Spain’s official development assistance (ODA) is managed mainly by four ministries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAEC) plays a central role in managing Spain’s ODA. Within MAEC, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation is the primary agency responsible for implementing Spain’s international development cooperation policy, focusing on areas such as gender equality, climate change, and sustainable development. The General Directorate for Sustainable Development Policies within MAEC sets the strategic direction and priorities for Spain’s development cooperation efforts. Spain joined ADB in 1986.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business manages Spain’s relations with international financial institutions and regional development banks, including financial contributions. It also oversees Spain’s foreign debt operations. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration is responsible for managing ODA related to refugees and asylum seekers in Spain. In addition, the Ministry of Finance channels Spain’s mandatory contributions to the European Union.
The new Law for Sustainable Development Cooperation and Global Solidarity, approved in February 2023, aims to make Spain’s cooperation more inclusive, efficient, and transparent, emphasizing the importance of women’s equality, climate change mitigation, and digitalization in development efforts. The Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity 2024–2027 outlines Spain’s development cooperation objectives, focusing on human rights, inclusive and sustainable development, and feminist cooperation.
In 2024, Spain contributed $3.1 million to the Spanish Cooperation Fund for Technical Assistance.
Since becoming a member in 1986, Spain has committed $518.7 million to special funds, of which $492.6 million is for the Asian Development Fund (ADF). The ADF provides grants to ADB’s low-income, developing member countries to promote poverty reduction and improvements in the quality of life.
Latest Spanish Cooperation News: A Push Toward Global Development
18 December 2024
ADB–Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) welcomed a distinguished delegation from the Spanish Government led by Miguel Utray, Ambassador of Spain to the Philippines, and Fernando Jimenez-Ontiveros, Director for Multilateral, Horizontal and Financial Cooperation of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.
23 September 2024
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres and top UN officials met with the Heads of Multilateral Development Bank Group on Sunday in a joint effort to better support countries in accelerating progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
3 May 2024
Donors and ADB have agreed to a replenishment of $5 billion for ADB’s Asian Development Fund 14 and Technical Assistance Special Fund 8. The commitment was made during ADB’s 57th Annual Meeting.
This video highlights key climate-resilient infrastructure work of the Cities Development Initiative for Asia, as well as its progress toward bringing a more sustainable and resilient future to secondary cities in Asia and the Pacific.
The Cities Development Initiative for Asia helps secondary cities in Asia and the Pacific to strengthen their resilience to climate change through the preparation of feasible and bankable infrastructure projects.
The Cities Development Initiative for Asia works with city leaders, funders, and other stakeholders to help prepare sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects for the benefit of millions of people in the Asia-Pacific cities.
ADB supported Sri Lanka’s bid to increase the use of solar power and other renewable energy sources in providing electricity to the whole country and meet its commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
In Nepal, the Spain-supported Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project has helped put thousands of children back to schools, returned vital government services and infrastructure to earthquake-affected communities, and created jobs and income through employment in rebuilding critical road networks.
The Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) has partnered with 127 cities across Asia and the Pacific to prepare infrastructure projects and link them with funding agencies. Learn how the CDIA has contributed to making these projects more inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable.
The Water Financing Partnership Facility was established in November 2006 to support ADB’s Water Program 2006–2020. The program aimed to boost investment in the water sector in Asia and the Pacific, accelerate policy and institutional reforms, and build the capacity of water sector organizations.
ADB and Spain collaborated on several knowledge products and events including the following:
This mid-year report presents the progress made from January to June 2024, specifically under the related trust funds, namely, the Urban Resilience Trust Fund, the Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund, the Urban Environmental Infrastructure Fund, the Cities Development Initiative for Asia Trust Fund, and the ASEAN Australia Smart Cities Trust Fund.
Active trust funds are those a) with ongoing projects; or b) with no active projects but have remaining funds.
Spain contributes to ADB’s development initiatives through two key avenues: Cofinancing and Special Funds.
Nonsovereign Cofinancing. The Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) supported over 6,350 transactions valued at $2.6 billion with banks domiciled in Spain from inception to December 2023. During the same period, the TSCFP supported over 320 Spanish exports and/or imports valued at $105 million. In 2023 alone, the TSCFP supported 829 transactions valued at $460 million with banks domiciled in Spain and supported 26 Spanish exports and/or imports valued at $10.5 million. Exports and/or imports were mainly to or from Pakistan, Viet Nam, and Bangladesh. Underlying goods involved mostly raw and non-energy commodities, food and agriculture-related goods, as well as industrial machinery and capital goods.
