A year in Dutch development cooperation: the results

What has a year of development cooperation produced? On Accountability Day the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains what has been spent, done and achieved on each policy theme and in each focus country. Our conclusion is, ‘Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we have achieved good results.’

‘The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works hard every day to make the world more sustainable, with fewer conflicts and less poverty and inequality,’ says Director-General for International Cooperation Kitty van de Heijden. ‘The COVID-19 pandemic made that a huge challenge in 2021. We’re proud that our development cooperation efforts have produced good results.’

Enlarge image Crisis Response
Image: ©Rijksoverheid

Security and stability

Here are some examples of last year’s achievements. Thanks to Dutch support, 9.7 million farmers were able to make their production practices more sustainable and climate-proof, and 13 million people received humanitarian aid. We also helped 7,306 organisations strengthen their capacity to defend the public’s rights and interests. ‘Not only are our efforts helping reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),’ says Van der Heijden, ‘but at the same time we’re working on our own security and stability here in the Netherlands.’

Enlarge image Results climate
Image: ©Rijksoverheid

View the results website

To learn more about the results of Dutch development cooperation in 2021 – for example in areas like water, climate, women’s rights and gender equality – see the detailed information about the budgets, activities and results for each theme and country on our special results website.