Botswana: Net ODA received (% of central government expense)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Botswana's net ODA received (% of central government expense) rose 4.36 percentage points on 2022 (from 1.78% to 6.13%).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2022), the average change was −0.43 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.48 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 15.66 percentage points in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.73 percentage points in 2009. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 19% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Botswana had the 22nd highest value of the 46 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Botswana in the 2023 ranking

• Papua New Guinea — 19th of 46: 11.03%
• Kenya — 20th of 46: 8.67%
• North Macedonia — 21st of 46: 7.83%
• Albania — 23rd of 46: 6.04%
• Namibia — 24th of 46: 6%
• Sri Lanka — 25th of 46: 5.46%

What this measures

Net official development assistance (ODA) consists of disbursements of loans made on concessional terms (net of repayments of principal) and grants by official agencies of the members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), by multilateral institutions, and by non-DAC countries to promote economic development and welfare in countries and territories in the DAC list of ODA recipients. It includes loans with a grant element of at least 25 percent (calculated at a rate of discount of 10 percent).

Limitations: Data on ODA is for aid-receiving countries. The data cover loans and grants from DAC member countries, multilateral organizations, and non-DAC donors. They do not reflect aid given by recipient countries to other developing countries. As a result, some countries that are net donors are shown as aid recipients. The indicator does not distinguish types of aid (program, project, or food aid; emergency assistance; or post-conflict peacekeeping assistance), which may have different effects on the economy. Ratio of aid to central government expense provides measures of recipient country's dependency on aid. But care must be taken in drawing policy conclusions.

All 25 values

Net ODA received (% of central government expense) in nearby economies

• Angola — 0.19% (2019)
• Burkina Faso — 36.5% (2023)
• Burundi — 145.28% (2021)
• Cabo Verde — 28.31% (2020)
• Cameroon — 20.43% (2021)
• Central African Republic — 224.99% (2021)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 37.53% (2022)
• Congo, Rep. — 8.59% (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire — 16.45% (2023)

More economic policy & debt data for Botswana

• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$6.27 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 84.72 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 31.48% (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$9.12 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 123.17 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 45.77% (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$15.4 billion (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 207.88 billion (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Botswana's net ODA received (% of central government expense)?

6.13% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is down 8.22 percentage points from 14.36% in 1990. The highest value was 18.85% in 2008 and the lowest 1.41% in 2019.

How does Botswana rank?

22nd highest of 46 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in net ODA received (% of central government expense) unusual for Botswana?

In 2023, Botswana's net ODA received (% of central government expense) rose 4.36 percentage points on 2022 (from 1.78% to 6.13%). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2022), the average change was −0.43 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.48 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.ODA.ODAT.XP.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Development Assistance Committee, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), uri: www.oecd.org/dac/stats/idsonline; Geographical Distribution of Financial Flows to Developing Countries, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), uri: www.oecd.org/dac/stats/ids… Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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