Age of Choice: How Partner Countries Are Managing the New Development Assistance Landscape—The Cases ofFiji,PapuaNewGuinea,Timor‐Leste andVanuatu

Abstract

AbstractBased on a comparative case study approach, the article reviews trends in volumes and modalities of non‐traditional development assistance flows since 2003 (from emerging countries, philanthropic organisations and the private sector) for the governments ofFiji,PapuaNewGuinea,Timor‐Leste andVanuatu, and elaborates on the governments' priorities regarding the terms and conditions of development assistance flows and the impact on aid coordination of new providers. We found that the amount of non‐traditional development assistance has strongly increased inFiji but less so inPapuaNewGuinea,Timor‐Leste andVanuatu. Capacity building for government officials—both in the negotiation and management of these flows—is a priority aspect for development assistance for all of the four analysed governments, even forPapuaNewGuinea where the government introduced a target to reduce technical assistance, aiming to a more efficient use of this modality and improved knowledge transfer to government officials.