Development Partners Snapshot:

SAUDI ARABIA

 

 

COUNTRY CONTEXT


Development policy:

Development co-operation institutions:

Saudi Arabia is currently working to deliver a national development co-operation strategy, aligned with the country’s Vision 2030 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Until the strategy is agreed, all key development co-operation actors in the country, notably the Saudi Fund and KSRelief, continue to provide development co-operation. These actors deliver their aid bilaterally, although Saudi Arabia is engaged in the multilateral development system as well, including through the Islamic Development Bank, United Nations (UN) organisations and the World Bank.

KEY GOVERNMENT ENTITY ON DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION


 

ODA TRENDS

 

Saudi Arabia provided USD 2.1 billion of ODA in 2021, representing 0.30% of GNI. This was an increase of 10.22% in real terms in volume and an increase in the share of GNI from 2020. Of Saudi Arabia’s 2020 ODA, 66.61% was provided in the form of grants and 33.39% in the form of non-grants. The Saudi Fund for Development provides soft loans, which are not geographically restricted, and deals directly with the governments of developing countries to finance priority development projects. Humanitarian assistance forms an important part of Saudi Arabia’s overall aid, and is managed by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief). 

 

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In 2020, Saudi Arabia’s bilateral ODA was primarily focused on the Middle East and Africa. In 2020, least developed countries received 42.0% of Saudi Arabia’s gross bilateral ODA (USD 798.2 million) and support to fragile contexts reached USD 864.7 million in 2020, representing 45.5% of Saudi Arabia’s gross bilateral ODA. In 2020, almost half of all of Saudi Arabia’s bilateral ODA was allocated to social infrastructure and services.  

Saudi Arabia is a participant in the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). The country is reporting to the OECD since 1966 and reporting activity-level data since 2018. Observed a DAC statistical review and a DAC peer review in 2018.