Development Assistance Research Articles

Coordinated U.S. Foreign Assistance and Effective Counterterrorism in Africa

The international community can better partner with African countries and more effectively counter and prevent terrorism in Africa by implementing two changes to U.S. strategy. First, by crafting strategies that counter the kinetic and non-kinetic operations of al Qaeda and ISIS affiliated groups that allow for their territorial expansion and control. Second, by better coordinating U.S. foreign aid/development with security assistance and security cooperation efforts and conducting them with the partner country in a way that supports partner civilian and military institutions. At current, U.S. security assistance efforts better connect to and strengthen the military/security apparatus than U.S. development assistance efforts do - this is due to risk averse bureaucracy that ultimately erodes democratic structures and processes rather than strengthening them. Additionally, U.S. tendencies to work directly with civil society organizations may not strengthen civil society pathways to ministries or the relevant offices at the district or national levels. U.S. and other international partners should work through and support a hub where local civil society and local level authorities can engage with and work with the district and national level governments. This strategy will strengthen good governance and democratic institutions. Additionally, terrorism prevention and counterterrorism strategies that directly address and are formed in response to both active kinetic and non-kinetic operations of (al Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated) terrorist groups will better protect civilians as well as implementors of development and security assistance.

Climate-related bilateral official development assistance (ODA) and vulnerability: A comparative study of allocation and effectiveness

Official Development Assistance (ODA) has emerged as a crucial tool for supporting nations worldwide in mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. This study investigates bilateral ODA allocated to climate change mitigation and adaptation from 2002 to 2021. Data from OECD iLibrary and World Risk Reports were analyzed to explore temporal patterns and sectoral distribution of climate-related ODA. Polynomial regression calculated the estimated average annual percentage change (EAAPC) in adaptation-focused ODA and vulnerability. We also evaluated the relationship between adaptation-focused ODA, vulnerability, and GDP per capita between 2011 and 2021. In 2021, Japan, Germany, and France provided 75% of total bilateral ODA dedicated to climate change. From 2002 to 2021, major donors directed substantial portions of climate-related ODA towards infrastructure, energy, water & sanitation, agriculture, and environmental protection. From 2011 to 2021, the highest EAAPC in vulnerability was observed in the Central African Republic (0.62; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.64), followed by Papua New Guinea (0.57; 0.55 to 0.59), Yemen (0.50; 0.49 to 0.52), and Guinea-Bissau (0.33; 0.32 to 0.34). Despite their high vulnerability, some of these countries received disproportionately less adaptation-focused ODA. The correlation between vulnerability and adaptation-focused ODA revealed a complex regional relationship. Variations in adaptation-focused ODA and vulnerabilities underscore the dynamic relationship between international aid and a nation’s intrinsic capacity to address challenges. This investigation highlights the importance of understanding these dynamics and calls for a re-evaluation of aid allocation. Strengthening climate change initiatives within the ODA framework and tailoring aid distribution to the specific needs of recipient nations in mitigation and adaptation can enhance its effectiveness, resulting in sustainable and impactful outcomes.

States, global power and access to medicines: a comparative case study of China, India and the United States, 2000–2019

BackgroundWhat constitutes state`s global power to shape access to medicines? How was it distributed between states and how did this change from 2000 to 2019? In this comparative case study, we explored the powers of China, India and the United States, and discuss whether our findings from the pre-pandemic era were reflected in the global COVID-19 response related to pharmaceuticals. We used an analytical framework from the international relations literature on structural power, and assessed the following power structures after adapting them to the context of access to medicines: finance, production, financial protection, knowledge, trade and official development assistance.ResultsWe found that from 2000 to 2019 there had been a power-shift towards China and India in terms of finance and production of pharmaceuticals, and that in particular China had increased its powers regarding knowledge and financial protection and reimbursement. The United States remained powerful in terms of finance and knowledge. The data on trade and official development assistance indicate an increasingly powerful China also within these structures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that the patterns from previous decades were continued in terms of cutting-edge innovation coming out of the United States. Trade restrictions from the United States and India contrasted our findings as well as the limited effective aid from the United States.Building on our findings on structural powers, we argue that both structural power and political decisions shaped access to medical technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined the roles and positions of the three states regarding developments in global health governance on the COVAX mechanism, the TRIPS Agreement waiver and the pandemic accord in this context.ConclusionFrom 2000-2019, China and India increased their structural powers to shape global access to medical technologies. The recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that both structural power and political decisions shaped global access to COVID-19 technologies.

