According to preliminary data, in 2011 net official development assistance (ODA) from Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members decreased by 2.7% in real terms compared to 2010. This represents the first drop in net ODA since 1997 and an important reversal of the upward trend observed from 2000-10. The decrease reflects fiscal constraints that have affected the budgets of several DAC countries. ODA has long served as an important cushion for the immediate impact of financial crises in developing countries, but there is growing recognition of the importance of non-ODA financing for development. While total net private flows from DAC members sharply decreased in 2008, they have been on the rise since 2009. Country programmable aid – the subset of total ODA that is generally included in multi-year forward expenditure plans, represents 57% of DAC members' gross bilateral ODA (USD 66 billion in 2010). This chapter also presents data on: components of net ODA, composition of bilateral ODA, untied aid status, ODA commitments for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and ODA commitments targeted at the objectives of the Rio conventions.