Unit 13 - Essays - International Aid Flashcards
Assess the view that donors of international aid gain more than the countries which receive international aid.
Main Body Paragraphs
Paragraph 1: Tied Aid
Define tied aid: funds that must be spent on donor country goods/services.
Explain donor benefits:
Economic gains for donor industries (e.g., UK-Malawi infrastructure project with inflated costs).
Political influence (e.g., France in Francophone Africa).
Highlight recipient challenges: unsuitable goods/services (e.g., Ethiopia’s agricultural machinery).
Paragraph 2: Multilateral Aid
Define multilateral aid: pooled funds through organizations like the World Bank or IMF.
Donor advantages:
Large contributions give control over decision-making (e.g., US influence in the World Bank).
Recipient successes: rural electrification in Bangladesh reducing poverty by 20%.
Recipient challenges: IMF structural adjustment programs in Zambia leading to cuts in public services.
Paragraph 3: Relief Aid
Define relief aid: emergency assistance during crises.
Recipient benefits: immediate support (e.g., Haiti earthquake aid saving lives).
Donor benefits: enhanced global reputation (e.g., US relief aid to Pakistan floods in 2022).
Challenges for recipients: short-term focus often neglects long-term resilience (e.g., Pakistan floods).
Paragraph 4: Development Aid
Define development aid: long-term support for economic growth and social development.
Donor gains:
Economic contracts for donor companies (e.g., Japan in Southeast Asia).
Recipient benefits: Rwanda’s poverty reduction by 30% (2000–2020).
Challenges for recipients: rural-urban inequalities in Ghana, inconsistent funding in Uganda.
Paragraph 5: NGO Charitable Aid
Define NGO aid: projects run by independent charities.
Case study:
WaterAid in Mali: clean water for 3 million, reduced child deaths, but uneven regional focus (south over north).
Practical Action in Nepal: 25,000 climate-resilient homes, but projects remain donor-reliant.
Highlight limited scale and systemic impact despite successes.
Conclusion
Summarize key points: donors gain economically, politically, and reputationally, often more than recipients.
Tied and development aid heavily favor donors; relief and NGO aid offer more balanced benefits but still show donor influence.
Judgment: aid needs better alignment with recipient needs to truly achieve its goals.
How far do you agree that international aid solves problems in the countries which receive it?
Main Body Paragraphs
- Tied Aid
Definition: Aid requiring spending on donor-country goods/services.
Example: Ghana – tied aid inflated project costs by 30%.
Effectiveness: Can bring technology/infrastructure but prioritizes donor interests.
Spatial and Temporal Impacts: Focus on urban areas; long-term dependency limits growth.
- Multilateral Aid
Definition: Aid delivered by international organizations (e.g., World Bank).
Example: Green Climate Fund in Bangladesh – only 25% of projects operational due to delays.
Positive Impact: Ethiopia reduced maternal mortality by 39% (2005–2015) through health programs.
Limitations: Focuses on national goals, often ignoring local needs.
- Relief Aid
Definition: Emergency aid for crises.
Example: Haiti earthquake (2010) – $13 billion pledged, but only 10% reached local organizations.
Effectiveness: Saves lives but focuses on short-term fixes.
Limitations: Dependency risk; urban areas prioritized over rural.
- Development Aid
Definition: Aid for long-term improvement (health, education, infrastructure).
Example: Tanzania – $500 million helped increase electricity access from 14% to 38% (2009–2019).
Limitations: Corruption, e.g., Nigeria lost $400 million in health aid (2010–2015).
Scale and Spatial Impact: Works at national level but less effective locally.
- NGO Charitable Aid
Definition: Aid from non-governmental organizations targeting specific problems.
Examples:
WaterAid in Mali: Clean water for 370,000 people, diseases reduced by 40%.
Practical Action in Sudan: Low-cost homes for 50,000 displaced people using local materials.
Strengths: Localized, sustainable solutions.
Weaknesses: Limited in scale and funding reliability.
Conclusion
Summarize: Aid solves some problems but is not a complete solution due to tied conditions, corruption, and limited scope.
Highlight the success of localized projects (e.g., NGOs).
Final judgment: Aid can be effective if well-managed, localized, and focused on empowering communities for long-term self-reliance.
‘People’s social and economic wellbeing is increased more by development aid than by relief aid’. How far do you agree with this statement?
Main Body (5 paragraphs)
Paragraph 1: Economic Growth Through Development Aid
Focus: How development aid builds infrastructure and strengthens economies.
Case studies: Rwanda (Vision 2020 reducing poverty), Ghana (electricity projects improving rural livelihoods).
Evidence: Long-term reduction in poverty and increased opportunities for economic growth.
Paragraph 2: Social Benefits of Development Aid
Focus: Improvements in education and healthcare through development aid.
Case studies: Bangladesh (increased school enrollment, reduced maternal mortality).
Evidence: Lifelong benefits for individuals and future generations.
Paragraph 3: Challenges with Relief Aid
Focus: Relief aid’s short-term nature and lack of systemic improvements.
