 22.4 million to Europe, accounting respectively for 27.6% and 25.3% of gross bilateral ODA. USD 14.4 million (16.3%) was allocated to Asia (excluding the Middle East). Africa was also the main regional recipient of the Czech Republic’s earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations.
In 2021, 47.7% of gross bilateral ODA went to the Czech Republic’s top 10 recipients. Its top 10 recipients are priority countries, specific fragile countries where there is a temporary focus on stabilisation due to crises or part of regional programmes. The share of gross bilateral ODA that was not allocated by country was 20.2%, with 35.8% of this unallocated bilateral ODA spent on refugees in the donor country.
In 2021, the least developed countries (LDCs) received 22.9% of the Czech Republic’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 20.3 million). This is slightly higher than the DAC average of 22.9%. The Czech Republic allocated the highest share of gross bilateral ODA (36.7%) to lower middle-income countries in 2021, noting that 20.2% was unallocated by income group. The Czech Republic allocated 24.1% of gross bilateral ODA to land-locked developing countries in 2021, equal to USD 21.3 million. The Czech Republic allocated 0.6% of gross bilateral ODA to small island developing states (SIDS) in 2021, equal to USD 0.5 million.
Fragile contexts
Support to fragile contexts reached USD 28.6 million in 2021, representing 32.3% of the Czech Republic’s gross bilateral ODA. Thirty-five per cent of this ODA was provided in the form of humanitarian assistance, decreasing from 42.4% in 2020, while 8.8% was allocated to peace, increasing from 7.8% in 2020. Two per cent went to conflict prevention, a subset of contributions to peace, representing an increase from 1% in 2020.
Learn more about support to fragile contexts on the States of Fragility platform.
Sectors
In 2021, slightly more than half of the Czech Republic’s bilateral ODA was allocated to social infrastructure and services. Investments in this area accounted for 52.8% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 47.8 million), with a strong focus on support to health (USD 21.8 million), government and civil society (USD 9.9 million) and education (USD 7.1 million). ODA for economic infrastructure and services totalled 4.5% of bilateral ODA commitments (USD 4.1 million), focusing on business (USD 2.8 million), energy (USD 1.1 million) and transport and storage (USD 0.2 million). Bilateral humanitarian assistance amounted to USD 15.5 million (17.1% of bilateral ODA). In 2021, earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations focused on emergency response, health and government and civil society.
Gender equality
In 2020-21, the Czech Republic committed 38.3% of its screened bilateral allocable aid to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as either a principal or significant objective (up from 34.7% in 2018-19, compared with the 2020-21 DAC average of 44.4%). This is equal to USD 29 million of bilateral ODA in support of gender equality. The share of screened bilateral allocable aid committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment as a principal objective was 2.3% in 2020-21, compared with the DAC average of 4.5%. The Czech Republic includes gender equality objectives in 62.1% of its ODA for humanitarian aid, compared with the 2020-21 DAC average of 17.5%. The Czech Republic screens the majority of activities against the DAC gender equality policy marker (98.7% in 2020-21). Learn more about ODA focused on gender equality, the DAC Network on Gender Equality and the DAC Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation in Development Co-operation.
Environment
In 2020-21, the Czech Republic committed 22.5% of its total bilateral allocable aid (USD 17.3 million) in support of the environment and the Rio Conventions (DAC average of 34.3%), up from 21.1% in 2018-19. Unpacking the environmental data further:
Five per cent of screened bilateral allocable aid focused on environmental issues as a principal objective, compared with the DAC average of 11.3%.
Eleven per cent of total bilateral allocable aid (USD 8.3 million) focused on climate change overall (the DAC average was 29%), down from 11% in 2018-19. The Czech Republic had a greater focus on adaptation (8.2%) than on mitigation (5.2%) in 2020-21.
Six per cent of total bilateral allocable aid (USD 4.2 million) focused on biodiversity (compared with the DAC average of 6.5%), up from 4.4% in 2018-19.
