A fairer world - The Tasmanian Center for Global Learning

Did you know?
  • Since 1990 per capita income in rich countries has increased by $6,070; yet per capita aid has fallen by $1.*
  • The $7 billion a year that would be needed to provide clean drinking water and adequate sanitation for everyone in the world is less than Europeans spend on perfume and Americans spend on cosmetic surgery.*
  • "At least 80% of Australia's bilateral aid budget is spent on Australian sourced goods and services - the cost of an Australian consultant can run as high as A$600,000 a year."*

Aid and debt

The world’s high-income countries collectively spend 0.25% of their gross national income (GNI) on aid – about $78 billion per year. The percentage has declined by almost half since the 1960s, although in recent years it has begun to increase. Only five countries – Norway, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands – currently meet or surpass the UN target of 0.7%. The EU has pledged to reach this target by 2015.

Not all so-called aid benefits the poor. A substantial amount ends up in the coffers of Western businesses or is earmarked for dubious purposes such as police training in non-democratic countries. When aid projects aren’t carried out in close partnership with recipient communities, they can fail and even create new problems.

The global aid budget needs to increase and aid needs to be better directed. Western governments should also cancel the debts that have crippled low-income countries for decades. Many of these debts were incurred by corrupt regimes, and repayments exceed 20% of government revenue for some countries.

Most importantly, high-income countries should remove the protectionist trade barriers and abolish the agricultural subsidies that together cost developing countries six times the amount they receive as aid.

See also Trade, Globalisation, Disaster relief.
 

Find out more about global aid and debt

  • The Global Issues site has a broad overvew of the aid and debt situation with a focus on the United States, the world's largest "aid" provider.
  • Odious Debts provides a forum and information centre around the issue of Third World debt.
  • You can find out about Australia's overseas aid progam at the AusAID site which will tell you who receives aid from us and how that money is used. Also accessible from this page is the AusAID-hosted Australian Development Gateway which is concerned with poverty reduction and the enhancement of sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region.
  • AID/WATCH monitors Australian overseas aid, trade policies and programs to ensure that aid reaches the right people.


Join one of the groups that are lobbying for the cancellation of Third World debt

  • Jubilee Australia is part of the major international movement that is actively trying to create a more equitable financial situation for Third World countries. Their site contains background information and access to other Jubilee sites around the world.
  • Make Poverty History is a worldwide campaign seeking better aid, trade justice and the abolition of Third World debt.
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