Aid to Fragile and Conflict-Affected Countries: A Review of the Literature and AustraliaÕs Approach

Fragile states are those characterised by problems of weak governance or of conflict, internal or cross border. They are also described, less crisply but more carefully, as countries in fragile and conflict affected situations – hence the acronym used in this paper, FCA countries. For about a decade the demands of providing international assistance to FCA countries have received explicit and increasing attention, both from aid organisations and from a range of others. These two kinds of literature, with their different perspectives, are what this paper describes. It also comments on how far Australia has a distinctive approach in its aid to FCA countries.