Rethinking the world of aid in the twenty first century

Many concerns can be raised about the effectiveness of current aid programmes to developing countries. The appropriateness of aid is particularly questionable when one considers the likely character of the challenges that the global economy will confront in 2025, as suggested by alternative global scenario exercises. This paper argues for urgent reconsideration of the focus of aid by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) countries, extending from: the priorities that aid should be used for (with greater emphasis on global public good initiatives); the ways that DAC donors can contribute to these different policy objectives; and the roles that different aid actors should play.