The centrepiece of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) is the department Programmes and Projects International. Via offices abroad, country and regional officers here keep in direct contact with the partner countries to ensure the coherent and efficient implementation of Austrian Development Cooperation. Besides cooperation with non-governmental organisations, this department also organises collaboration with the private sector. Other major concerns are humanitarian aid as well as quality assurance and knowledge management for setting thematic priorities in Austrian Development Cooperation.

Supporting this operative department are three others, Finance & Audit Division, General Administration and Development Communication and Education in Austria.

Dialogue and information

Besides the practical implementation of about 800 programmes and projects, a major task of ADA is conducting a dialogue with the public to communicate the aims and achievements of Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). This is done through public relations, but also through development communication and education, ADA seeks to elicit broad support for Austria's development-policy efforts.

Experts for development

The Managing Director of ADA is Ambassador Brigitte Öppinger-Walchshofer. She heads a team of about 80 staff in Vienna and some 70 personnel spread across the 16 ADC offices abroad. Incorporated into Austria's diplomatic missions, these offices enable direct local dialogue with all partners.

Established in 2004, the Austrian Development Agency is a limited liability company. Sole founder and owner is the Austrian Federal Government. The Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (MFA) represents the owner in dealings with ADA as stipulated in an amendment to the Federal Development Cooperation Act in 2003.

ADA's supervisory board consists of twelve members with a four-year term of office. It advises the management and oversees the strategic and operational alignment of the enterprise. Chairperson is Ambassador Stefan Lehne, Political Director at the MFA.