2. Foreign Aid as an Obstacle to Development: The Case of Rwanda’s RuraJ Development Projects

Abstract With limited time and resources available to carry out Engineering for Global Development (EGD) projects, it can be difficult to know where those resources should be allocated to have greater potential for meaningful impact. It is easy to assume that projects should occur in a particular location based on personal experience or where other development projects are taking place. This can be a consideration, but it may not lead to the greatest social impact. Where to work on a project and what problem to work on are key questions in the early stages of product development in the context of EGD. To aid in this process, this article presents a method for assessing global needs to ensure thoughtful use of limited EGD resources. We introduce a method for identifying locations where there is human need, gaps in technological achievement, and what the work environment is in a country. Results of the method are compared to what countries receive the most foreign aid dollars per capita. Measures were calculated using the principal component analysis on data from development agencies. These results can help practitioners in selecting where to undertake development projects with an eye toward targeting locations that may yield high levels of social impact.

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The Effects of China's Development Projects on Political Accountability

British Journal of Political Science ◽

10.1017/s0007123420000381 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Szu-Ning Ping ◽

Yi-Ting Wang ◽

Wen-Yang Chang

Keyword(s):

Foreign Aid ◽

Development Projects ◽

Political Accountability ◽

Energy Access ◽

Relative Lack ◽

Related Development ◽

Local Officials ◽

Rich Countries ◽

Donor Characteristics ◽

The Relationship

Abstract The literature on the relationship between foreign aid and institutions has found that the effects of aid vary across different donor characteristics and delivery mechanisms. This article focuses on China's resource-related development projects, which have been considered controversial due to the relative lack of conditionality. By distinguishing between vertical and horizontal dimensions of political accountability, the study finds that China's resource-related projects are particularly detrimental to the accountability of recipient countries' horizontal (legislative and judicial) institutions. These projects are often delivered to resource-rich countries, in the form of packaging access to resources and infrastructure construction, to improve China's own energy access. Local officials may be tempted to weaken horizontal institutions so that the projects can be implemented quickly. Nevertheless, these projects have little effect on vertical accountability, as China has less intention and capacity to fundamentally restrain electoral competition in recipient countries.

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Democratization in Malawi: Responding to International and Domestic Pressures

African and Asian Studies ◽

10.1163/15692108-12341275 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 415-434 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Nikolas G. Emmanuel

Keyword(s):

Civil Society ◽

Foreign Aid ◽

Development Projects ◽

Political Conditionality ◽

Aid Dependency ◽

Political Conditions ◽

Donor Coordination

Abstract Donors hope that their foreign aid can be influential, far beyond the development projects that they fund. Frequently, aid providers attach political conditions to their monies in the hope that these demands can serve as catalysts to improve the governance in the recipient. This is called a political conditionality approach. Few countries have felt the weight of conditionality as much as Malawi did in the 1990s. Here, donors were able to use aid sanctions to successfully encourage democratization, while strengthening the demands of domestic opposition forces. This paper argues that three factors were critical in this process: 1) aid dependency, 2) donor coordination, and 3) a strong and persistent domestic opposition. With their combined weight, foreign donors and Malawian civil society were able to change the tide in this once highly authoritarian country.

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Foreign Aid Procurement Policies of Development Partners in Africa: The Case of Ghana

Journal of African Law ◽

10.1017/s0021855317000237 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 61 (3) ◽

pp. 373-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fred Borson

Keyword(s):

Foreign Aid ◽

Development Aid ◽

Development Projects ◽

Policy Space ◽

African Countries ◽

Development Partner ◽

Major Development ◽

Development Goals

AbstractMajor development projects in many African countries are often financed by development partners through development aid procurement. Development partners implement specific procurement policies aimed at promoting development in countries receiving aid. This article examines the policies of development partners applicable to aid funded procurement. It argues that some development partner policies could limit the policy space available to implement prioritized development goals domestically.

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