Aid to the least developed countries Presentation by Simon Scott, OECD/DAC United Nations, New York, 18 November 2008

Aid to LDCs has risen sharply since 2000

…led by steep rises in aid from the United States

…as well as from IDA and the EC

But smaller donors give higher shares of their aid to LDCs

Nine donor countries met the 0.15% of GNI target for aid to LDCs in 2007

LDCs received almost a third of all aid in 2007

Per capita aid to LDCs is far higher than to other income groups

The quality of aid to LDCs has improved In 2007, all DAC members met the 1978 DAC Terms Recommendation, by giving the bulk of their aid to LDCs as grants (at least 90% annually – or 86% of their aid to each LDC over the preceding three years – grant-equivalent). In 2001, the DAC agreed a Recommendation on Untying Aid to the Least Developed Countries, which is being carefully monitored. This means that practically all aid to LDCs is now in the form of grants which can be used to buy goods and services at the lowest prices available.

Aid goes mainly to social sectors (education, health, water supply) and debt relief

Sectoral emphasis varies widely

Aid to education is mainly for tertiary studies in donors or basic education in recipients…

In health, aid goes largely to HIV/AIDS programmes, and basic health

Water aid goes to both policy development and installation

Further rises in ODA are projected to 2010

Hopeful signs for aid to LDCs 2005 G8 and Millennium Summit promised to double aid to Africa – where most LDCs are located – by 2010 Aid to LDCs has risen noticeably in real terms since LDCs have received massive debt relief under MDRI – totalling $29 billion (2006) Global funds retargeting aid to health systems and neglected diseases

Warning signs for aid to LDCs Several major aid donors still well short of meeting aid targets, and likely to miss them for 2010 Recession may cut donor budgets in 2009 Obama/Biden promised to double total US ODA to $50 billion by 2012, but have pulled back since financial crisis Governance and security concerns impeding aid to some LDCs, especially fragile states

Importance of aid quality Paris Declaration (2005) set targets for monitoring aid quality Accra Agenda for Action (2008) commits donors to use partner systems and disclose planned aid levels Avoid pushing hobby horses through earmarking, conditionality and vertical funds Concentrate aid on real problems of hunger, disease and lack of freedom and opportunity.

Thank you for your attention. For more information on aid flows, visit the DAC website at