Development Assistance Committee Research Articles

Development of a stroke network in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo): a humanitarian project of the Italian Stroke Association—Associazione Italiana Ictus

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), stroke incidence is ~316 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and in 75% of SSA countries stroke is among the top three causes of death. This epidemiological evolution results from the exponential growth of the African population as well as the lack of policies for prevention and therapy. The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the countries included as a “low-income country” in the 2023 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee List; its capital, Kinshasa, is a megalopolis with more than 18 million inhabitants. According to our knowledge, no hospital in Kinshasa is currently capable of admitting and treating patients with stroke according to international guidelines. The Italian Stroke Association—Associazione Italiana Ictus (ISA-AII) is a multidisciplinary scientific society for the fight against cerebrovascular diseases. Some members of the ISA-AII joined to form a working group dedicated to the care of stroke in Africa. In this article, we explain the project designed by ISA Africa that, in collaboration with the referral hospital of a district of Kinshasa, has the aim of building a network for diagnosing and treating stroke, including ambulance services, a stroke team in the emergency room, a stroke unit, an outpatient clinic, and primary prevention activities among the population.

How does diversity affect the effectiveness of capacity building training? Evidence from the Republic of Korea

AbstractMotivationPrevious studies on the effectiveness of capacity building training, drawn from the experience of traditional donors, have been limited in their understanding the impact of the diversity of trainees and the diversity of training on the effectiveness of training. This is particularly problematic given the increasing prevalence of such training and the emergence of new donors with different approaches.PurposeThis article investigates the effectiveness of capacity‐building training across different participants and different training types, through the case of an emerging donor, the Republic of Korea (Korea). Korea is distinctive and under‐researched as a country relatively late to join the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC), with several policies explicitly locating capacity‐building training as a diplomatic strategy. Korea has made repeated efforts to diversify participants and types of training to gain a comparative advantage in international development and co‐operation.Methods and ApproachThe study constructs a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to analyse the effectiveness of training across layers of individual diversity (gender, rank, level of national income and extent of democracy) and group diversity (types of trainings). It draws on survey responses from 789 government officials in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs).FindingsTraining effectiveness differs for diverse participants and training types. Effectiveness tends to decrease as job rank and national income rise, while it increases with the level of democracy. Training that fosters diverse interactions and experiences, such as multi‐country training and invitational training, tends to be more effective than other types.Policy ImplicationsOur results suggest implementing more collaborative and customized training to suit the heterogeneous needs of diverse participants. The results emphasize the need to develop and operate various training types that promote diverse interactions and experiences among participants.

Understanding China's shifting priorities andpriority-setting processes indevelopment assistance forhealth.

Over the past two decades, China has become a distinctive and increasingly important donor of development assistance for health (DAH). However, little is known about what factors influence China's priority-setting for DAH. In this study, we provide an updated analysis of trends in the priorities of Chinese DAH and compare them to comparable trends among OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors using data from the AidData's Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset (2000-2017, version 2.0) and the Creditor Reporting System (CRS) database (2000-2017). We also analyse Chinese medical aid exports before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic using a Chinese Aid Exports Database. We further explore the potential factors influencing China's shifting priority-setting processes by reviewing Chinese official documents following Walt and Gilson's policy analysis framework (context-actors-process-content) and by testing our conjectures empirically. We find that China has become an important DAH donor to most regions if measured using project value, including but not limited to Africa. China has prioritized aid to African and Asian countries as well as to CRS subsectors that are not prioritized by DAC donors, such as medical services and basic health infrastructure. Chinese quarterly medical aid exports almost quintupled after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Noticeably, China has allocated more attention to Asia, eye diseases and infectious disease outbreaks over time. In contrast, the priority given to malaria has declined over the same period. Regarding factors affecting priority shifts, the outbreaks of SARS and Ebola, the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative and the COVID-19 pandemic appear to be important milestones in the timeline of Chinese DAH. Unlike stereotypes of China as a 'lone wolf' donor, our analysis suggests multilateral processes are influential in informing and setting Chinese DAH priorities.

From performance to sustainability of bank paryoll in RDC. Assessment through the application of a pentagonal criterion.

An evaluation can be multidimensional. In practice, we focus on the aspects judged most relevant according to the objectives. The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) suggests five criteria that this study applies to the reform on the payroll banking of state agents and civil servants in the DRC, borrowing the rating proposed by the Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE). It shows that despite an encouraging overall score, more effort is needed in terms of sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency than in the areas of relevance and impact.

