Aid data, impact, and the Sustainable Development Goals

Transparency of data and other information on development and humanitarian assistance helps stakeholders understand where aid is provided, for what purpose, how it is delivered, and what results it achieves. Transparency also promotes collaboration among aid donors and implementers and ensures accountability to citizens of both donor and partner countries.

With the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) just six years away, many assessments show these global goals off track. Improved transparency in aid and development data has led to tools that assess progress, identify gaps, and highlight where more effort is needed. How can aid and development data meet information needs for assessing and directing SDG efforts? Specifically, how can this data inform decisions about SDG 2 and emergency food needs? How do donor agencies use aid and development data to understand their own and others’ programs, including results and evaluations? What information do countries need for SDGs, what do they currently use, and what is still required?

On Tuesday, July 16, the Center for Sustainable Development at Brookings hosted the release of the 2024 Aid Transparency Index in partnership with Publish What You Fund (PWYF). This event examined the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP’S) SDG dashboard, and country statistical data as three essential tools that, when combined, can help countries, donors, and citizens better focus their efforts. The event began with an introduction by George Ingram, senior fellow at the Global Economy and Development program2, followed by presentations  by PWYF Chief Executive Officer Gary Forster, and by UNDP’s Director of SDG Integration, Laurel Patterson, and a panel with representatives from the development community who discussed the Index findings.

Viewers submitted questions via [email protected] or by using the hashtag #2024Index on X (formerly known as Twitter).