According to preliminary data, the Czech Republic provided over 20 billion Czech koruna in official development assistance last year. This increased by 12 billion koruna from the previous year and was caused by contributions to Ukraine. Of the 20.86 billion koruna provided, almost 14 billion was used to provide income and temporary protection to refugees from Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also spent 193 million koruna on 27 humanitarian aid projects, including six projects to help Ukrainian refugees in Moldova and support essential services.
In addition to the aid provided to Ukraine, the Czech Republic supported six priority countries for development cooperation, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Georgia, Cambodia, Moldova, and Zambia. The Czech Development Agency spent 313.2 million koruna on projects in these countries, focusing on sustainable resource management, public administration, economic growth, agriculture and rural development, and inclusive social development.
Despite the significant increase in aid volume, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that the country’s limited and stagnating, or even declining, financing remains the most pressing problem for Czech development efforts. The ministry noted that the preliminary results of official development assistance show only a one-time fund increase due to the inclusion of finances spent on Ukrainian refugees. The ministry also highlighted the need for continued international cooperation and evaluation to ensure effective aid delivery.
The war in Ukraine has resulted in extraordinary humanitarian aid costs and global impacts, particularly in food security. However, the Czech Republic’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of last year provided an opportunity to address these challenges.
The Czech government also approved a Program of Humanitarian, Stabilization, Reconstruction, and Economic Assistance to Ukraine from 2023 to 2025, with an annual allocation of half a billion koruna. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for more than half of the funds, while other administrators include the interior, industry and trade, education, and health ministries.