Call for consultants – CONCORD AidWatch 2026 policy brief
Background
Since 2005, CONCORD has published the annual AidWatch report assessing the quantity and quality of European Official Development Assistance (ODA). The report is considered a major research and advocacy tool for CONCORD members as it helps to hold the EU institutions and EU Member States accountable towards the ODA commitments and the coherence of international cooperation.
Cuts announced since 2022 by the largest EU MS, combined with a decrease in the EU Institutions’ support to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), have made 2025 the second consecutive year of declining EU ODA volumes. The downward trend of ODA grants from EU MS and EU Institutions to LDCs and countries in situations of fragility raises questions on what form of development finance will be prioritised to support human development, the reduction of inequalities and poverty in those countries. The negotiations of the future Global Europe Instrument (GEI) are marked by an increased transactional narrative from EU Institutions and many EU MS. Many emphasise the use of ODA’s catalytic role to mobilise private finance for development cooperation and to close the financing gap. In parallel, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) requests for the upcoming GEI regulation focus on maintaining the ODA targets (human development, gender, ODA to LDCs, climate…) and the DAC ability threshold and keeping a clarity of mandate between export promotion agencies’ actions and development cooperation policies. These are crucial requirements to keep ODA untied and preserve its integrity as a concessional and development focused flow. Calls for greater transparency in the reporting of ODA through the Global Gateway continue, just like the requests to clarify the implications of DG INTPA’s Global Gateway “360 degree approach”. The peer review of the EU institutions’ policies and programmes for international cooperation by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development’s Development Assistance Committee (OECD DAC) was a key process in 2025 to reflect on the EU’s financing and funding for development cooperation trends and gaps.
The complex development finance landscape has also fostered discussions on the role and purpose of ODA. Indeed, the fourth international conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) held in Sevilla in the summer 2025 brought together policy makers, CSOs, global-south governments, donors and private sector actors to discuss the most pressing issues around international development cooperation. While the FFD4 commitment is imperfect for several reasons (overreliance on the private sector, limited CSO participation in the writing, lack of ambition and weak commitments on debt reforms), it also recognises something crystal clear for many CSOs: there is an urgent need to reform the international financial architecture for development finance and reflect on the role of ODA, including the direction taken by EU MS and EU Institutions.
Timeline
– The work should be carried out between the third week of April and the end of May 2026, when a final draft of the report should be presented.
– The AidWatch 2026 policy brief will be launched after the summer break in September 2026.
Job description
The main tasks of the work would consist of:
– Completing the concept note for the AidWatch 2026 policy brief laying out the analyses and structure based on the draft provided by CONCORD Secretariat;
– Conducting light desk research on how EU Member States and EU Institutions are inflating their ODA budgets;
– Conducting desk research to find examples of good practices among EU Member States to contrast the shares of inflated ODA with good practices in ODA budgeting (genuine ODA);
– Conducting the data analysis for the 2026 AidWatch policy brief using the OECD DAC ODA 2025 preliminary figures published in April 2026 as the main sources;
– Participating in two calls with key members working with CONCORD Secretariat in the reflection around the policy brief, one at the beginning of the drafting process and a second one at the end;
– Submitting a draft of the 2026 policy brief by the end of May 2026.
Please note that due to the nature of this task, we strongly suggest the involvement of a team of consultants. We recommend a minimum of two consultants, with one focusing on the data analysis and crunching, while the other can help improve the report’s storytelling with the main goal of making the report easier to read and more accessible to those unfamiliar with the technical aspects of ODA trends.
Applicants are nevertheless invited to submit only one profile if they think it would be enough to cover the expectations for the report, or would be happy to be teamed up with another consultant.
2026 AidWatch Policy Brief
Background
As a CONCORD flagship report, AidWatch has monitored the quantity and quality of EU Institutions’ and EU Member States’ ODA annually since 2005. 2025 was a special year for AidWatch: the report celebrated its 20th anniversary in an extremely challenging context for international cooperation, CSOs and ODA, globally and in the EU.
To make the AidWatch report more concise, shorter and accessible, CONCORD will split AidWatch into two deliverables per year aligned with the timing of the release of the ODA figures by the OECD. This is the reason why the deliverable for 2026 will be a shorter policy brief covering only the preliminary trends. In 2027, CONCORD will prepare two more deliverables, one aligned with the final figures in 2027 and a second one aligned with the preliminary trends for 2016.
Objectives
The AidWatch 2026 policy brief should aim at:
– Assessing the quantity and quality of EU ODA by updating the shares of inflated ODA.
– Identifying good practices in ODA budgeting from EU Member States to contrast the inflated shares and contribute to shifting the narrative on ODA (from a waste of money to a flow that could be useful).
– Holding the EU institutions and national governments accountable towards their ODA commitments, the cuts and the coherence of international cooperation.
– Suggesting recommendations built on evidence useful for the ongoing negotiations of the future Global Europe Instrument and the Global Gateway strategy.
Format
The AidWatch 2026 policy brief should have a maximum length of 10 pages.
The policy brief will continue to be a digital tool, with improved visuals and graphs to be uploaded to the AidWatch website. The report should be more concise, with a snappier tone and a stronger focus on storytelling in the analysis.
Methodology and scope
To assess the quantity and quality of EU ODA, CONCORD will continue to use the four criteria set by the OECD DAC as per the methodological update in 2023.
Some categories of inflated ODA, such as the Private Sector Instruments, might need discussions with other CONCORD groups given the predominance of the EU’s Global Gateway.
Candidate profile
Successful candidates for this offer will respond as much as possible to the following profile:
Essential:
– Experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis (including OECD DAC databases for ODA reporting).
– Excellent English writing and editing skills.
– Ability to write about complex issues engagingly.
– Excellent knowledge of EU development cooperation issues.
-Very good understanding and knowledge of the aid/development effectiveness agenda and the current debates on reforming ODA.
– Experience in coordinating and managing networks or multiple stakeholders would be an advantage.
– Experience in challenging ODA narratives and practice.
Desirable:
– Experience of working in an NGO environment, with complex multicultural networks and under pressure.
– Experience in communication.
Application process
If you are interested, please upload in one single PDF the following information, in the portal below:
– Your CV outlining your relevant expertise to meet this assignment (1 page max);
– Your proposal on how you will undertake this research, including a suggested number of days and their distribution between the different tasks and phases of the work and your day rate (2 pages max).
The closing date for applications is 16 April at midnight. We encourage applicants to send their proposals as soon as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. CONCORD aims at starting the desk research on 23 April.
For any additional information, don’t hesitate to contact Lur Fernandez Salinas at her email address lur.fernandez-salinas@concordeurope.org before the deadline.
Budget
Please note that project proposals should not exceed 6 000 EUR, including VAT.