Dynamics of EU Central and Eastern European donors’ development cooperation

The article deals with both qualitative and quantitative aspects of development assistance provided by the 11 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that are members of the European Union (EU). The aim is to answer the question of what are the major determinants of their involvement in development cooperation. It also aims to understand the controversy surrounding the development policies of these donors and to assess the impact of past determinants on the current situation. Our study employs a combination of data analysis (based on Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development – OECD – statistics) and a literature review. In order to allow the examination of trends, constant prices have been applied throughout the study. Our research operates both on absolute (volumes of development aid given to and offered by the countries in mind) and relative data (bilateral to total ODA ratio and regional distribution of bilateral aid). The analysis reveals that the CEE EU donors’ spending on development assistance grew 463% over the 2004–2021 period. In 2021, they accounted for 2.4% of global aid, which was not a significant share globally, though noteworthy at the level of EU development aid spending. We found a clear dominance of the multilateral channel in the distribution of CEE EU aid fluctuating between 65–90%, mainly through EU institutions. In terms of bilateral activities, CEE donors chose their poorer European neighbours as their main aid recipients, with the share ranging from 24% to 76%. There are two main types of factors that determine the aid activities of the actors analysed: interests, which set the course of bilateral flows, and institutional factors (i.e., EU development policy and countries' accession to the OECD Development Assistance Committee), which played an equally important role. The relative importance of the two determinants has varied with changing circumstances over time.

Donor aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths, 2002–19: an analysis of levels, trends, and equity

Global aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health has stagnated in recent years, and aid mentioning newborns or stillbirths has previously represented a very small proportion of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. Neonatal survival targets have been set by 78 countries, and stillbirth prevention targets have been set by 30 countries, to address the 4·4 million newborn deaths and stillbirths globally. We aimed to generate novel estimates of current levels of, and trends in, aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths over 2002-19, and to assess whether the amount of aid disbursed aligns with the associated mortality burden. For this analysis, we did a manual review and coding of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s Creditor Reporting System database from 2002 to 2019 using key search terms for aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths. We compared these findings with estimates of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health for 2002-19 based on the Muskoka2 method. Findings are presented in 2019 US$ according to the OECD's Development Assistance Committee deflators, which account for variation in exchange rates and inflation in donor countries. We identified 21 957 unique records in the 2002-19 period. Aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths comprised approximately 10% ($1·6 billion) of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health funding overall in 2019 ($15·9 billion), with a small decrease in value between 2015 and 2019. 1284 (6%) of 21 957 records and 3·4% ($535 million) of their total value mentioned aid focused only on newborn health. Ten donors contributed 87% ($13·7 billion) of the total value of aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths during 2002-19. Aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths was inequitably allocated in the least developed countries (as defined by the UN), ranging from $18 per death in Angola to $1389 per death in Timor-Leste. Stillbirths were not mentioned in any funding in 2002-09, and they were only mentioned in 46 of 21 957 records in 2010-19, comprising $44·4 million of aid disbursed during this period. Aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths is poorly matched to their corresponding mortality burden (representing 10% of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health overall, yet accounting for approximately 50% of mortality in children <5 years) and across recipient countries (with substantial variation in the amount of aid received per newborn death and stillbirth between countries with similar health and economic needs). Our findings indicate that aid needs to be better targeted to populations with the highest mortality burdens, creating greater potential for impact. John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ELMA Philanthropies, Children's Investment Fund Foundation UK, Lemelson Foundation, and Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation. For the French translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic: trends in development assistance committee countries’ aid allocation, 2011–2021

ABSTRACT Background Official Development Assistance (ODA) significantly aids sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted aid allocation, posing challenges for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Objective This study explores and underscores the profound implications of shifts in ODA allocation by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of international aid. Methods Drawing from the gross ODA disbursement data for LMICs by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021, a linear regression analysis assessed the changes in ODA amount, ODA-to-gross national income (GNI) ratio, sectoral aid allocation, and the balance between bilateral and multilateral aid, primarily focusing on the differences pre- and post-COVID-19. For non-specialised multilateral agencies’ core funding, the OECD’s methodology for calculating imputed multilateral ODA was employed to estimate ODA flows. Results The study found an increasing trend in the total ODA provided by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021. However, the average ODA/GNI ratio showed a slight but significant decrease before the pandemic, followed by an increase after the COVID-19 pandemic. The health sector received the highest percentage of aid after the pandemic, with a marked increase in both bilateral and multilateral aid. However, other sectors such as humanitarian aid, water and sanitation, and energy experienced a significant decrease in sectoral aid share. Conclusions Emerging from this analysis is a strong recommendation for DAC members to re-evaluate aid objectives and escalate their financial commitments to reinforce SDGs and sustainable development efforts. While the rise in health aid is essential, other sectors also require equal focus to offset the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the intricacies of aid allocation can improve aid efficacy, culminating in greater, transformative results for recipient countries.

