The Netherlands, The (Development Co-operation Review S.)

The Netherlands is traditionally a strong performer in the community of aid donors. It has been among the leading donors in volume of official development assistance (ODA) , the care with which it has been used, and in continuous efforts for increased effectiveness. In its triennial review of the Netherlands' aid policies and programmes, held on 1 October 1997, the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) was particularly interested in the Netherlands' ambitious, even daring, reorganisation of its development co-operation which was undertaken in 1996. This far-reaching reorganisation affects the budget process and staffing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies in recipient countries. The DAC also welcomed the planned focus of Dutch aid on poverty eradication through economic and social sector development and noted the four Dutch volume input targets. The trend in the Dutch ODA effort, which declined between 1986 and 1994 as a share of Dutch GNP ratio has turned around between 1994 and 1996. The Netherlands was the fourth-ranking DAC Member in terms of ODA/GNP ratio and the fifth-ranking in absolute terms in 1996. The Committee commended the Netherlands on its ODA performance and hoped that the Dutch Information and Awareness Programme would continue to help inform the Dutch public, which has registered firm support for Dutch aid.