Case studies: South Sudan (continued reliance on food aid despite long-term assistance).
Evidence: Dependency and lack of sustainable change.
Paragraph 4: Building Resilience With Development Aid
Focus: Development aid’s role in preparing communities for future crises.
Case studies: Ethiopia (Feed the Future increasing food production, reducing drought vulnerability).
Evidence: Long-term self-reliance vs. temporary fixes from relief aid.
Paragraph 5: Relief Aid’s Role in Emergencies
Focus: Importance of relief aid for immediate survival during crises.
Case studies: Haiti earthquake (short-term relief vs. long-term development rebuilding).
Evidence: Relief aid saves lives temporarily but doesn’t address deeper issues.
Conclusion
Summarize: Development aid is more effective in improving long-term social and economic wellbeing by addressing systemic issues and building resilience.
Judgement: While relief aid is critical for emergencies, it is less impactful over time, making development aid the better option for sustainable progress.
To what extent does international aid improve the lives of people in receiving countries?
Main Body Paragraphs
1. Tied Aid
Definition: Aid tied to goods and services from the donor country.
Evidence:
Ghana: Projects often benefit donor countries more than recipients.
OECD study: Tied aid is 15–30% less efficient due to high procurement costs.
Evaluation: Immediate benefits, but fosters dependency and neglects local priorities.
- Multilateral Aid
Definition: Aid delivered through organizations like the UN or World Bank.
Evidence:
Global Fund saved 50 million lives (e.g., Ethiopia, Tanzania).
Challenges: Corruption and weak governance can limit aid impact.
Evaluation: Large-scale potential, but uneven distribution and slower implementation.
- Relief Aid
Definition: Emergency aid during crises like disasters or conflicts.
Evidence:
Haiti (2010): Food, water, and medicine saved lives.
Pakistan floods (2023): Relief aid supported millions displaced by floods.
Evaluation: Crucial in emergencies but unsustainable for long-term development. Often fails to reach remote areas effectively.
- Development Aid
Definition: Long-term projects to improve infrastructure, health, and education.
Evidence:
US Millennium Challenge projects in Lesotho improved water access and roads.
Challenges: Uganda health centers lacked supplies and staff.
Evaluation: Can transform lives if well-planned, but often limited by corruption and poor execution.
- NGO Charitable Aid
Definition: Aid delivered by non-governmental organizations targeting specific communities.
Case Studies:
WaterAid in Mali: Clean water and sanitation for 5.8 million people since 2000.
Practical Action in Bangladesh: Flood-resistant homes.
Evaluation: Highly effective at the local level but limited in scale and reliant on donations.
Conclusion
Summarize: Aid improves lives but varies in impact depending on type and delivery.
Judgement: Multilateral and development aid have large-scale potential but face challenges; relief aid is lifesaving but temporary; NGO aid is targeted and effective locally but limited in scope.
Recommendation: Better planning and fair distribution can enhance aid’s impact.
Evaluate the use of international aid as a way to achieve development
Paragraph 1: Multilateral Aid – The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Explain the MDGs and their targets (e.g., poverty, education, health).
Evidence:
Global poverty reduction (1990: 36% → 2015: 10%).
Tanzania: increased school enrollment (57% → 80%).
Evaluate limitations: uneven progress (e.g., maternal health in Sub-Saharan Africa).
Point out the temporal issue of unsustainable outcomes.
Paragraph 2: Multilateral Aid – The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Discuss how the SDGs expanded the MDGs (e.g., focus on sustainability).
Evidence:
Morocco’s Noor Solar Plant (affordable clean energy for 2 million).
Evaluate challenges:
Funding gap (only 60% of $5–7 trillion needed annually).
COVID-19 impacts on progress.
Paragraph 3: Charitable Aid – WaterAid
Focus on NGO-led projects addressing basic needs.
Evidence:
Mali: solar water pumps, reduced time fetching water (75%), fewer diarrhea cases (60%).
Evaluate limitations:
Localized impact, scalability challenges.
Dependency on external funding, particularly in politically unstable regions.
Paragraph 4: Infrastructure and Shelter – Practical Action
Example: Nepal post-2015 earthquake, earthquake-resistant homes (50,000 people).
Benefits:
Sustainability through local materials and skills training.
Limitations:
Dependency on limited funding.
Lack of solutions for broader issues (e.g., urban overcrowding).
Paragraph 5: Criticisms and Challenges of International Aid
Discuss major challenges:
Aid dependency (e.g., Malawi, 40% of budget from aid in 2021).
Corruption (e.g., $12.7 million stolen in Uganda).
Donor priorities vs. recipient needs (tied aid).
Uneven distribution of aid (e.g., Yemen vs. India).
Evaluate how temporal and spatial factors affect aid’s effectiveness.
Conclusion
Summarize key points: Aid has achieved successes (e.g., MDGs, SDGs, WaterAid projects) but has limitations (e.g., dependency, corruption, uneven progress).
Provide judgment: Aid is a useful tool but needs reform, including building local capacity, reducing inequalities, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
