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Global issues: development assistance, military aid, debt forgiveness, and control of international institutions such as the World Bank
(Last updated, February 22, 2008) In past years, this section of Hunger Notes has focused on
This year we will add a section on
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military aid and other elements of developed country influence. This section will include ways in which developed countries try to influence the political and economic outcome of developing countries. This will include military 'aid' which, like development 'assistance' is not just aid in an altruistic sense, but typically involves self interest, possibly to a very high degree, on the part of the donor nation. It will also include use of other aspects such as legal structures, public opinion, and a significant level of control of international institutions. This section will also include developing country reaction to developed country efforts. It will not include the world trading structure which is covered in another Hunger Notes section, Global issues: trade, hunger and poverty.
Administration and House leaders agree on bill authorizing a tripling of AIDS funding; money must still be appropriated David Brown Washington Post February 28, 2008 (You will leave this site, be required to register once with the Post and thereafter sign in using your email address.)
President Bush's February trip to Africa has brought media attention to US development assistance there.
Bush highlights malaria campaign BBC News February 19, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
Bush's out-of-tune AIDS plan Michael Swigert and Sena Tsikata Foreign Policy in Focus February 20, 2008
Widespread use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and state-of-the-art drugs succeeds in cutting malaria deaths in half in Rwanda and Ethiopia David Brown Washington Post February 1, 2008 (You will leave this site, be required to register once with the Post and thereafter sign in using your email address.)
Basic analysis of United States foreign aid
U.S. Foreign Aid Explained Lane Vanderslice June 5, 2005
This article describes the four principal components of U.S. foreign aid:
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development assistance ($8.4 billion in 2005) to assist in the development of poor (and other) countries. The principal components assisting poor countries are the USAID Child Survival account, the USAID development assistance account, the State Departments Global HIV/AIDS initiative, the Millennium Challenge account, and contributions to multilateral development banks such as the World Bank. There are also two accounts assisting Eastern Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union, most of which are higher income countries.
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humanitarian assistance ($2.3 billion in 2005) goes to those very much in need, because they are in a natural or man-made disaster (such as war) or because they are refugees.
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military and security assistance ($7.8 billion in 2005) provides assistance to U.S. allies, principally through financing military purchases by these countries or making budget support payments to their governments.
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narcotics control initiatives ($1.0 billion) to assist countries in eradicating drugs and providing alternative employment. Assistance to country police forces is also made.
Official Development Assistance. How much are developed countries contributing to developing countries? What is official development assistance--what is counted and what is not?
Half of total assistance, $9.7 billion in 2005, is development and humanitarian assistance that goes to poor countries. (Some development and humanitarian assistance goes to countries that are not classified as poor, such as many countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.)
Official development assistance (ODA) measures how much each developed country gives to developing countries, both in terms of United States dollars and as a percentage of each countries gross national product. The United States gives the largest amount of development assistance, but it only gives .17 of one percent of its gross national income (GNI), substantially below the average country contribution of .41 of one percent of GNI, and far below the agreed upon target of .7 percent (in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit). For more information see How much are developed countries contributing to developing countries??
Official development assistance (ODA) is slightly broader than development assistance to developing countries--the $9.7 billion mentioned above. It is difficult to find a good explanation of what exactly ODA is and what it counts. Hunger Notes provides two: What is official development assistance? (based on information from the United States Agency for International Development) and a fuller explanation, "Foreign aid: understanding data used to compare donors" (six page pdf file) by Larry Nowells, a researcher with the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. This article was originally done for Congress.
Over 50 WFP trucks have been hijacked in the past 12 months with at least 12 drivers still missing. Photo: AFP
Food aid hard to get to Darfur due to security situation: more than 50 trucks have been highjacked in last 12 months with many drivers still missing BBC News March 16, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
Food aid for the hungry? Katarina Wahlberg Global Policy Forum March 6, 2008
Truck delivering World Food Program aid in Liberia. High food prices have drastically reduced the amount of food aid that can be supplied to countries in need. WFP/Fidel Mazobe - Liberia
Soaring food prices putting US emergency aid in peril Anthony Faiola March 1, 2008 Washington Post (You will leave this site, be required to register once with the Post and thereafter sign in using your email address.)
Millions more face starvation because of rising food prices and large food aid budget deficit, UN says Julian Borger The Guardian February 26, 2008
UN warns over food aid rationing BBC News February 25, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
Grain price increases hit poor countries BBC News February 14, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
Military aid and other elements of developed country influence on developing countries
Ecuador’s leader purges military and moves to expel American base Simon Romero New York Times April 21 2008 (You will leave this site.) Ecuador plans foreign bases ban, ending US base there BBC News April 2, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
AFRICOM will focus on military training and counter-terrorism Photo: CJTF-HOA
AFRICOM to focus on military, not humanitarian role. IRIN March 4, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
United States bombs Somali town in an attempt to kill Islamist leader BBC News March 4, 2008 (You will leave this site.) See the US Horn of Africa Task Force site including Rewards for Justice
Militarizing Africa (again) Daniel Volman and Beth Tuckey Foreign Policy In Focus February 21, 2007
China not US rival in Africa BBC News February 20, 2008
Bush: 'US is not seeking Africa bases' BBC News February 20, 2008 (You will leave this site.)
AFRICOM threatens the sovereignty, independence and stability of the African continent Mark P. Fancher, Jeffrey L. Edison & Ajamu Sankofa National Conference of Black Lawyers January 31, 2008
Guam braces for US military buildup that will increase island's population by 25 percent Blaine Harden Washington Post January 25, 2008 (You will leave this site, be required to register once with the Post and thereafter sign in using your email address.)
2007 Development Assistance Page Global Page Hunger Notes Home Page