With the beginning of the 21st century and the rise of so called new emerging donors within International Development Assistance, questions to what extent these new actors change the existing notions of development in general gained widespread interest among scholars from various academic backgrounds. Ranging from announcements of massive change which will affect the development paradigm as a whole to more nuanced analysis’s of the impact of these newly emerging actors , the academic discourse provides various answers to these questions. The aim of this article will be to examine and analyze the scope and significance of new emerging donors by examining in a first step who these new emerging donors are and what their actual impact on current development assistance looks like. I will argue that the term new emerging donors is misleading in terms of promoting the idea of a coherent group which is actually very diverse and in terms of the fact that these donors are considered to be new, although most of them have a long history in providing aid to other countries.
In a second step, this paper will focus on the example of China as the biggest new emerging donor by examining the underlying principles of Chinese development assistance, differences to the western donor community and the possible impact of Chinese aid on development in general and especially in Africa. I will argue that Chinese aid is largely intertwined with economic self-interests and its national foreign policy, which leads to a mixed picture concerning its outcomes and effects on development in general, although the overall results within the developing countries are rather successful. Furthermore, I will state that the existing flaws within the western development model as well as the situation in many African countries favor the recent success of Chinese aid and made it possible in the first place.
Finally, I will draw a conclusion based on the presented analysis to what extent new emerging donors will change the existing notions of development.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. New emerging donors?
3. Chinese Aid and its consequences
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how the emergence of non-DAC donors, particularly China, challenges the established Western-dominated international development assistance paradigm and its associated standards.
- Analysis of the heterogeneous group of non-DAC (re-emerging) donors.
- Examination of Chinese development assistance principles and foreign policy objectives.
- Evaluation of the impact of Chinese aid on African development and governance.
- Comparison between Western aid models and emerging donor practices.
- Discussion on the necessity of inclusive standard-setting in the global aid system.
Excerpt from the Book
Chinese Aid and its consequences
Over the past 10 – 15 years, China has become more active in engaging itself in the international system, especially compared to its previous isolationist-policy which has been predominant until the late 80s. This more active role is represented by a substantial change in foreign policy, including the adoption of a new donor-policy. With the ongoing western criticism of the Chinese human rights record, especially after the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989, China decided to intensify bilateral relationships in its region as well as with other developing countries, mostly in Africa, to gain support within international institutions, such as the UN, and to shield itself from western criticism. Tull argues that this interest in opposing western criticism and dominance was one of the reasons why many African leaders welcomed Chinese efforts to create more South-South relationships because of these common interests many African leaders shared at that time. (Tull 2006: 460 /61)
Furthermore, China turned to the concept of multipolarity in the international system based on a growing fear of extensive US hegemony. Consequently, China tried to establish alliances opposing the dominance of the US within the international system to shape the international order in their own interest. These events were accompanied by massive economic growth which also resulted in the necessity to help establishing regional and international stability, especially in economic terms, to guarantee ongoing growth and development within China itself. Thus, the more active role of China within the international system and its change in foreign policy has been seen by the Chinese government as a major mean to defend and follow China’s national interests. (ibid: 461/62) Given this context, Chinese aid and its growing role as a non-DAC donor, have to be understood as hugely intertwined with China’s economic and national interests in the first place.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the rise of new emerging donors and states the article's aim to analyze their impact on development, specifically focusing on the example of China.
New emerging donors?: Discusses the nomenclature of non-DAC donors and categorizes them into four distinct groups based on their relationship with Western standards and development practices.
Chinese Aid and its consequences: Investigates China's shift in foreign policy, the motivations behind its engagement in Africa, and how its non-interventionist aid model challenges Western governance standards.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the main findings, emphasizing that the rise of non-DAC donors requires a shift toward more inclusive, cooperative global aid systems to drive innovation.
Keywords
Non-DAC donors, China, International Development Assistance, Development paradigm, Foreign policy, Africa, Aid effectiveness, Multipolarity, South-South cooperation, Economic interests, Governance, OECD, Western dominance, Emerging powers, Aid conditionalities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper examines the rise of non-DAC donors and investigates to what extent these actors challenge the established notions of international development assistance.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the classification of non-DAC donors, the motivations behind Chinese development aid, the intersection of national economic interests with foreign policy, and the critique of Western development models.
What is the primary research objective?
The goal is to analyze the scope and significance of new emerging donors, particularly China, and determine whether their aid delivery challenges the standardized OECD-DAC model.
Which methodology is employed in the work?
The paper utilizes a qualitative comparative analysis, reviewing existing scholarly literature and policy discourses to contrast Western aid conditionality with the non-interventionist approach of emerging donors.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body categorizes non-DAC donors, details the evolution of Chinese foreign policy, explores the impacts of Chinese aid in African nations, and discusses the competitive pressures these donors exert on Western aid institutions.
Which keywords best describe this publication?
Key terms include Non-DAC donors, Chinese aid, Development paradigm, International Political Economy, and Aid effectiveness.
How does the author define the term "new emerging donors"?
The author argues that the term is misleading as these countries are often re-emerging, having provided aid since the 1960s, and suggests that "non-DAC donors" is a more accurate classification.
What is the "win-win situation" often associated with Chinese aid?
The text explains that China focuses on technical support and infrastructure projects, which provides opportunities for Chinese state-run enterprises to generate profits while assisting recipient countries with their development needs.
Why are African leaders often receptive to Chinese aid?
Many African leaders favor Chinese aid because it avoids the strict Western conditionalities related to human rights and governance, offering an alternative for economic cooperation that does not interfere in internal affairs.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Florian Meyer (Autor:in), 2010, Does the rise of Emerging Powers challenge the existing notions of development?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/163565
