Development aid rose to a new record in 2008. While good news in a crisis, how can the trend be maintained?
In 2008, total net official development assistance (ODA) from OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) countries rose by 10.2% in real terms to US$119.8 billion. This is the highest annual aid figure ever recorded, representing 0.3% of members' combined gross national income.
This encouraging, if rather unexpected, news comes despite the fact that the global economic crisis began to bite early in 2008. Since debt relief was also coming to an end for some recipient countries, a technical fall in aid would not have been a complete surprise. Still, there is no room for complacency. On the contrary, there are signs that the crisis is now forcing developed countries into difficult budgetary choices and foreign aid could be a victim.
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