We can measure precisely how some countries have benefited from development aid. They have improved healthcare, higher life expectancy and increased educational opportunities. But the largest recipients of aid have become relatively poorer. The quantity of aid is different from the quality of aid. It often fails to reach those who most need support – people struggling to become independent, income-generating, active participants in their society.



The stated aim of donor aid is to support the development needs of the receiving country in eradicating poverty. But who negotiates the level of aid? Who decides what kind of aid is offered? Who defines the recipient's developmental needs?

The aid policies of donor countries are heavily influenced by politically powerful transnational corporations. These corporations' key interest is not in responding to need. Rather, it is in finding new markets to promote their goods. In the recipient countries, the poorest people are often the most politically weak and marginalised. They will have difficulty asserting their needs.