The Brazilian international development cooperation : over-representation, ambivalence, decentralization and instrumentalism

The main goal of the article is the analysis of primary data from the Brazilian International Development Cooperation (Cooperação Brasileira para o Desenvolvimento Internacional – Cobradi). It characterizes the Brazilian participation in the International Development Cooperation (IDC) agenda based on the implementation of the country’s cooperation for other developing countries. Relying on data from the Cobradi research gathered by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada – Ipea) since 2010 and by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (DAC/OECD), the article identifies four characteristics of the Brazilian IDC since 2005: over-representation, ambivalence, decentralization and instrumentalism. Although the article focuses essentially on identifying regularities and trends, it is inevitable to conclude that Brazil needs a more integrated IDC management system, as well as a framework to assess the impacts of public investment on this agenda, particularly the country’s contributions to international institutions.

Determinants of Climate-Related Development Finance: Policy Implications for South Korea's CRDF in Comparison with CRDF Trends of Japan, Germany, and France

As climate change is a global agenda that requires combined and collective global efforts, each country, developed or developing, needs to mainstream climate change policies, both domestic and external, to achieve its' Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets and ultimately the goals of the Paris Agreement (PA). For this end, climate finance, domestic or international, public or private, plays crucial role in the much-needed transitioning of carbon-intensive industries as well as adapting to the effects of climate change. This study, within the context of Climate-Related Development Finance (CRDF) for developing countries as part of bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA), aims to derive policy implications for South Korea's CRDF by means of empirical analyses of CRDF determinants for Japan, Germany, and France, which are one of the largest donor countries of CRDF among member countries of the Development Assistance Committee for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD DAC). South Korea should scale up CRDF to recipient countries to which export volume is comparatively higher, reflecting its economic interest, as largest donor countries do consider export volume in their CRDF allocations.

Financing needs to achieve Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement in Caribbean Small Island Developing States.

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Given high mitigation and adaptation costs and constrained domestic finances, they seek international funding to meet their climate objectives. This paper investigates Caribbean SIDS perspectives on the role of international climate finance in addressing climate change and its effectiveness in meeting climate goals. The paper first explored the climate financing needs of sixteen Caribbean SIDS through a content analysis of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It then compares the climate finance needs of the region with international climate finance commitments received by examining climate finance trends using data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee's (DAC) Creditor Reporting System (CRS). The study revealed large gaps in estimating the climate finance needs of the region, as well as important patterns in the way climate finance is being distributed across mitigation, adaptation and overlap activity; principal versus significant climate objective; recipient country; sector; and source and type of funding. These findings are useful to help countries make decisions about how international climate finance should be used, and how its impacts should be evaluated and a basis for climate finance negotiations and dialogue with bilateral development partners and multilateral climate funds, and to assess whether available funds are being put to good use and identify problems that need to be addressed.

Tackling antimicrobial resistance: developing and implementing antimicrobial stewardship interventions in four African commonwealth countries through a health partnership model.

In recent years, health partnerships have shared infection prevention and control innovations between United Kingdom hospitals and Low-Middle-Income Countries. However, none had focused on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), a core component of tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This paper documents an effective approach to developing a program to increase AMS capacity in four African countries: Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia as part of the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) program. A systematic approach was applied to assess gaps in AMS interventions and inform the development of the CwPAMS program through deskbased assessments, including National Action Plans on AMR, online focus group meetings, and expert advisory group reviews. Twelve partnerships were selected for the CwPAMS program. AMS support tools were developed based on recommendations from the scoping, including an AMS checklist tool, a healthcare worker knowledge and attitudes questionnaire, and an antimicrobial prescribing app to support clinical decision-making. Training workshops on AMS were developed and delivered to volunteers in Africa and the UK using a train-the-trainer model. The tools and workshops facilitated capacity building for AMS through the generation and strengthening of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems, and leadership among stakeholders in the UK and Africa. The overall average rating assigned to the program following independent evaluation using the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Assistance Committee Evaluation Criteria was very good. The evaluation also highlighted that the majority of the HPs (75%) focused on AMS and/or improved prescribing practice; all HPs have developed and implemented AMS strategies, guidelines, and tools within their hospitals; and NHS staff were able to translate the knowledge and skills they had received early on in the program into clinical practice in response to COVID-19 challenges.

