Blog
The vital role of aid in developmentThe UNU-WIDER research programme on foreign aid (ReCom) began in 2010, in a period of strong aid scepticism. Dambisa Moyo’s well-known book, Dead Aid...
Foreign aid is a complex and multi-faceted issue, involving many countries, institutions, and people—researchers, aid officials, policy makers, NGOs and civil society. To better understand and improve its effectiveness requires a multi-disciplinary approach—bringing together the best from social science, in particular economics and political science, as well as other relevant disciplines. Better understanding can only come from mobilizing a global network of development researchers and practitioners to share their knowledge of what works or could work. No single actor can grasp all of the dimensions of aid, not least in the ways that aid now interacts with global public goods—for example, within the climate change and peace and security spheres. It is the power of the network that gives ReCom its credibility as a source of knowledge on aid.
The new knowledge generated by research must be shared if it is to be of use. This can only be done by effective communication with national policy makers, aid officials, parliamentarians, and other practitioners in NGOs and social movements. Communication is as important to ReCom’s success as research.
A knowledge-sharing process therefore exchanges information and views. Knowledge creation and sharing interact—discussion of the research results bring about new questions for further investigation. Discussion also captures the insights of policy makers and practitioners, which then feed back into further rounds of knowledge creation and sharing. That is the core of ReCom.
Focal points: Tony Addison, Finn Tarp
Assistant: Janis Vehmaan-Kreula
Communications: Annett Victorero
Environment and climate change
The UNU-WIDER research programme on foreign aid (ReCom) began in 2010, in a period of strong aid scepticism. Dambisa Moyo’s well-known book, Dead Aid...
In academic discourse, it has become almost ritualistic to begin a piece on foreign aid by highlighting the sharp controversies over its effectiveness...
Aid’s future, its history, and its impact were the topics of a policy workshop held by UNU-WIDER in co-operation with the Embassy of Denmark in Dar es...
Just over a year ago, in March 2014, UNU-WIDER published a report entitled: What do we know about aid as we approach 2015? It notes the many successes...
Climate change adaptation funding is frequently characterized as reparations or compensation for costs imposed by historical emissions. This...
I’m writing this editorial from Dar es Salaam, while at the 20th anniversary workshop for Tanzania’s REPOA, one of our research partners. UNU-WIDER...
We are now into 2015, and the year is already gathering speed. 2015 is of course the 70th anniversary of the United Nations, and a major year in...
26 March 2014 Finn Tarp Foreign aid is often seen as different from other forms of investment, and some argue that rather than having a positive...
21 February 2014 Rachel M. Gisselquist Earlier this month, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof published a scathing critique of the role of...
28 January 2014 Tony Addison As we near the end of the second month of 2014, I fear already that this year is going to go in a flash. Certainly 2013...
28 February 2014 In this interview Sam Jones summarizes the findings of original UNU-WIDER work on the impact of aid on growth. Using data covering...
The story of the event as told by Twitter. [<a href="//storify.com/UNUWIDER/recom-results-meeting-aid-and-our-changing-environ" target="_blank">View...
The story of the event as told by Twitter. [<a href="//storify.com/UNUWIDER/aid-for-gender-equality-16-december-copenhagen-den" target="_blank">View...
The research programme ReCom – Research and communication on foreign aid – is ending this year. There is a large and unique collection of research...
10 December 2013 Tony Addison Our November-December Angle comes amid intense activity on our ReCom—Research and Communication on Foreign Aid—programme...
Over the last decade there has been increasing demand to make research more useful and applicable for policy-making. And that is also very true within...
Silence reigns in the office these days. Doors are closed, discussions are short, and faces look strained. The reason is that we are in the process of...
One of the more difficult issues aid organizations are facing is how to plan and conduct interventions in fragile situations where armed conflict is...
31 October 2013 Tony Addison October finds Angle in New York, for our event on ‘Fragility and Aid–What Works?’ at the Permanent Mission of Germany to...
After two ReCom Results Meetings in Stockholm we are returning to Copenhagen. The next event ‘Challenges in Fragility and Governance’ is coming up...
24 September 2013 Tony Addison As Helsinki moves into a crisp sunny autumn, Angle brings you news of two big UNU-WIDER events. ‘Egalitarian Principles...
22 August 2013 Tony Addison Angle returns from its Nordic summer break, to bring you more news and results from UNU-WIDER’s programme. Coming up in...
29 August 2013 Carl-Gustav Lindén Since 1997 the University of Gothenburg, Sweden has been running a unique PhD programme on environmental and...
4 July 2013 Roger Williamson On 4 June 2013 I attended an interesting effort on the part of UNU-WIDER to communicate research results to development...
24 June 2013 Minister Gunilla Carlson Like every political agenda, the post-2015 agenda must be firmly based in a reality check. The current...
24 June 2013 Tony Addison The Stockholm ReCom results meeting at Sida on 4 June was a lively exchange on all aspects of foreign aid and climate change...
29 June 2013 Tony Addison The June-July summer issue of Angle comes to you amid the 19 hours daylight of the Finnish mid-summer. Last week UNU-WIDER’s...
9 May 2013 Tony Addison With May ending, we head into a very busy June for UNU-WIDER (and midsummer). Next week we are back in Stockholm at Sida for...
17 April 2013Is the focus of aid funds really the poorest countries in the world? Does the international community follow it's best knowledge on aid...
17 April 2013 Carl-Gustav Lindén In recent weeks there have been several large gatherings of experts dealing with how to tackle the complex climate...
17 April 2013 Tony Addison and Miguel Niño-Zarazúa We learnt much from the ReCom Results meeting on 13th March in Stockholm on aid and the social...
30 April 2013 Tony Addison As April closes, our thoughts turn to UNU-WIDER’s spring/summer programme. And it’s a busy one. June sees us back in...
Theme: Past, 2010-11