Giving fish or teaching fishing? the impact of China’s foreign aid on digital service trade in belt and road initiative countries

This paper empirically analyzes the relationship between China’s foreign aid and the digital service trade of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries, using panel data from 2005 to 2017. We find that under the framework of the BRI, China’s foreign aid has a significantly positive impact on the digital service exports of recipient countries. This positive effect remains robust after addressing potential endogeneity concerns and conducting various robustness checks. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that Other Official Flows(OOF) is more effective than Official Development Assistance(ODA) in enhancing the digital service exports of recipient countries. Moreover, the positive impact of China’s foreign aid is particularly pronounced in high-income countries compared to middle- and low-income countries. Additionally, industry-level heterogeneity analysis shows that China’s foreign aid significantly promotes the export of “other business services.” In contrast, its impact on other industries is less evident. Finally, mechanism analysis indicates that the promotion of digital service exports by China’s foreign aid primarily operates through improvements in human capital and institutional quality in recipient countries.

Impact of Official Development Assistance on Economic Growth in the East African Community

Impact of Official Development Assistance on Economic Growth in the East African Community

Assessing a Japanese-Funded Farm-to-Market Road Project in Agdangan, Quezon: Exacerbating Divides and Deepening Inequalities

Abstract This study assesses how Japanese and Filipino aid authorities facilitate a Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA)-funded farm-to-market road (FMR) subproject as a solution aiming to achieve the Philippines’ overall poverty reduction and economic development goals. Through qualitative assessment, including direct observations, interviews, and focus group discussions (FGD s), this study critically assesses the implementation of the FMR subproject in Agdangan, Quezon, and investigates its multifaceted effects. Findings reveal a complex web of dynamics: while FMR enhances competitiveness of landowners and traders, unequal resource distribution marginalizes agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB s). Utilizing Tanya Murray Li’s “The Will to Improve” and “Capitalism from Below” frameworks, the study finds that impacts on resources and practices indicate FMR’s success in achieving its espoused goals among rural elites. This study exposes disparities and disproportionalities in access to and distribution of benefits. It urges policymakers to address both structural and systemic barriers to strengthen local production.

Government Expenditure and Economic Growth in Afghanistan

Government expenditure is one of the key elements of aggregate demand and has a significant impact on economic growth, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of government expenditure on economic growth of Afghanistan. The secondary time series data for the years (2001 to 2020) has been obtained from World Bank, Trade Map, Trading Economics, and NSIA. To study the empirical relationship between government expenditure and economic growth, the ARDL model has been applied. The results show that in the long-run the Government Expenditure (GGE) and Official Development Assistance per capita (ODAPC) have positive and significant impact on economic growth, while Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Trade Deficit (TRDDEFICIT) have negative and significant impact on economic growth. The results of short-run ECM indicates that the Government Expenditure (GGE) has a positive and significant impact on economic growth, while the other controlling variables like FDI and TRDDEFICIT have negative impacts, but the TRDDEFICIT coefficient is insignificant. The results of Pairwise Granger causality tests indicate that Government Expenditure does not cause the economic growth, and vice versa. The results of diagnostic tests show that there is no serial correlation among error terms and the model is stable. Key Words: Economic Growth, Government Expenditure, Revenue, Tax, FDI, Trade Deficit

The Development Aid for the Agricultural Sector of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries—Determinants and Allocation

We propose a method for allocating Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the agricultural sector of African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries based on objectively measured indicators of the development of the economies determined for the period of 2010–2022. These indicators are calculated from statistical data using factor analysis. They are then implemented in a linear programming model to allocate the budget for ACP agriculture. The results show that the proposed approach allocates funds according to the assumed logic, supporting countries in the low and very low development classes. The research conducted can contribute to the discussion on the allocation of development support to the agricultural sector by potential donors while analyzing different assumptions. This study can also serve as a prelude to researching the phenomenon of increasing efficiency in the agricultural sector in the context of potential economic development paths for the analyzed countries.

