Reframing the aid debate
DIIS is launching a blog discussion called ”Reframing the aid debate”. The blog is based on Lindsay Whitfield's paper with the same title and seeks to stimulate a critical and constructive debate of international development cooperation. Aid is often rejected by some and defended uncritically by others. The blog intends to locate a midfield where the values and usefulness of aid are acknowledged while the challenges and problems are clearly confronted. Ideally, the blog should identify key issues that need to be addressed and hopefully some suggestions regarding the effectiveness of foreign aid in helping recipient countries to achieve economic development and long term poverty reduction.
Everyone is invited to contribute to the discussion. To stimulate the debate we have asked a number of researchers and practitioners to provide their thoughts on the subject. These contributions will be put on the blog in the coming 3-4 weeks and they include writings by Richard Manning, former Chair of OECD's Development Assistance Committee; David Booth, Research Fellow at Overseas Development Institute; Professor Nicolas van de Walle, Cornell University; Roger Riddell, author and a Non-Executive Director of Oxford Policy Management; and Poul Engberg-Pedersen, Director General, Norad.
The blog can be found here