The global pandemic of COVID-19, perhaps even more than previous crises, points to the validity of development cooperation as an expression of solidarity and the fulfillment of global goals, such as reducing poverty, inequalities and solving conflicts in the world. However, as shown by the position of the development platform Umbrella on the Government-approved Report on Development Cooperation of the Slovak Republic in the World: Slovakia is not fully utilizing its potential in solving global challenges and is still lagging behind in fulfilling international obligations.

In the current globalized world, even the population of the Slovak Republic can perceive more that we are affected by global challenges, such as climate change and related natural disasters, or war conflicts and related migration, or refugee status. The global pandemic of COVID-19 is an example of why we should be more interested in the fight against the coronavirus in, for example, India or Ukraine or the Balkans. Therefore, it is in our own interest that Slovakia responds to them correctly. Development cooperation is one of the tools to contribute to solving such global challenges.

On the last day of June, the Government of the Slovak Republic took note of two fundamental documents concerning the implementation and financing of Slovakia's foreign aid in the world. The 'Report on development cooperation of the Slovak Republic for 2020' was approved, as was the document 'The status of implementation of the recommendations resulting from the peer review of the OECD Committee for Development Assistance'. However, the representatives of the non-governmental sector, united in the Platform of Development Organizations - Ambrela (hereinafter referred to as Ambrela), draw attention to the fundamental shortcomings that the official development cooperation (ODA) of the Slovak Republic currently contains, thereby trying to improve its quality and efficiency for the coming years. And this also with regard to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development sector.

"Last year, Slovakia contributed EUR 124.49 million to official development cooperation, which represents 0.14% of GNI. We could present this as a success and the start of the trend of increasing expenditures on ODA of the Slovak Republic towards the commitment to reach the level of 0.33% of GNI by 2030. But behind this apparent increase is an increase in the mandatory contribution to the EU in the amount of EUR 7 million and, above all, debt forgiveness Serbia in the amount of 16 million euros, which, however, does not represent real help to the needy in the field," warns the executive secretary of Umbrella, Daniel Kaba. "The amount with which the Slovak Republic actually contributed - in the form of real aid in low-income countries - is thus only worth 107.3 million euros, which represents 0.12% of GNI. At this rate, the Slovak Republic will achieve its commitment to devote 0.33% of GNI to ODA in 2130. This is actually stagnation, which was already evident in previous years (with ODA expenditures worth 116 million euros in 2018 and 103 million euros in 2019)," states Kaba.

As one of the 40 richest countries in the world, the Slovak Republic has not come close to its international obligations. One of them is to dedicate an amount of 0.33% of our gross national income to the aforementioned foreign aid by 2030. In 2020, during the height of the corona crisis, Slovakia received help from the EU and its member countries, but it did not respond as quickly and sufficiently towards vulnerable people in low-income countries. On the contrary, the Slovak Republic only transferred 11 million euros from existing projects and programs to combat Covid-19 in the affected regions, which will be missing elsewhere," reminds Daniel Kaba from Umbrella.

In 2020, the goals in the strategic documents, such as the preparation of a humanitarian strategy, a more effective geographical focus of ODA SR, and others, were also not fulfilled. The amount in grant calls for the implementation of development projects, for which Slovak entities could apply, was reduced by almost 1 million euros from the originally planned amount of 5.6 million euros by the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For Slovak entities active in the field of development cooperation, this means the impossibility of implementing 5 to 6 high-quality development projects, while humanitarian or development interventions would be very necessary in war-torn Ethiopia or famine-stricken South Sudan.

How to improve the current system of official development cooperation of the Slovak Republic

Objections to the current system of Slovak official development aid can be summarized in a few points:

  • ODA of the Slovak Republic is not very solidary and does not fulfill international obligations sufficiently;
  • in the long term, it does not sufficiently build its own capacities (such as new jobs, necessary expertise, including development diplomacy);
  • it continues to apply that up to 95% of the total foreign aid of the Slovak Republic is 'outsourced', i.e. transferred to international institutions, and Slovak entities can only apply for 5% of the entire budget;
  • in this way, the visibility of the Slovak Republic and the SlovakAid brand is rather reduced;
  • low financial allocations and fragmentation of resources into too many geographical and other priorities has an impact on the sustainability and effectiveness of Slovak development aid.

Therefore, in an effort to help improve the Slovak official development aid system, the Platform of Development Organizations Ambrela proposes:

  • creation of a plan for fulfilling the obligations of the Slovak Republic resulting from the Program Statement of the Government and the recommendations of the OECD Committee for Development Assistance;
  • creation of a realistic plan to increase the SR budget for development cooperation as early as 2022;
  • a fundamental change in the internal redistribution of the overall budget for ODA so that the Slovak Republic builds its national capacities more and 'outsources' finances to international organizations less, taking into account the principle from the 2030 Agenda for the fulfillment of the Global Goals: 'leaving no one behind' and value for money.

"When Slovakia effectively utilizes the potential that exists thanks to the humanitarian and development organizations of Umbrella, it can participate more responsibly in solving global challenges affecting life not only in remote corners of the world, but also at home. At the same time, it will contribute to improving its reputation and visibility as a solidary actor in the international environment," concludes Daniel Kaba for the non-governmental sector, affiliated to the Platform of Development Organizations - Umbrella.

Text and photo: Umbrella.org