Statement by Angel Gurría - 103rd Meeting of the Development Committee - Global Crisis: Unequal Shot at Recovery - How Development Co-Operation Can Support a Strong, Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Recovery

Jul 19, 2026

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Statement by Angel Gurría to the 103rd virtual Meeting of the Development Committee addresses how the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified global economic and social divisions and exposed major weaknesses in development systems. The text highlights the scale of poverty and hunger, outlines the need for resilience-focused development co-operation, and explains constraints such as limited policy tools and fiscal space in low-income countries. It stresses the continuing importance of ODA, the urgency of supporting developing countries’ 2030 Agenda, and the global solidarity tests required to defeat the pandemic, stabilize economies, and avoid deeper debt risks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

Global Crisis: Unequal Shot at Recovery

Impacts of the COVID-19 crisis

Development co-operation for resilience and recovery

ODA commitments and financing constraints

Regional challenges and Africa’s priorities

Five tests of global solidarity

Defeating the pandemic through equitable vaccination

Fostering economic stability and preventing debt crises

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors ofthe Bank and the Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries) ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD MEETING WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 9, 2021 (VIRTUAL) DC/S/2021-0004 April 9, 2021 Statement by Angel Gurría Secretary-General OECD Statement by Angel Gurría, Secretary-General OECD 103rd Meeting of the Development Committee April 9, 2021 Washington, DC (VIRTUAL) “GLOBAL CRISIS: UNEQUAL SHOT AT RECOVERY” HOW DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION CAN SUPPORT A STRONG, SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 1. The COVID-19 crisis has caused global devastation, deepening pre-existing economic and social divisions and creating new fault lines. In addition to unleashing a global health crisis, COVID-19 has required unprecedented containment measures with significant economic and social impacts, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. Due to COVID-19, over 100 million people were pushed into extreme poverty in 2020, and 270 million faced starvation. This suffering and loss will continue as long as the COVID-19 pandemic persists. 2. The OECD’s latest Development Co-operation Report, Learning from Crises, Building Resilience, underscores the enormity of the task confronting the development co-operation system and focuses on charting a path towards resilience. It promotes an ambitious and comprehensive agenda to integrate cross-sectoral programmes, build country systems, increase development financing, step up action on global public goods and improve coordination within the development co-operation community. 3. With only nine years remaining, all developing countries must redouble their efforts to meet the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. While over 15 trillion USD has been mobilised for global stimulus measures, the vast majority is earmarked for high income countries. This stimulus is about one hundred times larger than total annual contributions to Official Development Assistance (ODA) for developing countries. ODA remains the most resilient external finance flow for developing countries, and provides essential support for low-income and fragile contexts. As countries begin to formulate their recovery packages, they will need to strike a balance between addressing shortterm priorities and honouring their ODA commitments and support for developing countries’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development objectives. 4. But developing countries lack the necessary policy tools and fiscal space. Low-income countries spend, on average, four USD per capita on social protection, compared to 695 USD in highincome countries. While total global financial assets held by banks, institutional investors and asset managers are valued at more than USD 379 trillion, having grown at 6% year on year since 2012, the poorest developing countries, which are home to more than 80% of the world’s population, hold less than 20% of global assets. Compounding this, available data show a 13% decline in total external private finance and an 8% decline in trade in 2020 compared to 2019. 5. Africa, in particular, faces many challenges. Forty-one African economies experienced a decline in their GDP in 2020. This shock is likely to weaken many precarious households in the long-term, most of which are dependent on the informal economy. ODA from Africa’s partners will not be enough to offset these contractions. It must be supported by post-COVID strategies that tackle two major obstacles to Africa’s long-term sustainable growth: dependence on external markets, and the incapacity of formal economic sectors to create enough quality jobs. For example, the OECD’s 2021 Africa’s Development Dynamics report shows that many North African countries are performing well in terms of digital infrastructure, but countries still need to loosen regulatory c

FAQs

What effects has the COVID-19 crisis had on developing countries according to the statement?

The crisis has deepened economic and social divisions, driven extreme poverty and starvation, and required containment measures with major impacts, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Why does the statement emphasize ODA for recovery?

ODA is presented as the most resilient external finance flow, offering essential support in low-income and fragile contexts, while countries must balance short-term recovery with honoring ODA commitments toward the 2030 Agenda.

What are the main obstacles to long-term sustainable growth mentioned for developing countries and Africa?

The statement points to lack of policy tools and fiscal space, dependence on external markets, and limited capacity of formal sectors to create enough quality jobs—especially affecting long-term growth and job creation.

Jul 19, 2026

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