Equilíbrio Pontuado no Complexo do Regime da Cooperação Internacional para o Desenvolvimento

Abstract In the past, International Development Cooperation (IDC) was an analogue for Official Development Assistance (ODA) in which three central institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (DAC/OECD) regulated the practices of donors and recipients. Recently, a far more complex and diversified scenario characterized by new actors and approaches is replacing this architecture. This paper analyses the transformations in the IDC field, interpreting these processes through an analytical framework of the sources of institutional change. One of its principal contributions is highlighting a pattern of “punctuated equilibrium” through a theory-guided historical analysis, that reflects both periods of stasis and innovation instead of a gradual process of change. We argue that innovation depends on dissatisfaction and shocks, and that the nature of invention depends on a homogeneity of interests among its prominent actors. This paper is based on a research agenda that applies the punctuated equilibrium concept of social theory to the analysis of international regime complexes.

Humanitarian Assistance in Japan's Foreign Policy: Basic Principles and Mechanisms for Providing Humanitarian Aid

Humanitarian assistance is one of the most important criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of foreign policy of a state. The provision of humanitarian aid is currently a key area of Japan's international activities and foreign policy. As one of the world's largest humanitarian aid donors and the oldest member of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, Japan provides assistance in practically all areas of the world's conflicts and natural and anthropogenic hazards. Official Development Assistance (ODA) and humanitarian aid as its subspecies are considered as a practical tool for Japan's international humanitarian activities. Japan's experience in the field of humanitarian assistance is the object of research by both Japanese and foreign authors who evaluate Japanese humanitarian assistance in different ways. A distinctive feature of modern Japan's humanitarian assistance is an integrated approach to providing aid, with an emphasis on cooperation with international organizations and the attraction of available funds from various government departments and organizations. Japan plays a leading role in the field of humanitarian assistance in the international arena and takes an active part in shaping the international agenda in this area.

Dispositional Balancing and Hegemonic Order: US Response to China’s Financial Statecraft

Abstract How does the USA react to Chinese initiatives that gather allies from among the states that have been instrumental in sustaining the American-led liberal international order? We contend that Washington deploys dispositional balancing against Beijing, supporting this argument through a close scrutiny of US support for the projects of international developmental organisations (IDOs), such as multilateral development banks (MDBs), that target borrowing members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). In theoretical terms, dispositional balancing is a relatively cheap strategy whereby the hegemon (the USA) reacts to the emerging power (China) by signalling to both old and potential allies its immutable ability to match that rival’s benefits and hence retain its status and order. We build our theory through logit and linear models, tackling potential endogeneity through use of an instrumental variable strategy. In line with the theoretical expectations, we identify that the USA favours AIIB members, particularly those that also display high levels of dependency on Chinese aid, in IDOs/MDBs, wherein Beijing competes with traditional Western donors from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee. Our findings contribute to both the debates on hegemonic-order transitions and the growing scholarship on soft balancing, contested multilateralism, and collective financial statecraft.

Mitigating donor interests in the case of COVID-19 vaccine: the implication of COVAX and DAC membership

IntroductionThe COVID-19 vaccine donation process allegedly prioritised national interests over humanitarian needs. We thus examined how donors allocated vaccines by recipient country needs versus donor national interests and how such...

Recovering Sustainable Settlements for People Affected by Disaster: An Inclusive-Participatory Approach

Typhoon Damrey struck Vietnam in November 2017 and was the strongest storm to hit the country in over 15 years. It impacted 13 central coastal provinces. Many domestic and international organisations provided timely support to affected populations. These projects were successful in recovering settlements and rebuilding houses for affected people through the application of a participatory-inclusive approach. This paper evaluates the restoration of settlements and rebuilding of homes in international projects using a participatory approach. The Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance guide to the Development Assistance Committee criteria in Evaluations of Humanitarian Action was used to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability and replicability. Data collection included desk-based research and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from central to local authorities and beneficiary communities. The results showed that a transformation towards a participatory bottom-up approach is crucial for effective recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Exploring the Global Innovation Systems Perspective by Applying Openness Index to National Systems of Innovation

