For budgetary purposes, a commitment signifies that a lender has officially designated a portion of its loan, guarantee, or insurance authority as being dedicated to a particular use, which is, therefore, not available for alternative uses. In Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reporting, a commitment is a firm obligation to furnish resources of a specified amount under specified financial terms and conditions and for specified purposes for the benefit of a recipient country, expressed in an agreement or equivalent contract undertaken by the government or an official agency acting on its behalf. A commitment under the OECD definition occurs on the signature date of the loan or credit agreement.