Redefining ODA: what does it mean for peace?

The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) last week redefined what can be counted as Official Development Assistance (ODA) to include more peace and security related costs. While a greater focus on peace was needed, the new rules may risk undermining both the volume and impartiality of aid – resources that should be safeguarded to benefit the poorest, says Shelagh Daley.

Saferworld has long argued that peace and security are inextricably linked to development. This was most recently recognised in the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s Global Goals, which include a goal on peaceful societies. However, how ‘peace and security’ is defined – and whose interests are prioritised in the process – is extremely important in determining whether aid and other interventions actually lead to more peaceful, stable societies.