This paper raises the question of whether global innovation systems (GIS), the expanded networks of actors beyond national boundaries, could be a new sibling of innovation systems perspectives. We argue that in today’s globalized world, it is idoneous to analyze innovation activities in a global context rather than a national or regional one. To confirm this argument, first, previous research is reviewed to understand how the GIS perspective has emerged and what different aspects have enabled these discussions. Distinct gaps from a body of literature are identified, such as the lack of a united definition, leading causes, and empirical evidence of GIS. With this understanding of the GIS perspective’s background, this research aims to overcome the challenge of filling out these gaps using two-stage approaches. The first approach suggests three building blocks of the GIS perspective (global institutions, global actors and networks, and a global knowledge-base). Using the open innovation concept, the second approach measures the openness of national innovation systems (NIS) of the OECD DAC (Development Assistance Committee) member countries to represent the tangibility of the GIS perspective. The paper concludes that the GIS approach would provide us with a valuable viewpoint for analyzing current innovation activities in today’s globalized economy as the form of GIS perspective is observed when measured.

Partner country selection between development narratives and self‐interests: A new method for analysing complex donor approaches

AbstractPartner country (PC) selection lies in the centre of development policy decision‐making of donor countries and institutions, and plays a significant role in shaping aid patterns. This paper proposes a comprehensive analysis contrasting donor intentions in PC selection with actual aid flows. Having analysed selected members of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, namely, the European Union, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, we suggest that (1) donors might not only be either altruistic or self‐interested but also motivated by an intention to contribute to the provision of global public goods; (2) self‐interest in aid provision can be an explicitly‐stated strategy, contrary to what has been argued in the majority of the literature, which often treats self‐interest as a non‐stated donor intention; and (3) donors' self‐interested intentions do not always lead to a less development‐oriented donor approach.

The impact of OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Aid Commitments for Education on Human Development in Asian Countries and its implications for textile industry

Education and health are considered a cornerstone for obtaining targeted development in any society. Moreover, both sectors promote prosperity greatly. In this changeable epoch, people are thought out as the real wealth of any nation and this wealth with good human capital serves the economy very efficiently and productively. This research study aims to analyse how Development Assistance Committee (DAC) aid commitment for education along with institutional quality is effective for the human development of selected Asian economies. A panel data set over 2011–2018 is used for this analysis in Asian countries. GMM results show a significant and positive relationship between aid commitment for education and the human development of these economies. A more interesting result is that financial development seems to boost up human deployment in the selected Asian economies. The development of the textile industry is significantly influenced by education, especially considering the effects of OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Aid Commitments for education on human development in Asian countries. There is a dire need to reconsider more allocation of resources and aid to education and health to utilize these inflows at the maximum level for targeted development.

A theory-based evaluation of the Leadership for Universal Health Coverage Programme: insights for multisectoral leadership development in global health

BackgroundLeadership to manage the complex political and technical challenges of moving towards universal health coverage (UHC) is widely recognized as critical, but there are few studies which evaluate how to expand capacities in this area. This article aims to fill some of this gap by presenting the methods and findings of an evaluation of the Leadership for UHC (L4UHC) programme in 2019–2020.MethodsGiven the complexity of the intervention and environment, we adopted a theory-driven evaluation approach that allowed us to understand the role of the programme, amongst other factors. Data from a range of sources and tools were compared with a programme theory of change, with analysis structured using an evaluation matrix organized according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development–Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) criteria. Data sources included key informant (KI) interviews (89 in total); surveys of the 80 workshop participants; a range of secondary data sources; case studies in two countries; and observation of activities and modules by the evaluator.ResultsParticipants and KIs at the global and country levels reported high relevance of the programme and a lack of alternatives aiming at similar goals. In relation to effectiveness, at the individual level, there was an increase in some competencies, particularly for those with less experience at the baseline. Less change was observed in commitment to UHC as that started at a relatively high level. Understanding of UHC complexity grew, particularly for those coming from a non-health background. Connections across institutional divides for team members in-country increased, although variably across the countries, but the programme has not as yet had a major impact on national coalitions for UHC. Impacts on health policy and practice outcomes were evident in two out of seven countries. We examined factors favouring success and explanatory factors. We identified positive but no negative unintended effects.ConclusionsWhile noting methodological constraints, the theory-based evaluation approach is found suitable for assessing and learning lessons from complex global programmes. We conclude that L4UHC is an important addition to the global and national health ecosystem, addressing a relevant need with some strong results, and also highlight challenges which can inform other programmes with similar objectives.