Modern Japan-Vietnam’s Relations: Trends and Problems

The article examines the state and prospects of relations between Japan and Vietnam, two key East Asian states, in the trade and economic field, as well as in the field of security in the context of the international situation in the Asia-Pacific region. By now, the two countries have become closely linked in both trade and investment. Japan and Vietnam have complementary economic structures and comparative advantages that create opportunities for the development of mutually beneficial economic relations. Vietnam is a very attractive target for Japanese investment and the largest recipient of Japanese ODA (Official Development Assistance). At the same time, Vietnamese investments are beginning to flow into the high-tech sector of the Japanese economy. An important factor in the bilateral ties is the large number of Vietnamese labour migrants in Japan. In light of the growing confrontation between the United States and China, relations with Japan are becoming an important direction of Hanoi's multi-vector foreign policy, called “bamboo diplomacy”. In recent years the two countries’ cooperation in the field of security has come to the fore in the overall complex of bilateral relations with the goal of jointly opposing China’s “maritime expansion”. The important role of two countries for each other in the basic areas of international cooperation in the foreseeable future will increase and create prerequisites for the emergence of an informal Tokyo-Hanoi axis.

How Does the World Bank Influence the Development Policy Priorities of Low-Income and Lower-Middle Income Countries?

How does the World Bank’s use of lending and non-lending instruments affect the policy priorities of developing countries? We consider how certain forms of external assistance can shape the incentives of political leaders and the ideational environment within which they work in ways that promote reform. With new data on the delivery of analytical and advisory products and micro-level survey data from 1244 public sector officials in 121 developing countries, we find a consistently positive but not statistically significant association between the World Bank’s delivery of “Economic and Sector Work” products and the degree to which public sector officials perceive the multilateral institution to be effective in shaping the direction of government policy. We do not find a detectable effect of economic and sector work on the perceived utility of the World Bank’s advice or engagement during policy reform implementation. Nor do we find any evidence that the World Bank’s development policy lending consistently affects its perceived influence on the direction, design, or implementation of government policy. These findings have important implications for understanding both the effectiveness of development assistance and the conditions under which international institutions can influence the policy priorities of developing countries.

Implications of the fair processes for financing UHC report for development assistance: reflections and an application of the decision-making principles to PEPFAR.

The framework presented in the World Bank report Open and Inclusive: Fair processes for Financing Universal Health Coverage effectively connects proposed decision-making principles with practical examples that country governments can use to pursue greater fairness. In this commentary, we consider the suggestion that international development partners might use the report's criteria to examine their own processes. We consider what the report's primary Fair Process principles - equality, impartiality and consistency - imply for development partners. Specifically, we address two questions in turn: (i) how relevant the Fair Processes report is to development assistance for health; (ii) if it is deemed relevant, what practical implications does the report have for how aid works? We address the second question by briefly applying the framework to a particular global health initiative, namely the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Our analysis suggests that development partners' additional sets of accountabilities, particularly linked to funding sources, may pose more fundamental challenges to impartiality than to equality and consistency in decision-making processes. A question inviting further examination, then, is how development partners can redesign their processes to optimise impartiality given institutional constraints that bind them independently of the populations they purport to serve.

Strengthening research preparedness for crises: lessons from Norwegian government agencies in using randomized trials and quasi-experimental methods to evaluate public policy interventions

During public health crises such as pandemics, governments must rapidly adopt and implement wide-reaching policies and programs (“public policy interventions”). A key takeaway from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was that although numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focussed on drugs and vaccines, few policy experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of public policy interventions across various sectors on viral transmission and other consequences. Moreover, many quasi-experimental studies were of spurious quality, thus proving unhelpful for informing public policy. The pandemic highlighted the need to continuously develop competence, capacity and a robust legal–ethical foundation for impact evaluations well before crises occur. It raised a crucial question: how can governments in non-crisis times develop capabilities to generate evidence on the effects of public policy interventions, thus enabling a rapid and effective research response during public health crises? We conducted a mapping to explore how government agencies in Norway use RCTs and quasi-experimental methods to strengthen the evidence base for public policy interventions and to identify barriers and facilitators to their use. Contributing to the study were 10 government agencies across sectors such as development assistance, education, health, social welfare, statistics and taxation. Many of these agencies have conducted or commissioned RCTs or quasi-experimental studies in the past 5 years, with evaluations ranging from 1 or 2 to more than 15 per agency. The measures evaluated included organizational, educational and financial interventions and interventions for oversight and sanctions. Some agencies have internal capabilities for designing and conducting evaluations, while others commissioned such studies to universities and other research institutions. Agencies reported examples where enhanced communication among implementers, researchers, ministries and political leaders facilitated impact evaluations, and these lessons offer opportunities for cross-sector knowledge-sharing to help strengthen rigorous evaluations of public policy interventions. Despite their potential, various government agencies report that randomized and quasi-experimental studies face legal, ethical, political and practical barriers that affect their use. For instance, the urgency of politicians to implement policies at scale has led to the discontinuation of trials and hindered learning from their effects. The surveyed agencies stressed the importance of legislation providing clear guidelines on when differential treatment can be justified and when informed consent requirements can be waived, as well as faster and clearer processes for managing privacy concerns related to data access. Crucially, greater political acceptance for systematically and gradually implementing reforms, including using randomization, could strengthen evidence-informed public policy, enhancing the scaling-up of effective interventions and deprioritizing ineffective ones.

