Paying the Price: Why Rich Countries must Invest Now in a War on Poverty

Dec 24, 2005

This report investigates current aid contributions to developing countries. Oxfam argues that without sufficient finance from rich countries — only 0.7 percent of their national income — developing countries will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. It also concludes that increases in aid must be accompanied by improvements in the delivery of aid and reductions in the conditionality measures imposed by donors. Poor-country governments must also improve their performance and accountability, notwithstanding recent improvements. On behalf of the ‘Global Call for Action Against Poverty’ coalition, Oxfam offers detailed recommendations to donor members of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee, the World Bank and the IMF, and developing-country governments.