Inside the Black Box: Contributions to the discussion on official development assistance

The effectiveness of Official Development Assistance is heavily debated. The emergence of new donors and the recent establishment of novel development actors, such as the BRICS-powered ‘New Development Bank’, will complement or substitute traditional financial flows and development cooperation. This transition in the geo-political landscape of development assistance presents an opportunity for traditional donors and recipients of ODA to reassess and possibly refine development cooperation, ultimately leading to improved ODA delivery and an opening of the “black box of development assistance”. Inside the Black Box presents ideas from future leaders and university students on how to best improve ODA’s effectiveness despite the intertwined maze of aid ineffectiveness. Essays included in this compilation cover topics addressing transparency and accountability, the barrier between ODA workers and community members, cross-sector collaboration, under-reporting, procurement and issues underlying the levels of governance amongst others.

Keywords: official development assistance, development priorities, aid effectiveness, institutional change

JEL Classification: O20, O43