The Reality of Aid 1996 An independent review of international aid Aid and Development Set Series

'Should be on the shelf of any academic, student, NGO activist or politician with an interest in aid issues. It should also be required reading for donor agency officials'
Development and Change

'As accessible as it is comprehensive has established itself as a reliable 'watchdog' for anyone interested in this important aspect of international relations'
ORBIT

Despite commitments to eradicate poverty, 21 of the world's richest nations have slashed their aid to the world's poorest countries to just 0.3% of GNP, its lowest level for more than 20 years. In real terms, aid in 1994 was below the 1990 level, and with several donors planning further cuts it is likely that the aid level will continue to fall.

Now in its fourth annual edition, The Reality of Aid critically examines the reality behind the rhetoric of development assistance, and the discrepancy between the targets that the 21 member countries of the OECD Development Assistance Committee are publically committed to and the aid that is actually disbursed. Part 1 of this year's edition includes analyses of;

* the impact of the Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development and '20/20' compact;
* developing countries' debt and their Northern creditors, including banks and international financial institutions;
* efforts to eradicate poverty, a stated aim of development assistance;
* the human and economic cost of the estimated 140 million unexploded landmines currently planted around the world; and
* the impact of conflict and humanitarian need on development cooperation.

In a new section, Part 2 presents perspectives from the South, with contributors from India, Cambodia, Peru, Zimbabwe, Poland and Fiji. Part 3 consists of detailed, country-by-country profiles of the aid performance of the OECD donors; and Part 4 reviews aid spending by Northern governments and NGOs, with 'at a glance' tables and charts which compare donors' performance on issues such as aid to basic health and education, the priority given to poverty reduction, the political management of aid and public attitudes to aid in developed countries. Throughout, information is summarized in easily interpreted figures and graphs.

First produced in 1993, The Reality of Aid has established itself as a unique source of independent evaluation and comment on aid policies and developments. It is indispensable for all involved in development aid, whether in the official or voluntary sectors.

Originally published in 1996

Part I: Current Issues and Key Themes
Introduction
Halle Jom Hanssen for Eurostep
Trygve G Nordby for ICVA
Eradicating Poverty - the Achievable Imperative
World Aid at a Glance
The Reality of Aid in 1996: an Overview
Another Reality of Debt: the Role of the Creditor
Landmines
The Social Summit and the Social Watch Initiative
Part II: Perspectives from the South
Cambodia
Fiji
India
Peru
Western Assistance to Transition in Post-Communist Countries
Zimbabwe
Part III: OECD Country Profiles
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Luxembourg
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
The European Union and the ECDP
Part IV: Aid Facts and Figures
Public Attitudes to Aid
Who Controls OECD Aid Budgets?
The Outlook for Aid
Mainstreaming Poverty Reduction
Measuring Aid to Direct Poverty Reduction
Decline in Aid Available for Long Term Development
Aid for Long-term Development
Aid for Humanitarian Assistance and Emergency Relief
Trends in ODA through NGOs
Information and Education on Development Cooperation
Glossary
ICVA and Eurostep Member Organizations
Exchange Rates
Notes on Country at a Glance Data