Cotinine-measured secondhand smoke exposure among federal housing assistance recipients without active tobacco or nicotine in the United States: NHANES, 2007-2018.

The prevalence of cigarette smoking is high among U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assistance recipients, putting others at risk for secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. We evaluated the burden of SHS exposure among HUD-assisted children, adolescents, and adults. Using 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data linked with HUD administrative data, we assessed SHS exposure prevalence, defined using serum cotinine, among non-tobacco, non-nicotine-using, HUD-assisted children and adolescents (ages 3-17 years, n=955) and adults (ages ≥18 years, n=878) and among low-income, HUD-unassisted children and adolescents (n=5,788) and adults (n=8,027). Time trends were evaluated. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were created to assess SHS exposure by HUD assistance status. The prevalence of SHS exposure during 2015-2018 was 73.2% [95% CI: 63.2%-81.7%] among HUD-assisted children and adolescents and 50.1% [40.1%-60.1%] among HUD-assisted adults. Decreases in SHS exposure among HUD-assisted individuals from 2007-2010 through 2015-2018 were significant only for ages 12-17 years (78.6% [68.0%-87.0%] to 64.3% [52.5%-74.9%]; P=0.04). Among low-income individuals, SHS exposure was higher during 2007-2018 among HUD-assisted than HUD-unassisted children and adolescents (Odds Ratio: 3.39 [2.58-4.47]) and adults (2.11 [1.66-2.68]). Results remained significant after adjusting for social, demographic, and housing characteristics. HUD-assisted children, adolescents, and adults had higher exposure to SHS than those not receiving HUD assistance. SHS exposure among HUD-assisted individuals was high for all years studied, compared to published estimates for the general U.S. population, but did decrease among children and adolescents ages 12-17 years. This study is the first to provide biomarker-derived prevalence estimates of SHS exposure among recipients of HUD assistance within a nationally representative sample of the United States. The findings suggest that HUD-assisted children, adolescents, and adults are an at-risk population for SHS exposure, independent of known confounding social and demographic factors.

Law, time, and (in)justice after empire: Germany's objection to colonial reparations and the chronopolitics of deflection

Abstract Debates on reparations for colonial atrocities highlight the relationship between international law, political time, and (in)justice. This paper examines Germany's foreclosure of reparation claims raised by descendants of survivors of its 1904–8 colonial genocide. The analysis draws on parliamentary interpellation records (1989–2021) around the question of German reparations to Namibia's Ovaherero and Nama. I argue that Germany mobilizes temporal rules of international law, especially the non-retroactivity of the Genocide Convention, to deflect from such claims. This strategy first confines the political question of colonial reparations to the international legal realm, only to then invalidate it via the temporal rule of law's non-retroactivity. I argue that this strategy enables a ‘chronopolitics of deflection’, by which Germany has pointed away from colonial reparations while directing attention to development assistance payments to Namibia. The paper relates these findings to theories of political time, arguing that Germany's reliance on the non-retroactivity of the Genocide Convention yields what I call a ‘projection of history as normatively temporalized time’. The paper concludes with critiques of the relationship between international law and colonial reparations, arguing that current invocations of inter-temporal and non-retroactive international law implicitly reiterate colonial law, thereby locking in place an unjust legal past.

