Malta’s first budget line for development co-operation was introduced in 2005. In 2003, Malta’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) constituted 0.12% of its gross national income (GNI), and this increased to 0.18% of GNI in 2004 and 2005, representing € 7 million. In line with its European Union (EU) commitments, Malta will strive to sustain its ODA efforts at or above this level.

Since 2003, the Development Policy Unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has held primary responsibility for Maltese development assistance. An Inter-Ministerial Committee, also set up in 2003, is chaired by the Development Policy Unit and briefs representatives from each ministry about the current issues in the field of development co-operation. Furthermore, a reporting system for ODA was recently implemented. The Development Policy Unit has given the ministries’ representatives specific guidelines about reporting expenditures as ODA. Furthermore, an advisory committee was set up in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, with the mission of evaluating NGO reports and monitoring aid effectiveness.

The Development Policy Unit is in the process of reviewing a national plan for delivering assistance to developing countries. This draft policy is being elaborated in collaboration with the Non-government Development Organisations Platform. Malta supports the Paris Declaration and recognises the importance of harmonisation and alignment for improving aid effectiveness. Greater importance is placed on maximising aid impact rather than striving for an actual increase in ODA.

In accordance with international commitments, poverty reduction is the main objective of Maltese development co-operation. Malta possesses comparative advantage in information and communications technology (ICT), particularly in e-governance. Other areas of comparative advantage include: education, health, water management (desalinisation), maritime law, research on ageing and capacity-building initiatives.

The selection criteria for the choice of priority countries are currently being decided. It is likely that future geographical areas of focus for Malta’s development assistance will be countries in the Horn of Africa, the Palestinian Territories and Sri Lanka.

In 2004, 3.32% of all Maltese ODA was allocated to bilateral assistance, compared to 1.9% in 2005. Aid from Malta has always been allocated on a one-off and ad hoc basis.

Malta’s multilateral aid is channelled mostly through the United Nations system and Commonwealth organisations.

There is no special focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV/AIDS, except the commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Maltese Non-government Development Organisations Platform, established in 2001, is the co-ordinating body of 10 non-government organisations (NGOs) involved in humanitarian and development aid projects. These include, amongst others, Kopin, SOS Malta, Third World Group, Fair Trade Cooperative, VLM, JRS and Share Foundation. So far, the Maltese government has not provided financial support to NGOs.

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Deborah Mangion, Development Policy Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malta.

The Maltese NGDO Platform