'This paper reviews recent studies that analyse how much foreign aid affects country-level outcomes – such as economic growth and school attendance rates. The report seeks to provide a jargon-free, clear analysis on whether aid is effective or not.

The author focuses on the literature about aid effectiveness with respect to the more diffuse and distant goals, especially economic growth. This ‘macro’ literature has attracted particular attention because it promises, seemingly, to answer more...

'This briefing note asks whether international level mechanisms function effectively in the context of aid effectiveness and accountability. It asks what can be feasibly done to strengthen their impact and draws particular attention to a recent Oxford Policy Management (OPM) study which reviewed international-level mechanisms.

It is argued that recently there has been a proliferation of new international mechanisms of mutual accountability. But progress has been disappointing and mutual accou more...

'Featuring analysis and opinions on the pilot operations in three African countries: Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and Tanzania, this report analyses new approaches to contractual relations in development aid as explored and used by the World Bank, the IMF and the European Commission (EC). It also assesses the experience by the EC as the only multilateral which has implemented outcome-based conditionality.

The authors argue that citizen groups demanding more and better aid have increased public d more...

Why do more than 800 million people still go hungry in a world marked by incredible affluence? 180 nations are gathering in Rome from June 10 to 13 to address just that question at the 'World Food Summit: Five Years Later' meeting. At the 1996 World Food Summit, also held in Rome, 185 nations signed a commitment to cut the number of hungry people in half by 2015. There, Cuban President Fidel Castro made waves--echoing the feelings of many--when he called that goal 'shameful' for its abandonment more...

Why do more than 800 million people still go hungry in a world marked by incredible affluence? 180 nations are gathering in Rome from June 10 to 13 to address just that question at the 'World Food Summit: Five Years Later' meeting. At the 1996 World Food Summit, also held in Rome, 185 nations signed a commitment to cut the number of hungry people in half by 2015. There, Cuban President Fidel Castro made waves--echoing the feelings of many--when he called that goal 'shameful' for its abandonment more...

GuideStar International (GSI) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) announced in August a joint venture to develop a free web portal for African civil society organisations, which will showcase the work of all NGOs, charities, nonprofit organisations and community based organisations from the smallest to the largest. Utilising a shared internet platform, organisations will, for the first time, be able to display their vision and mission, objectives, activities, needs and more...

The Asia-Pacific Aid Effectiveness Portal is a comprehensive collection of websites and documents relating to all aspects of Aid Effectiveness. It was set up to help governments in the Asia-Pacific region to prepare for and contribute to debates around the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra in September 2008. The website has a section on the nine Round Tables topics to be discussed at the HLF 3. It also has a guide of websites and key information resources on aid effectiveness, more...

'The Betteraid.blog is the place to find gossip, inside stories and interesting tit-bits on how rich country governments and multilateral institutions are spending their aid money. Many public commitments to improve the way aid money is delivered to poor people are not being implemented. At the same time some changes are underway and good precedents being set.

This collaborative blog was launched in September 2007, by a group of concerned civil society activists (see links in right hand col more...

'Betteraid.org is a campaign website that aims to provide information and updates on aid effectiveness issues, especially related to the CSO parallel process towards the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra September 2008 reviewing the Paris Declaration.'

Winner of Choice magazine's Outstanding Academic Title award: "...This relatively honest evaluation of the success and failures of donor assistance is a valuable contribution to understanding the complex issue of aid assessment...This volume is strongly recommended for those interested in case studies concerning aid in Africa." -- J. M. Warner, College of Wooster, Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, December 2001.