Delivering Aid Differently: Lessons from the Field

Aid to developing countries is a $200 billion industry, which is indicative of global goodwill toward helping the poor and supporting economic development. But goodwill is not the same as good results. In Delivering Aid Differently: Lessons from the Field (Brookings Press, 2010), editors Homi Kharas, senior fellow and deputy director of Global Economy and Development at Brookings, and Wolfgang Fengler, lead economist in the Nairobi office of the World Bank, compile case studies from the field and find that the delivery of aid is fragmented, volatile and uncoordinated.

On November 15, Global Economy and Development at Brookings hosted Fengler and Kharas to discuss the solutions that make development aid more effective. Following the presentation, Ezra Suruma, distinguished visiting fellow at Brookings and senior presidential advisor on finance and planning in Uganda, provided his thoughts on aid delivery from an aid-recipient country. Dennis Whittle, CEO of GlobalGiving, moderated the discussion.

After the program, the participants took audience questions.