International Aid: Experience, prospects and the moral case

Tim Lankester

Published: March 2004

This article describes the main reasons why aid has not been as effective at addressing the world’s poverty problem as it could have been: lack of will on the part of donors, inadequate policies and governance on the part of recipients, and a lack of understanding of development and of how aid works best. It goes on to argue that donors and recipients alike are now better positioned to make aid more effective. However, the current and prospective level of aid is inadequate for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. While the moral case for more aid is compelling, it remains to be seen when and whether this will lead to larger aid budgets.