ODA Spending

How much ODA does the EUI allocate to global health?

EU development spending for global health shrank in 2023 from a peak of US$1.9 billion in 2021 as post-pandemic health spending decreased as the war in Ukraine and other challenges emerged and COVID-19 response became less prominent.

How do the EUI allocate global health ODA?

Bilateral Spending

99% of EUI funding for health in 2023 was channeled bilaterally.

Projects related to infectious disease control, basic nutrition, and basic healthcare received the largest shares of the EUI’s bilateral health ODA in 2023. Funding for projects related to COVID-19 control decreased by 300% between 2021 and 2022; while funding for projects related to infectious disease control remained stable.

Multilateral Spending and Commitments

See the table below for a summary of the EUI’s recent multilateral pledges.

Funding and Policy Outlook

What is the EUI's current outlook on global health ODA?

Health ODA allocations increased significantly in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Because of COVID-19, the EUI has reached its goal of spending at least 20% of the NDICI – Global Europe budget on human development. Approximately 10% is meant to go to education, leaving around 10% for other components of human development, including health and social protection. In addition to the EUI’s funding for global health, the current MFF also has a EUR5.1 billion ( US$6 billion) EU4Health program (2021-2027) of which a maximum of 12.5% of funding will go toward global health initiatives. In February 2024, the EU decided to cut EUR1 billion (US$1.1 billion), 50% of the remaining EU4Health budget to fund more salient priorities, including Ukraine and migration.

In 2022, the European Commission launched the new EU Global Health Strategy, offering a framework for EU health policies leading up to 2030. The strategy builds on the previous strategy from 2010 and aims to expand the EU's international leadership role in global health. It confirms the EU’s support for global health multilaterals, including the WHO, Gavi, and the Global Fund. The three main priorities of the strategy are:

• Delivering better health and well-being of people across the life course;
• Strengthening health systems and advancing universal health coverage; and
• Preventing and combatting health threats, including pandemics, applying a 'One Health' approach

The Strategy has no dedicated budget.

Key Bodies