_block.webp)
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
Development cooperation aims to reduce poverty and inequality and improve people's living conditions. It brings together governments, civil society organisations, businesses and local communities to create opportunities for people to build better livelihoods and improve their well-being.
Development cooperation is based on the needs and knowledge of local people. For example, it helps communities adapt to climate change, adopt new agricultural practices and technologies, improve the quality of education, and learn to use and develop digital solutions. It also supports the protection of human rights and people's opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their communities.
The aim is to work with communities to develop sustainable solutions that continue to deliver benefits after funding ends. New skills and opportunities help people find employment and improve living conditions in their home communities, so they do not have to move elsewhere due to a lack of livelihood opportunities.
Humanitarian Aid
Humanitarian aid provides urgent assistance to people affected by war, natural disasters and other crises that threaten their lives, health or livelihoods. Its primary purpose is to save lives, alleviate suffering and ensure that people have access to basic necessities and can live with dignity.
Humanitarian assistance can take many forms, including food, clean drinking water, shelter, medical care and financial support that enables people to purchase essential goods and services. Aid is provided based on people's needs, regardless of their nationality, religion, political beliefs or other characteristics.
While humanitarian aid is often associated with immediate emergency relief, support may be needed for years in situations where crises persist. Humanitarian efforts also help communities prepare for future emergencies and strengthen their resilience.
How Is Aid Delivered?
Development cooperation and humanitarian aid involve financial support, the sharing of knowledge and skills, and material assistance. Support is generally delivered through either bilateral or multilateral cooperation.
In bilateral cooperation, Estonia provides support to a specific partner country, often working through civil society organisations, businesses or public sector institutions. Bilateral aid can also be channelled through international organisations when the funding is earmarked for a particular country or purpose.
In multilateral cooperation, Estonia contributes to the shared budgets and activities of international organisations. These organisations then distribute resources according to their mandates, priorities and the needs of the countries and communities they support.
What Is Official Development Assistance?
Official Development Assistance (ODA) refers to public funding provided to support economic development and improve the well-being of people in developing countries. It includes grants, concessional loans that meet specific eligibility criteria, and humanitarian assistance.
The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) establishes the international criteria for what qualifies as ODA and collects statistics to monitor and compare development assistance provided by donor countries.
Estonia's Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid
Estonia's development cooperation is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the needs of its partner countries. Drawing on its own experience, Estonia shares expertise in areas such as education, digital transformation, democracy and entrepreneurship.
Through development cooperation, Estonia shares its knowledge and experience in areas such as education, digital solutions, democracy and entrepreneurship.
Estonia's development cooperation focuses on Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia. In Georgia, Estonia supports civil society and independent media. In Africa, Estonia carries out development cooperation activities in Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda.
Humanitarian aid is not limited to development cooperation partner countries. It is provided according to the needs of people affected by crises.
Triple Nexus
The Triple Nexus, or the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, means that alongside helping people affected by crises, efforts also address the underlying causes of crises and seek long-term solutions.
For example, alongside distributing food aid, support may be provided to restore local agriculture and strengthen cooperation between communities in managing land and water resources to prevent future conflicts.
In this way, different activities complement one another: they alleviate immediate suffering, help people regain self-reliance and contribute to more sustainable peace.