In this article, we take a look at 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of UNDP funding, you can directly go to the 5 Countries that Receive the Most Aid From UNDP.
Understanding UNDP Aid
The United Nations Development Programme offers aid to respond to several needs, which include tackling development challenges such as eradicating poverty, providing emergency relief during natural disasters, and supporting countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. According to the 2022 UNDP Funding Compendium, the agency’s strategic plan from 2022-2025 includes lifting 100 million people from multidimensional poverty, providing clean energy to 500 million people, and aligning $1 trillion for the SDGs. You can also look at the 30 countries that receive the most foreign aid from the US.
The aid flows into UNDP as voluntary contributions from member states, private sector organizations, multilateral organizations, and other sources. The contributors can either offer unrestricted regular funding (regular resources or core funding) or choose to aid a particular development project or cause. Through help from its funding partners, UNDP managed to deliver $4.8 billion in aid in 2022, meeting 95% of its planned targets. In total, UNDP received contributions of $4.9 billion in 2022. Within this, $591 million was for regular resources, whereas $4.3 billion was toward other resources earmarked for specific themes or projects. 41% of this total amount, $2 billion, came from donor country governments. 35%, or $1.7 billion, was donated by multilateral partners. The remaining 24%, or $1.2 billion, came from program country governments. Overall, UNDP saw a 7% decrease in annual contributions from 2021 to 2022.
Aid in Numbers - 2022
While the overall annual contributions decreased, UNDP also saw some positive milestones during 2022. The agency recorded a 42% increase in its four funding windows, having received $119 million for them in 2022. UNDP’s funding windows are poverty, climate, governance, and gender equality. Germany was the biggest contributor to funding windows, donating $42 million to climate and $14.1 million to governance.
The aid delivery of $4.8 billion was also the highest recorded to date. Six countries signed new multi-year pledges to contribute regular resources, including Switzerland, Sweden, and New Zealand. Furthermore, ten partners, including the United States, Japan, Norway, and Austria, increased their regular resource contributions. You can also check out the 25 countries that gave the most foreign aid in 2023.
In 2022, UNDP’s most significant donor country resource partners were Japan, Germany, and Argentina, who donated $389 million, $385 million, and $295 million, respectively. The biggest resource partner overall was the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), which donated $461 million in 2022. Due to the ongoing crises in countries like Ukraine, Yemen, and South Sudan, they were some of the largest receivers of other resources from the UNDP in 2022. You can also take a look at countries that have provided the highest military aid to Ukraine.
Private Sector Contributors
In 2022, private sector companies, NGOs, foundations, and academic institutions contributed a total of $64 million to UNDP, which was a 7% increase from 2021. More than half of this amount, $38 million, came from the top ten contributors, which included companies such as The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930). In total, private sector companies contributed the biggest chunk of this $64 million, donating $33 million in the year. The second largest contribution segment was of foundations, which collectively donated around $25 million.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930) donated $3 million to UNDP in 2022, according to the UN agency’s official compendium. However, the company’s partnership with this particular UN agency dates back to 2019. Back then, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930) and UNDP partnered to create the Samsung Global Goals App, which informs people about the Global Goals and urges them to take action. Since then, nearly 300 million Galaxy devices have installed the app. Furthermore, it has also enabled the Galaxy user community to generate $10 million in donations for UNDP. People have the option to use the app to donate an amount of their preference to any of the 17 SDGs. For each donation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930) doubles the amount with an equal donation from the company.
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) donated $2 million to UNDP in 2022, but it has donated even larger amounts in the past. In 2020, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) Foundation donated almost $120 million and partnered with UNDP to improve the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the ventures in this partnership was to supply emergency medical equipment in Armenia, as asked by the local government. In 2022, UNDP announced that the Foundation would partner up with it to supply drinking water to residents of Khilol Makhalla in Uzbekistan. The Foundation has been working with UNDP in Uzbekistan for more than twelve years, during which time they have worked on water shortage issues and financial empowerment for women.
There’s a reason that billions of dollars in aid flow into agencies such as UNDP each year. Countries around the globe rely on this funding in order to solve the several development challenges they have been facing. Based on this context, here are 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP for their local development needs.
30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid From UNDP
30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid From UNDP
Our Methodology
In order to curate this list of 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP, we consulted the World Bank dataset for net official flows from UNDP in 2022. The net official flows refer to the gross disbursements of any grants and loans offered to a particular country in a year, minus any repayments of earlier loans. The countries are organized in ascending order of aid received. Further information for each country has been added from UNDP’s official website and reports. Based on this methodology, here are 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP:
30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid from UNDP
30. Gambia
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $4,832,682
The UNDP has several programs in Gambia that are working to enhance democratic governance, the rule of law, private sector development, and justice. The agency is also working to improve early-warning climate systems in the country, which currently cover only 50% of national territory.
29. Benin
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $4,839,183
In 2022, Benin had a net official flow of $4.8 million from the UNDP. One of the agency’s ventures in the country included organizing youth training on circular economy so that young individuals could be educated on increasing entrepreneurial and technical capacity in poultry farming and aquaculture.
28. Nigeria
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $5,264,263
Nigeria is one of the nine countries supported by the UNDP Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative, which enables countries to implement digital anti-corruption solutions in public service delivery. The agency is also aiding stabilization in the area through the Lake Chad Regional Stabilization Facility.
