Slovenia was until recently a recipient of Official Development Assistance (ODA). However, with its accession to the European Union (EU), Slovenia became a full partner among European development policy decision-makers and practitioners. At the end of 2004, through graduation to the World Bank, Slovenia officially became a donor country and thus assumed the internationally recognised standards for the provision of ODA, as set by the OECD.

Slovenia is fully committed to the overriding purpose of international development co-operation, the reduction of poverty through sustainable economic and social development, and to international standards and objectives such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In 2005, Slovenia allocated to ODA almost 0.11% of its gross national income (GNI), a sum of € 28 million. Together with other new EU Member States, it will endeavour to allocate 0.17% of its GNI to ODA by 2010, and 0.33% by 2015.

In 2002, the government established the Office for International Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in 2004 became the Division of International Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance. The Head of Department is at the same time the national co-ordinator and chairs the inter-ministerial working group for international development co-operation and humanitarian assistance, which is charged with the responsibility of overseeing and co-ordinating Slovenia’s decentralised international development co-operation programme.

A range of ministries is engaged in international co-operation in Slovenia. The Department for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid is the main body in charge of questions related to Slovenian ODA. Other ministries may also manage international assistance projects, partially or entirely. Since there is no specific budget line for development co-operation, activities are funded from the budgetary headings of the various ministries. Aid projects are approved by the government, while the Department of International Development co-ordinates most of Slovenia’s international development assistance, including the planning and allocation of funds.

At its session on 23 June 2006, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Act on International Development Co-operation, which systemically regulates this domain, taking into account Slovenia’s development objectives. The act set the following priorities and objectives for development co-operation:

• the fight against poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS and malaria;
• reduction of the infant and child mortality rate;
• achieving sustainable development in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states; and
• strengthening bilateral and multilateral co-operation with underdeveloped states.

The act makes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for the co-ordination of development cooperation activities, and an ‘Expert Task Force’ has been established to assist the ministry in devising a strategy for development co-operation. It is composed of representatives of ministries, faculties, non-government organisations (NGOs), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other relevant institutions, and will serve as a consultative body.

Slovenia will assume the Presidency of the EU in January 2008. In co-operation with Germany and Portugal, Slovenia has outlined the following common Presidency priorities: the implementation of the European Consensus on Development; the strengthening of the Policy Coherence for Development; and integration of the ACP countries into the global economy (through the mechanisms of the Cotonou Agreement, the Economic Partnership Agreements and the Aid for Trade commitments). Furthermore, the three Presidencies are going to address issues of global relevance, such as energy, climate change, sustainable development, the situation of victims in armed conflicts, migration and gender equality. Slovenia's activities will focus on the issue of children and women in armed conflicts.

About 36% of Slovenia’s ODA goes into bilateral assistance; in 2005 this was € 10.4 million. Slovenia concentrates its bilateral development activities in areas in which it has demonstrated abilities and advantages. With the experience Slovenia gained as an EU candidate country, it intends to support countries which are at the beginning of this process. Slovenia’s assistance is concentrated in the following areas:

• EU standards and accession to the EU, including business reform, privatisation, macroeconomic management, public administration improvement and reform;
• Trade, investment, financial institution capacity building;
• Environmental sustainability, especially integrated environmental planning and management, and agricultural and forestry management and the adoption of EU standards;
• Rehabilitation of mine-affected areas;
• Social services and protection, including the treatment of war-affected children;
• Post-secondary education for citizens of recipient countries.

In the future, Slovenia will reinforce its engagement in the development of social sectors and social services with an emphasis on institution building and capacity building.  

A prevailing percentage of bilateral assistance goes to the western Balkans in the form of technical training and institution building. Slovenia’s main partners are the countries of south-eastern Europe, which are gradually approaching EU membership: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Moldova. Slovenia also co-operates with Croatia and Ukraine on the basis of mutually beneficial projects. In future Slovenia also aims to co-finance projects which are planned or carried out by Slovenian development NGOs and scientific organisations in Madagascar, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Uganda and Malawi.

Programmes and projects are implemented by the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF), the Centre of Excellence in Finance, Foundation Together, and, in 2006, by the Centre for European Perspective. Furthermore, Slovenia concluded bilateral agreements with countries from the region (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, and Montenegro).

Slovenian aid is mainly disbursed in the form of grants, although the possibility of providing loans also exists.

In 2005, € 17.9 million was channelled through multilateral organisations. A prevailing percentage is channelled through the EU for joint development assistance programmes. Slovenia's participation in those programmes is € 13.2 million. Additionally, Slovenia will allocate € 40.8 million to the 10th European Development Fund in the period 2008–2013.
Slovenia is particularly active in multilateral frameworks that support human security activities, especially UNICEF, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the Human Security Network, the UN Commission for Human Rights, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In addition, other United Nations (UN) agencies, programmes and activities, such as the UNDP, UNFPA, peacekeeping operations, the Global Fund for the Environment, and the World Health Organization (WHO) received contributions. Slovenia’s multilateral assistance is channelled to south-eastern Europe as a priority region.

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Slovenian authorities increasingly co-operate with NGOs. Sloga, the Slovenian NGO platform, plays an important role in the process of the protection of children's rights, well-being and recovery after armed conflicts. Various summer camps for children and young people affected by armed conflicts have been organised by the Red Cross, in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in recent years. NGOs are also actively involved in the drawing up of the strategy for Slovenia's development co-operation. A representative of the Slovenian NGO platform is a permanent member of the Expert Task Force, the consultative body on development co-operation matters. NGOs have an important role in raising awareness of development issues. Seminars and round tables about cultural differences, shortages of the underdeveloped countries, and various co-operation programmes are being organised to improve people's knowledge of these issues.

NGOs are an important component in the Slovenian development co-operation system and are estimated to implement between 8% and 15% of ODA. Around 10 Slovenian NGOs are active in development co-operation.

However, currently, Slovenia does not possess a formal co-operation scheme that funds the development assistance activities of NGOs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports NGO projects on an ad hoc basis. If support is needed from NGOs, the ministry selects and contacts its envisaged partner without using a standard procedure. Also, NGOs are invited to bid for development project contracts set by the ministry, and may also propose projects for ministry financing.

Assistance to Africa will be launched through co-financing projects implemented by Slovenian NGOs and supporting scientific and academic organisations in Madagascar, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Malawi and others.

If interested, please, contact:

Urška Potočnik

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

Division for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance

Presernova 25

1000 Ljubljana

Phone: +386-1-478 1255

Email: Urska.Potocnik@gov.si

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The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Slovenian International Development Cooperation 2002–2004, December 2005

Urška Potočnik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Division for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance