On Official Development Assistance Research Articles

International promotion of Japanese aging-related health services and products: Perspective of an international agency.

Asia is at a critical juncture of health development. The population is aging and shrinking. At the same time, the economy is developing rapidly. These two factors, which necessitate a new paradigm of health development: departing from dependence on Official Development Assistance (ODA) and transitioning towards a model with more involvement of industries (private sector), academia, and health care providers, the so-called public-private partnership (PPP) model. The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) is studying the potential for broader application of the new concept for collaboration between Asian countries and Japan. In this article, the authors attempt to introduce the complete picture of a new health ecosystem advocated by Japan. We first look at the impacts of population aging and shrinking, followed by introducing two new approaches; regional and country-specific, with the involvement of ERIA. Then, the outcomes of the projects and Japanese technology, services and products relevant to the older population are introduced. Finally, based on the various projects and products, we focus more closely on the new health development model, the PPP model. We start from the theory and move to examine a tool for implementation, which is the formulation of a dialogue forum named the MEX (Medical Excellence X, where X can be substituted by the acronym of any participating country) project. The experience of these projects and case studies will benefit all ASEAN member countries and beyond. ERIA finds that the facilitation works of the Institute catalyze the progress. ERIA will remain committed to helping the endeavors initiated by Japan for the benefit of all.

The Impact of Official Development Assistance on the Economic Growth of the Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is a least developed country in the Pacific Ocean. As a low-income country, its economic development has been significantly relied on official development assistance (ODA). According to the economic growth theory, ODA is a vital contributor to the economic development of a low-income economy. Nonetheless, the existing literature shows inconclusive empirical findings. This paper fills the research gap by scrutinizing the effect of ODA on the economic growth of the Solomon Islands. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model is adopted using the annual data from 1980 to 2019. The empirical findings from the ARDL model indicate the positive impact of ODA on economic growth, but with a marginal effect. A one percent increase in ODA raises 0.07 percent of per capita GDP. The Toda-Yamamoto approach of Granger causality analysis is performed for the robustness check. The finding from the Toda-Yamamoto method suggests that there is no causal relationship running from ODA toward the economic growth of the Solomon Islands.

Japan’s infrastructure export and development cooperation: the role of ODA loan projects in the 2010s

ABSTRACT Japan formulated its first infrastructure export strategy in 2010. However, the outputs and effects of that strategy and its successive revisions over the preceding decade have not yet been extensively reviewed. Although infrastructure came to the fore of the international agenda over the past decade, existing research has mostly discussed individual infrastructure projects and accompanying signalling, sloganeering, and strategic communications in the geopolitical and geo-economic context. This paper therefore aims to make an empirical and interpretive contribution to existing scholarship by comprehensively reviewing Japan’s infrastructure exports in 2010–19 and elucidating further its oft-disregarded commercial and developmental aspects. To do so, this article focuses on Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan projects, which count among the largest items of Japan’s infrastructure exports. We introduce and analyse a previously unexamined dataset on infrastructure-related ODA loan projects and contract awards, while also showcasing the avoidance of zero-sum-game approaches in Japan’s related strategy. We then discuss whether and how the changes of Japanese infrastructure export strategy affected the performance of Japan’s infrastructure export through the ODA loan projects as well as Japan’s relationship with the recipient countries, especially in the various parts of the Indo-Pacific region, such as Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa.

Japan’s Humanitarian Aid to Jordan and the Transformation of Aid Identities and Practices in New Security Challenges

This study measures the changing nature of humanitarian, economic, and development assistance from Japan to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan since the 20th century. First, the research summarises the history of Japanese aid to Jordan from the 1970s. Secondly, we explain how the transformation of Japan’s foreign policy since the 1990s has affected its assistance in Jordan. The following sections detail how the concept of human security has been infused into Japanese foreign policy, how changes in Japan’s post–Cold War security environment in East Asia have led to the incorporation of security-related issues in the aid provided to Jordan, and which assistance also needed to respond to a rapidly deteriorating regional security environment. Finally, concerning a recent case study, we detail the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on Japan’s development assistance in Jordan. Another factor noted here is the rapid rise of China’s presence in the Middle East and its influence on Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Jordan. Interestingly, these new issues emanating from outside the region have had little impact on Japan’s aid to Jordan.

Global health research funding applications: brain drain under another name?

In 2019, the UK was one of the largest funders of global health research. It had a government manifesto commitment to spend 0·7% of gross national income on official development assistance (ODA).1 Much of this ODA funding was channelled to enable global health research, with an aim of improving lives and livelihoods in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) by providing new evidence for effective interventions and improving research and research capacity.2 This extra funding ensured that global health was an academic growth area.

An Empirical Study on Determinants of Non-Tariff Measures(NTMs): focusing on Official Development Assistance(ODA)

An Empirical Study on Determinants of Non-Tariff Measures(NTMs): focusing on Official Development Assistance(ODA)

Issues in Japanese Development Cooperation: Japan's ODA Evaluation and Evaluation Criteria

Specific criteria are important for conducting evaluations and determining donor stances on Official Development Assistance (ODA), as well as for ascertaining how donors intend to use the evaluation results. This study examined how such criteria have been used in Japan’s project-level ex-post evaluations; the following paper discusses the related challenges and concerns to identify opportunities for improving the current system. A literature review revealed that, when conducting ODA evaluations, most donor agencies adopt the five Development Assistance Committee criteria. The results suggest that a conceptual framework should be used to conduct these evaluations. This will improve quality while also delivering information that meets the needs of the evaluation users. This framework should be further developed using information from research based on practical case studies of meta-level and organizational evaluation capacity development.

Распределение двусторонней помощи международному развитию: изменения после кризиса

This article examines the impact of financial crisis of 2008-2009 on allocation of development aid. Using OECD data on Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocation for international development by key donor countries, authors test three hypotheses: first, general impact of crisis on ODA allocation; second, impact of crisis on three recipient income groups; third, impact of crisis on relative importance of analyzed factors for ODA allocation decisions. The results show that general impact of crisis on ODA volumes was negative, although donors preferred to increase aid to low-income countries. Impact of factors describing economic situation in donor countries (public debt level, government expenditures and donor growth) increased after crisis. Donor countries might make use of these results to increase efficiency of their development assistance strategies, whereas recipient countries may exploit these results in order to attract more external financing for development.

The Trump Administration and Japan: Challenges and Visions for Japan’s Foreign and Security Policy in the New Era

It is possible that Donald Trump’s success in the US presidential election of November 2016 will touch off the greatest transformation in world politics since World War Two. This is because, for the first time, the presidency of the United States—a country that since World War Two has consistently upheld the liberal world order—has been won by a man who asserts that the US national interests will take precedence over international cooperation.If so, Japan could be one of the most profoundly affected countries. Japan has thus far accepted its status as a junior partner within the US security framework and—without any significant military power of its own—has devoted itself to economic development.Although it is difficult to predict what Mr. Trump’s policies will be, there is a possibility, based on the statements he has made to date, that he will be calling for Japan to become more self-reliant. Although his comprehension of the Japan-US security arrangements is fraught with misconceptions, there is ample possibility that he will ultimately opt to maintain the current Japan-US security framework. However, given that the average defense expenditure of NATO countries is 2% of their GDPs, and that the average expenditure of OECD countries on official development assistance (ODA) is 0.7% of their GDPs, it is highly questionable whether Mr. Trump will approve of Japan’s level of defense spending (less than 1% of its GDP) or of its level of spending on ODA (approximately 0.2% of its GDP).It would not be such a bad thing for Japan to become more self-reliant in terms of security. It is almost unnatural for Japan to maintain this relationship as it is, in the form that it has taken since before Japan’s postwar reconstruction. However, in the context of international relations in East Asia, it has long been taken for granted that this is Japan’s basic stance. Changing this will be no easy task—either domestically or in terms of Japan’s relations with neighboring countries.In these respects, the authors of this paper decided to consider the question of how Japan should develop its foreign and security policy, and to offer some proposals in this regard.

Official Development Assistance for reproductive health has increased but may not be going to those who need it the most.

Objective To provide information on trends on official development assistance (ODA) disbursement patterns for reproductive health activities in 18 conflict-affected countries. Design Secondary data analysis. Sample 18 conflict-affected countries and 36 non-conflict-affected countries. Methods The Creditor Reporting System (CRS) database was analyzed for ODA disbursement for direct and indirect reproductive health activities to 18 conflict-affected countries (2002–2011). A comparative analysis was also made with 36 non-conflict-affected counties in the same ‘least-developed’ income category. Multivariate regression analyses examined associations between conflict status and reproductive health ODA and between reproductive needs and ODA disbursements. Main outcome measures Patterns of ODA disbursements (constant U.S. dollars) for reproductive health activities. Results The average annual ODA disbursed for reproductive health to 18 conflict-affected countries from 2002 to 2011 was US$ 1.93 per person per year. There was an increase of 298% in ODA for reproductive health activities to the conflict-affected countries between 2002 and 2011; 56% of this increase was due to increases in HIV/AIDS funding. The average annual per capita reproductive health ODA disbursed to least-developed non-conflict-affected countries was 57% higher than to least-developed conflict-affected countries. Regression analyses confirmed disparities in ODA to and between conflict-affected countries. Conclusions Despite increases in ODA for reproductive health for conflict-affected countries (albeit largely for HIV/AIDS activities), considerable disparities remains.

Effect of ODA on the Donor's Economy: Localization and Technological Innovation Efforts of Recipient Country and the Sectoral Differentials of Effects

Most research on Official Development Assistance (ODA) targeted the recipients, but this study examines the effect of ODA on the donor's exports to the recipient. To do this, a panel analysis was carried out with ODA and macroeconomic data on the United States and 33 other countries from 1999 to 2009. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The economic influence on the donor varies with the recipient's localization effort. (2) High-tech exports to the recipient are independent of ODA. (3) In medium-to-low-technology areas, ODA has a positive effect on exports to the recipient with low absorption efforts. (4) Both High-tech and LM-tech product exports decreases with the technological innovation efforts of recipients with high absorption efforts, while High-tech product exports only increases with that of recipients with low absorption efforts. These results indicate that a strategic approach for ODA program is more effective and useful to the donor's economy.

Characteristics of ODA Allocation to Higher Education Focusing on France and Germany

Over the last two decades, much of the global debate on Official Development Assistance(ODA) in education has focused on advocacy for increasing the volume of aid, especially to attain the Education for All(EFA) and Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). Since the Jomtien World Conference on Education for All(EFA) in 1990, the OECD countries elaborated the International Development Targets(IDTs) in 1996. The Millennium Summit in 2000 reached the agreement on the MDGs. The Dakar World Forum on Education in 2000 reinforced the international education priorities on basic education again. While the international community has pooled its resources to promote basic education for all, its emphasis on basic education in development policy led relatively little attention to higher education. However, unlike the mainstream of international education development agenda, two largest donors in education sector, France and Germany, have showed different education development strategies. Despite their priority on education sector, they have largely allocated ODA to higher education even since the MDGs agreement.

Perspective: Socio-economic development and child survival

Of the 8.8million deaths of children under 5 in the world in 2008, 4.5million were from Africa, especially West and Central Africa. Also, high maternal mortality rates, low life expectancy, and increasing food prices make the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals related to child survival unlikely for Sub-Saharan Africa. Soon after independence in the 1950's and 60's many African countries suffered political unrest, social upheaval and economic instability with military coups and or civil wars, leaving 20 million internally displaced or refugees, and adversely affecting child survival by the 1980's. Though the potential for economic growth exists and foreign investments are increasing, the African economy lacks adequate human resources, institutions, and physical infrastructures to ensure the growth that would improve child survival. African countries have the challenge of finding solutions for economic growth and development to enhance child survival. Possible ways include avoiding the commodity trap; reducing reliance on Official Development Assistance (ODA); and mobilizing domestic resource and stopping capital flight. prudent and judicious use of available resources and implementation of measures that address the structural causes of poverty, can improve child survival even in the prevailing conditions.

Discrepancies between Official Development Assistance Datasets

There are two datasets, one compiled by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the other by the World Bank, containing data on Official Development Assistance (ODA). After examining them closely, we found that there are discrepancies between the two. This article describes the discrepancies and stresses the need for caution when using them.

Foreign Aid and Voting Behavior in an International Organization: The Case of Japan and the International Whaling Commission

This study examines the relationship between Japanese foreign aid disbursement and recipient state membership and voting in the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Focusing on 104 countries for the period 1994–2005, we investigate whether Japan gives more aid to IWC members that vote with Japan. The effects of the independent variables are estimated with a linear mixed regression model. Controlling for other possible influences on official development assistance (ODA) disbursements, and employing different measures of dyadic voting similarity, the study finds Japanese aid concentrates in members of the IWC that are microstates. The findings of the paper also indicate that microstate members of the IWC who align their votes with Japan are more likely to receive Japanese ODA. By demonstrating that Japan's strategy is focused on microstates, the study provides a more refined understanding of the mechanisms Japan employs to end the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling.

"More money for health - more health for the money": a human resources for health perspective.

BackgroundAt the MDG Summit in September 2010, the UN Secretary-General launched the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health. Central within the Global Strategy are the ambitions of "more money for health" and "more health for the money". These aim to leverage more resources for health financing whilst simultaneously generating more results from existing resources - core tenets of public expenditure management and governance. This paper considers these ambitions from a human resources for health (HRH) perspective.MethodsUsing data from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) we set out to quantify and qualify the British government's contributions on HRH in developing countries and to establish a baseline.. To determine whether activities and financing could be included in the categorisation of 'HRH strengthening' we adopted the Agenda for Global Action on HRH and a WHO approach to the 'working lifespan' of health workers as our guiding frameworks. To establish a baseline we reviewed available data on Official Development Assistance (ODA) and country reports, undertook a new survey of HRH programming and sought information from multilateral partners.ResultsIn financial year 2008/9 DFID spent £901 million on direct 'aid to health'. Due to the nature of the Creditor Reporting System (CRS) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) it is not feasible to directly report on HRH spending. We therefore employed a process of imputed percentages supported by detailed assessment in twelve countries. This followed the model adopted by the G8 to estimate ODA on maternal, newborn and child health. Using the G8's model, and cognisant of its limitations, we concluded that UK 'aid to health' on HRH strengthening is approximately 25%.ConclusionsIn quantifying DFID's disbursements on HRH we encountered the constraints of the current CRS framework. This limits standardised measurement of ODA on HRH. This is a governance issue that will benefit from further analysis within more comprehensive programmes of workforce science, surveillance and strategic intelligence. The Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health may present an opportunity to partially address the limitations in reporting on ODA for HRH and present solutions to establish a global baseline.

Sub-Saharan Africa: The Challenge of Integration into the Global Trading System

AbstractDeveloping countries that are integrating quickly into the global trading system are among the fastest growing economies in the world. The impressive economic growth combined with significant reduction in poverty levels in recent years in China and India seem to demonstrate that increased international integration has the potential to spur growth capable of reducing poverty levels in poor countries. In contrast Sub-Saharan Africa appears to have been marginalized. The textile and apparel industry provides ample illustration of the daunting problems that make it difficult for countries in the region to successively engage in the global economy. Being unable to take advantage of the global market economy to promote economic growth and poverty reduction, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to rely on official development assistance (ODA) from rich nations. The challenge for Sub-Saharan Africa is to help spur economic growth by becoming well integrated into the global economy in order to share more fairly in its benefits.

Countdown to 2015: assessment of official development assistance to maternal, newborn, and child health, 2003–08

Achievement of high coverage of effective interventions and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5A requires adequate financing. Many of the 68 priority countries in the Countdown to 2015 Initiative are dependent on official development assistance (ODA). We analysed aid flows for maternal, newborn, and child health for 2007 and 2008 and updated previous estimates for 2003-06. We manually coded and analysed the complete aid activities database of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for 2007 and 2008 with methods that we previously developed to track ODA. By use of newly available data for donor disbursement and population estimates, we revised data for 2003-06. We analysed the degree to which donors target their ODA to recipients with the greatest maternal and child health needs and examined trends over the 6 years. In 2007 and 2008, US$4·7 billion and $5·4 billion (constant 2008 US$), respectively, were disbursed in support of maternal, newborn, and child health activities in all developing countries. These amounts reflect a 105% increase between 2003 and 2008, but no change relative to overall ODA for health, which also increased by 105%. Countdown priority countries received $3·4 billion in 2007 and $4·1 billion in 2008, representing 71·6% and 75·6% of all maternal, newborn, and child health disbursements, respectively. Targeting of ODA to countries with high rates of maternal and child mortality improved over the 6-year period, although some of these countries persistently received far less ODA per head than did countries with much lower mortality rates and higher income levels. Funding from the GAVI Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria exceeded core funding from multilateral institutions, and bilateral funding also increased substantially between 2003 and 2008, especially from the USA and the UK. The increases in ODA to maternal, newborn, and child health during 2003-08 are to be welcomed, as is the somewhat improved targeting of ODA to countries with greater needs. Nonetheless, these increases do not reflect increased prioritisation relative to other health areas. Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health on behalf of the Countdown to 2015 Initiative.

The Netherlands: A Tax Haven?

All the empirical evidence indicates that the Netherlands is a tax haven. This is because it deliberately offers companies who would not otherwise seek to be resident within its territory the means to reduce their tax charges on interest, royalties, dividend and capital gains income from foreign subsidiaries. This SOMO report investigates the extent to which the Netherlands can be regarded as a tax haven, and analyses the factors behind this, such as the unique network of bilateral treaties for the avoidance of double taxation and the special fiscal regimes for group financing operations. It estimates the number of ‘mailbox companies’, mostly established to route financial flows through the Netherlands purely for fiscal reasons, at almost 20,000, and this number has been increasing rapidly in recent years. The Netherlands benefits primarily from attracting financial flows to its territory by increasing the tax yield it enjoys from corporate income and from employment generated in the trust and tax consultancy sector. These benefits do not, however, outweigh the negative consequences for other countries. Hence, Dutch tax policy is inconsistent with its policy on Official Development Assistance (ODA) and its associated high contribution to financing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The tax haven features of the Netherlands also facilitate money laundering and attract companies with a dubious reputation. In order to promote a fair and just global economic system in which tax avoidance by multinational corporations is minimised, the report gives recommendations for the Dutch government and all other relevant actors.

Where did all the aid go? An in-depth analysis of increased health aid flows over the past 10 years.

To examine how health aid is spent and channelled, including the distribution of resources across countries and between subsectors. Our aim was to complement the many qualitative critiques of health aid with a quantitative review and to provide insights on the level of development assistance available to recipient countries to address their health and health development needs. We carried out a quantitative analysis of data from the Aggregate Aid Statistics and Creditor Reporting System databases of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which are the most reliable sources of data on official development assistance (ODA) for health from all traditional bilateral and multilateral sources and from partnerships such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The analysis shows that while health ODA is rising and capturing a larger share of total ODA, there are significant imbalances in the allocation of health aid which run counter to internationally recognized principles of "effective aid". Countries with comparable levels of poverty and health need receive remarkably different levels of aid. Funding for Millennium Development Goal 6 (combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases) accounts for much of the recent increase in health ODA, while many other health priorities remain insufficiently funded. Aid is highly fragmented at country level, which entails high transaction costs, divergence from national policies and lack of coherence between development partners. Although political momentum towards aid effectiveness is increasing at global level, some very real aid management challenges remain at country level. Continued monitoring is therefore necessary, and we recommend that a review of the type presented here be repeated every 3 years.