Soft Power Narratives of Fifty Years of Kuwaiti-Senegalese Relations

More than 50 years ago, Senegal was one of the first African states to establish diplomatic relations with Kuwait. While Senegal receives the largest amount of Kuwaiti development assistance of any sub-Saharan African country, this relationship cannot be reduced to simply one of recipient-donor. All Senegalese and Kuwaiti heads of state have worked to further these ties, explained in terms of shared political ideals, including peace, non-alignment, experimentation with parliamentary democracy, freedom of press, Islamic solidarity, and small state alliance building. Using diplomacy and military deployment as ‘soft power’, and Islam as religious statecraft, Senegal’s strategic friendship with Kuwait contributed to its regional and global position. The West African country took a strong stance on certain Middle Eastern conflicts and sent soldiers to fight for Kuwait’s liberation from Iraq. Bilateral relations between the two states ranged from large loans to nominations for positions in international organizations, press collaboration, museum development, firefighter and teacher exchanges, educational scholarships, and charity work. Relations between the ‘Gateway to Africa’ and the small Gulf emirate have been touted as a ‘South-South partnership’ and model for ‘Arab-African’ cooperation, albeit within a particular power dynamic elucidated in this article.

Evolution and effectiveness of bilateral and multilateral development assistance for health: a mixed-methods review of trends and strategic shifts (1990–2022)

BackgroundDevelopment assistance for health (DAH) plays a vital role in supporting health programmes in low- and middle-income countries. While DAH has historically focused on infectious diseases and maternal and child...

Critical Appraisal on the Development Assistance of All India Development Bank: A Lesson to Financial Institutions

Critical Appraisal on the Development Assistance of All India Development Bank: A Lesson to Financial Institutions

The Effect of Official Development Assistance on Domestic Investment and Foreign Direct Investment in Sub-Saharan African Countries

The Effect of Official Development Assistance on Domestic Investment and Foreign Direct Investment in Sub-Saharan African Countries

Strategies to Strengthen the Primary Health Care System for Mitigating Health Inequality in the Community: Korea's Experience as an ODA Recipient Country

Purpose: This study examines South Korea’s experience as an Official Development Assistance (ODA) recipient, focusing on its efforts to strengthen primary health care (PHC) systems to address health disparities. The study aims to provide strategic insights for developing countries to establish sustainable PHC systems based on South Korea’s experience. Originality: This study is distinct in its comprehensive analysis of South Korea's community health projects, particularly focusing on their role in mitigating health disparities during the country's transition from an ODA recipient to a donor. Methodology: A qualitative systematic review of 345 articles, reports, and historical records was conducted. Key cases of PHC initiatives, such as the Ganghwa Community Health Project and the Geoje Community Development Health Project, were analyzed. Result: The study highlights the critical role of international aid, community participation, and government-led integration in developing sustainable PHC systems. South Korea's tailored health services addressed community needs, while ongoing government support ensured the stability of healthcare infrastructure. Conclusions and Implication: South Korea’s experience emphasizes the importance of localizing healthcare services, fostering community involvement, and preparing for independent operation after aid. The findings provide actionable strategies for developing countries to mitigate health disparities and build resilient, equitable healthcare systems.

South Korea’s Strategic Role in Global Health: Promoting Multilateral Cooperation, Health Equality, and Disease Eradication

Purpose: This study explores the necessity of reinforcing international cooperation and sustaining South Korea’s Global Disease Eradication Fund to strengthen its role in advancing global health and health equity. Originality: This research aims to fill the gap in existing literature on the importance of multilateral cooperation by analyzing the outcomes and alignment of South Korea's multilateral aid, and aims to provide a rationale for continued, strategically optimized investment in global health partnerships. Methodology: This study conducted a literature review on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to global health, focusing on South Korea’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) policies. It examined four key multilateral organizations―Gavi, the Global Fund, GPEI, and CEPI―to assess their roles as priority partners within South Korea’s development framework. By selecting sources related to health equity, disease eradication, and multilateral cooperation, the study analyzed the alignment and effectiveness of South Korea’s contributions to global health objectives. Result: To ensure coherence with both national priorities and international objectives related to Official Development Assistance (ODA) and global health, South Korea's multilateral cooperation must be further accelerated and strategically strengthened. Conclusions and Implication: The global disease eradication landscape and its relevance to international health, suggesting strategies for South Korea to enhance its multilateral cooperation. As an OECD DAC member, South Korea can leverage public-private partnerships and diversified funding to expand its global health role despite resource constraints. By focusing on health equity programs, similar to the UK's efforts with Gavi and the Global Fund, South Korea play a pivotal role towards reinforcing its commitment to global health equity.