Discussion Paper

Multilateral aid: structural change and donor preferences

Klingebiel, Stephan
Discussion Paper (19/2013)

Bonn: German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)

ISBN: 978-3-88985-601-2
Price: 6 €

It is rarely possible in practice to draw a clear distinction between bilateral and multilateral aid, as there are overlaps between them and they are often delivered in special forms. Moreover, aid delivered by EU (European Union) institutions differs from multilateral forms of aid. Essentially, there are two perspectives on multilateral aid as a system. The first says that it represents a functioning ‘patchwork’ approach to global challenges. The second claims that it is severely fragmented and inefficient. It is against this backdrop that this article analyses the structural changes taking place within multilateral aid and their implications for the quality of aid.