Learn more about climate-related development finance and the DAC Declaration on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Committed USD 9.1 million (11.5% of its bilateral allocable aid) to promote aid for trade and improve developing countries’ trade performance and integration into the world economy in 2021.
Committed USD 7.1 million (8.9% of its bilateral allocable aid) to address the immediate or underlying determinants of malnutrition in developing countries across a variety of sectors, such as maternal health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) or agriculture.
Committed USD 8 million (10.1% of its bilateral allocable aid) to development co-operation projects and programmes that promote the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Regarding the payment of local tax and custom duties for ODA-funded goods and services, the Czech Republic sometimes seeks exemptions on its ODA-funded goods and services in partner countries and territories. It does not make information available on the OECD Digital Transparency Hub on the Tax Treatment of ODA.
The Czech Republic uses to some extent leveraging mechanisms to mobilise private finance for sustainable development. In 2021, the Czech Republic Development Agency mobilised USD 0.6 million from the private sector through simple co-financing.
In 2020-21, 58% of mobilised private finance by the Czech Republic targeted middle-income countries and 31.9% LDCs and other low-income countries (LICs), noting that 10% was unallocated by income. During the same period, the top beneficiary region of mobilised private finance by the Czech Republic was Asia (excluding the Middle East) (40.2% of the total).
Mobilised private finance by the Czech Republic in 2020-21 mainly benefited activities in the business & other services (41.2%), agriculture, forestry, fishing (20.8%) and water supply & sanitation (16.5%) sectors.
Learn more about the amounts mobilised from the private sector for development.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) mandate is to lead, co-ordinate and oversee the delivery of the Czech Republic’s official development assistance according to the 2010 Act on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid. The Czech Development Agency is a state organisation under the authority of the MFA. It implements bilateral country programmes and bilateral grants through calls for proposals. Operational guidance sets out a clear division of labour between the MFA and the Czech Development Agency, as well as the embassies, implementers and the Council for Development Cooperation.
The MFA and Czech Development Agency have about 60 staff working on development co-operation, about 80% of which are based in headquarters.
The Department of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid within the MFA consults with and reports on evaluations to the Council of Czech Development Cooperation – an interdepartmental co-ordination body. The council brings together government and external stakeholders and is tasked with overseeing the development co-operation strategy. CSOs active in development co-operation, humanitarian assistance and global citizenship education co-ordinate through the umbrella body FoRS – Czech Forum for Development Cooperation.
The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation monitoring exercise tracks the implementation of the effectiveness commitments. Following a reform of the exercise during 2020-22, the 4th global monitoring round (2023-26) has resumed. More detailed results for the Czech Republic based on the 2016 and 2018 Monitoring Rounds can be found here. Monitoring profiles for other providers are available here.
2019 OECD-DAC mid-term review of the Czech Republic: https://www.oecd.org/dac/peer-reviews/DAC-mid-term-Czech-Republic-2019.pdf
2016 OECD-DAC peer review of the Czech Republic: https://www.oecd.org/dac/oecd-development-co-operation-peer-reviews-czech-republic-2016-9789264264939-en.htm
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid: www.mzv.cz/aid
CzechAid: www.czechaid.cz/en
CSO platform FoRS – Czech Forum for Development Cooperation: www.fors.cz
The Czech Republic’s practices on the Development Co-operation TIPs: Tools Insights Practices learning platform: https://www.oecd.org/development-cooperation-learning?tag-key+partner=czech+republic#search
Member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee since 2013.
The methodological notes provide further details on the definitions and statistical methodologies applied, including the grant-equivalent methodology, core and earmarked contributions to multilateral organisations, country programmable aid, channels of delivery, bilateral ODA unspecified/unallocated, bilateral allocable aid, the gender equality policy marker, and the environment markers.
Notes
← 1. DAC members adopted the grant-equivalent methodology starting from their reporting of 2019 data as a more accurate way to count the donor effort in development loans. See the methodological notes for further details.
← 2. Non-grants include sovereign loans, multilateral loans, equity investment and loans to the private sector.