Aid fragmentation

The pattern of how aid is delivered and received looks like this: splintered across too many donors, each with their own processes and priorities, working in often overlapping relationships with each other. Our data shows that only a fraction of actual aid volume - 5% - is handled by half of all aid relations. Not only is this pattern complex to understand and co-ordinate, it also creates transaction costs and administrative burdens for recipient countries.

 

Download global fragmentation data (2007-2010):
- By region (657 kb)
- By income group (639 kb)

 

Download country-level fragmentation data (2010):
Countries A to F (886 kb)
Countries G to N (1 008 kb)
Countries O to Z (1 004 kb)

 

Based on the key goals outlined in the Accra Agenda for Action of reducing fragmentation and improving the division of labour, we work to help donors and recipients understand where fragmentation is occurring and invest where aid is expected to be most needed. We do this by:

In addition, we publish our key findings on aid fragmentation in an annual report, called the Report on Divsion of Labour.

 

2011 OECD Report on Division of Labour: Addressing cross-country fragmentation of aid (pdf, 2.8 MB)

An increasing diversity of stakeholders contribute important resources and knowledge to achieve development goals. At the same time, the proliferation of donors and funding channels, and the resulting fragmentation of aid pose critical challenges to the effectiveness and impact of development co-operation. This report examines the most recent trends in aid fragmentation through analysis of all aid relations between 152 partner countries and 47 donors, covering all DAC members and the largest multilateral agencies. It also proposes targets for reducing aid fragmentation and looks at the new reality of donor exits from partner countries as bilateral donors concentrate their aid.

2009 OECD Report on Division of Labour: Addressing fragmentation and concentration of aid across countries (pdf, 2.3 MB)

The report traces up to 3 700 aid relationships between all 151 aid recipient countries and the 46 largest donors, covering all DAC members and the largest multilateral agencies. It examines the concept of aid fragmentation across countries and what has happened since the adoption of the Paris Declaration. It also proposes measures for concentration and fragmentation and options for tackling excessive fragmentation. This report shows that a decrease of 23% in the number of relationships is possible when only 4% of aid is reorganised. This reorganisation would lead to an increase in the volume of the average donor/partner aid relation by 30%.

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