FACTBOX: Who gives and gets development aid?

Sun Aug 31, 2008 5:39am EDT
 
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(Reuters) - Below are some facts and figures about official development aid.

* Development aid from the world's major donors, the 22 countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) stood at $103.7 billion in 2007.

* This was a drop from $107.1 billion in 2005 and $104.4 billion in 2006, but that had been expected because earlier figures included big chunks of debt relief for Iraq and Nigeria.

* The $103.7 billion in aid from rich countries is the equivalent of about half the annual gross domestic product of Hong Kong in 2007 or roughly the market capitalization of banking group Citigroup, as at Friday's close.

* The international aid system is becoming more complex due to a growing number of private foundations and new lenders such as China, India and Middle East funds. That also makes the overall amount of aid harder to quantify.

* Rich country donors are expected to fall short of promises to increase Africa made at the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. This would mean an increase of aid to $130 billion by 2010.

* Development aid is about helping countries long term, rather than emergency relief for specific disasters. In 2008, the United Nations appealed for $3.8 billion in humanitarian aid to help 25 million people in two dozen countries.

BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT AID RECIPIENTS

Countries below are ranked by the amount of official development assistance received in 2006 ($ million) excluding debt relief. (Source: OECD)

1. Iraq 5,143

2. Afghanistan 2,405

3. Sudan 1,518

4. Vietnam 1,289

5. China 1,174

6. Pakistan 1,140

7. Ethiopia 996  Continued...

 
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