27. Haiti
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $5,670,918
Haiti is one of the countries that receive the most aid from UNDP, having a net official flow of $5.6 million in 2022. Haiti is one of the countries that UNDP supports through its Rule of Law and Human Rights Global Programme. Under this initiative, the agency delivers technical and financial support to Legal Assistance Offices (LAOs) to aid them in the provision of legal services.
26. Bangladesh
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $5,939,234
At COP28 in 2023, UNDP Bangladesh won the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) Award for its Local Government Initiative on Climate Change (LoGIC) Project. Bangladesh is one of the countries that receive the most aid from UNDP.
25. Rwanda
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,025,703
The justice sector in Rwanda is one of the world’s public service delivery systems that receives support from UNDP’s Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative. In 2022, Rwanda had a net official flow of $6 million from UNDP.
24. Sierra Leone
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,284,543
Sierra Leona ranks 25th on our list of countries receiving the most UNDP aid. In 2022, the country had a net official flow of $6.2 million from the UNDP.
23. Nepal
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,597,065
Nepal received disaster management support from the UNDP after the earthquakes of both 2015 and 2023. The agency aided the country in rebuilding infrastructure and improving disaster risk management.
22. Zimbabwe
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,757,430
In 2022, the UNDP worked on several projects in Zimbabwe, including the Anti-Retroviral Treatment Programme for HIV, the Solar for Health initiative, and the creation of green job opportunities.
21. Tanzania
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,967,607
UNDP currently has 37 open projects in Tanzania, which are being funded by a total of 18 donors. Within the SDGs, SDG 15 (Life on Land) has the highest budget allocation, amounting to $1.97 million. Tanzania is one of the countries receiving the highest aid from UNDP.
20. Liberia
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,030,863
The UNDP has several ongoing projects in Liberia, working to provide electoral support, fiscal decentralization, advocacy against gender-based violence, reduction in prison overcrowding, and environmental management.
19. Burkina Faso
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,102,292
Burkina Faso is one of the countries UNDP supports through its Regional Stabilization Facility in Liptako Gourma. These facilities provide support to vulnerable groups such as internally displaced individuals.
18. Togo
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,121,179
Togo is one of the countries where villages are benefitting from the GEF Small Grants Programme, which installs solar systems and trains students to become solar technicians. With a net official flow of $7.1 million, Togo is one of the countries receiving the most UNDP aid.
17. Chad
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,131,575
The Lake Chad Regional Stabilization Facility began in 2019, with Chad being one of the countries it supports. In 2022, Chad had a total net official flow of $7.13 million from the UNDP.
16. Uganda
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,339,811
UNDP’s Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative supports environmental resource management in Uganda, which is one of the nine countries that are a part of this program. With 78% of Uganda’s population being under 30, UNDP is also running several youth development initiatives in the country, including training and job opportunities.
15. Yemen
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,419,036
Since 2021, UNDP has benefitted around 205,000 Yemeni residents with its legal empowerment, community safety, gender justice, and detainee protection initiatives. On February 1, 2024, the UN launched a $2.7 billion donation appeal, which is the money it will require to support the millions of Yemenis affected by war and conflict.
14. Sudan
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,504,510
A recent study from UNDP emphasizes the looming food insecurity in Sudan. The report was released on April 10, 2024, and elaborated that 59% of rural households were facing moderate or severe food insecurity in Sudan. Sudan's net official flow from the UNDP was $7.5 million in 2022.
13. Central African Republic
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,797,839
Central African Republic ranks 14th on our list of countries that receive the most aid from UNDP. In 2022, the country had a net official flow of $7.7 million from the UN agency.
12. Guinea
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,930,337
Guinea is one of the countries that receives a high volume of aid from UNDP. In 2022, the country had a net official flow of $7.9 million from the agency, which ranks it 13th on our list.
11. Madagascar
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $9,263,237
The UNDP is working on several specialized projects in Madagascar. One example is the project to phase out mercury from industrial plants by reducing mercury-containing devices and emissions. The agency has also contributed to advancing the country's healthcare waste management system.
10. Niger
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $9,517,628
UNDP supports Niger through both of its Regional Stabilization Facilities, in Lake Chad and Liptako Gourma. Niger is one of the countries that receive the most aid from UNDP, ranking tenth on our list.
9. Mali
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $9,672,414
UNDP is helping local agencies in Mali protect 21,000 hectares of land that has been degraded due to armed conflict. This initiative restores land productivity, helping all those whose livelihoods have been impacted due to years of fighting.
8. Mozambique
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $11,386,345
Mozambique is one of the countries where UNDP has utilized eMonitor+, its AI-powered digital system. The system has been used to track online violence against women in politics. Mozambique is one of the countries receiving a high influx of aid from UNDP.
7. Burundi
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $11,857,215
UNDP has been addressing gender-based violence in Burundi by establishing centers for survivors of gender-based violence, as well as rapid response systems for the protection of women.
6. Democratic Republic of Congo
Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $12,170,304
Along with Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of two countries where the justice sector is being supported by UNDP’s Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative. With a net official flow of $12 million from UNDP in 2022, DRC ranks sixth on our list of countries that receive the most aid from UNDP.
