Jersey aid budget moves closer to world average

Members of Jersey Overseas Aid helped in a number of projects during 2023

The amount of money spent on overseas aid by Jersey has increased but is still below the international average, according to new figures.

Jersey Overseas Aid's (JOA) annual report for 2023 said 0.28% of the island's Gross Value Added (GVA), the value of Jersey's annual economic activity, went towards overseas aid.

This was an increase from 0.27% in 2022, 0.26% in 2021, 0.25% in 2020 and 0.21% in 2019, with further increases forecast in 2024 and 2025, the report said.

It said the OECD average was 0.37% in 2023, while the target set by the United Nations was for 0.7% of GVA to be spent on development assistance.

'World class team'

International Development Minister Deputy Carolyn Labey, who is also the chairwoman of the JOA, said inching closer to the OECD average had helped contribute to a "great year" for the agency.

"JOA's employees are the engine room of our success," she said.

"Over the past few years we have assembled a world class team of development, operations and finance professionals, who ensure that we fund only the best projects, manage our grants efficiently, measure the impact of our work and know where every pound goes."

The JOA said since 2021 its budget had been formally tied to Jersey's GVA, meaning its funding was proportionate to the economy.

According to the report, JOA spent £17,336,816 in total during the year up to December 2023.

This included £9,423,987 on international development projects and £4,441,652 on emergency and humanitarian aid.