Here are some of the things we were saying about the aid context in 1995:

• key indicators point to major cuts in aid volume (a fall of 6% between 1992 and 1993) and declining generosity (a fall of 0.33% of average DAC GNP to 0.3% in 1992)
• the prospects are for greater cuts ... yet greater need
• resource flows are not responding to the needs of the poor with reducing priority to the poorest countries – least developed countries laregey escaped the impact of aid cuts but in 1993, aid to lowest income countries (LICs) fell to below 50% of DAC aid
• some donors have tried to improve their capacity to measure and report on their efforts on aid to basic human need – but this needs to be made consistent across the DAC
• the increasing shares of aid being allocated to emergencies and debt reducation are reducing the availabiltity of aid for long-term development
• development cooperation has become increasingly sensitive to the links between poverty reduction and gender
• the irrational geographical distribution of aid and inconsistent application of governance conditionality illustrate the political and trade considerations that override aid allocation based on development need
• aid is not the only force for sustainable development and poverty reduction – but it is indispensable assistance to poor countries as, unlike economic, political and trade reforms, it can promote the specific participation of the poorest people in economic and social development.

"We commit ourselves to the goal of eradicating poverty in the world, through decisive national actions and international cooperation, as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind."
World Summit for Social Development, declaration and programme commitment 2, March 1995

Other Reality of Aid

Reality of Aid 2002
Reality Check 2001
Reality of Aid 2000
Reality of Aid 1998/1999
Reality of Aid 1997/1998
Reality of Aid 1996
Reality of Aid 1995
Reality of Aid 1994
Reality of Aid 1993

Reality of Aid home

Here are some of the key indicators from Reality of Aid 1995, which was based on official data from 1993:

• aid from OECD countries fell by 5.6% to US$56 billion
• 14 out of 21 donors allowed thier GNP percentage to decline, bringing the DAC average down from 0.33% in 1992 to 0.3% in 1993
• aid as a peropotion of government spending fell from over 2% to under 1.8%
• between 1989 and 1993, 87% of private flows went to just 20 countries, only three of which figured on the list of lowest income countries (LICs).

Download this information as a one-page PDF.

External links

Visit the Reality of Aid project site – Reality of Aid reports since 2002 – Reality Checks since 2002

Visit the Global Humanitarian Assistance site – our independent project to monitors aid flows