Norwegian aid at a record high in 2023

According to figures from Norway’s official aid statistics, which Norad presented on Tuesday, Norway gave NOK 58.6 billion to aid and development in 2023. This amounts to 1.09 per cent of the country’s gross national income (GNI).

That is 9 billion more than in 2022, and Norwegian aid increased in all regions last year.

More to war and conflict

More of the aid money now goes to countries in war and conflict than before, Norad states. The five countries that receive the most, Ukraine, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia are all heavily affected by war.

– Crises, wars and conflicts affect how we use the aid money. When more and more goes to emergency aid and firefighting, we run the risk of this going beyond the longer-term effort, says Norad director Bård Vegar Solhjell.

Africa receives the most

Aid to Europe is increasing the most, largely due to the Nansen program for Ukraine and Moldova, which is the largest Norwegian aid program ever. Aid to the Middle East is also at the highest level it has been with an increase of 1 billion, which consisted almost exclusively of emergency aid.

Nevertheless, it is still the case that Africa is the largest recipient of Norwegian aid.

– In a number of African countries, we see that several crises strike at the same time and lead to major humanitarian needs. The number of conflicts has almost doubled from 2010 to 2023. We also know that poverty is the seed of conflict – and that conflict leads to more people living in poverty. The need for aid is enormous, says Solhjell.

Only country that reached the target

Norway is the only country in the OECD cooperation that managed to achieve the target of spending more than one percent of GNI. Development Minister Anne Beathe Tvinnereim (Sp) says she is proud that Norway is able to stand up for Ukraine, and at the same time increase aid to other countries.

– At the same time, the needs are growing so quickly that we have to get other donors and the private business community on board if we are to be able to meet the challenges the world is facing. That is why Norway contributed to several funds and schemes to stimulate precisely this, says Tvinnereim in a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.