Debunking the current model of international aid promoted by both Hollywood celebrities and policy makers, Moyo offers a bold new road map for financing development of the world's poorest countries.

Contents: (1) Foreign Aid (FA): An Intro. to U.S. Programs and Policy; (2) What are the Objectives of U.S. Foreign Assistance (FAs)?; What are the Different Types of FA?; What are the Funding Priorities and Trends in U.S. FAs?; (3) How Large is the U.S. FAs Budget and What Have Been the Historical Funding Trends?; How Does FA Compare with Other Fed. Programs?; How Much of FA Dollars are Spent on U.S. Goods?; (4) What Exec. Branch Agencies Administer FA Programs?; What are the Different Forms in Which FAs is Provided?; How Much FA is Provided as Loans and How Much as Grants?; What are Some Types of Loans?; (5) What Congressional Committees Oversee FA Programs?; What are the Major FA Legislative Vehicles?

What is development -- How does development happen? -- Why are some countries rich and others poor? -- What can be done to accelerate development? -- The evolution of development aid -- Sustainable development -- Globalization and development -- The future of development.

Assessing Aid determines that the effectiveness of aid is not decided by the amount received but rather the institutional and policy environment into which it is accepted. It examines how development assistance can be more effective at reducing global poverty and gives five mainrecommendations for making aid more effective: targeting financial aid to poor countries with good policies and strong economic management; providing policy-based aid to demonstrated reformers; using simpler instruments to transfer resources to countries with sound management; focusing projects oncreating and transmitting knowledge and capacity; and rethinking the internal incentives of aid agencies.

Provided for over 60 years, and expanding more rapidly today than it has for a generation, foreign aid is now a $100bn business. But does it work? Indeed, is it needed at all? In this first-ever, overall assessment of aid, Roger Riddell provides a rigorous but highly readable account of aid, warts and all.