International Development Assistance (IDA) has increasingly become one of the main tools for development intervention. This project, funded by the Chinese Government’s Ministry of Commerce, is aimed at addressing how IDA is given to developing countries (particularly Africa) and if there are ways of improving China’s development assistance to create opportunities for independent development.
There is considerable debate over the effectiveness of international development assistance. Advocates argue that IDA has promoted the development of various socio-economic aspects of developing countries and that it is conducive to poverty reduction and development. Critics, however, argue that, on the contrary, IDA has not effectively facilitated the achievement of the development goals. They argue that IDA has helped to send developing countries in Africa into economic depression and the excessive dependence on foreign aid has deprived them of development opportunities.
In recent years, African countries have explored the relevance of China’s experience to their own development and poverty reduction. There is a growing demand among African states for China-Africa development cooperation. China’s rise has particularly significant implications for African development. China began to provide development assistance to African countries in the early days of its founding as the People’s Republic of China. The philosophy and methods for the provision of development assistance have undergone great changes with recent development within China and globally. China’s contemporary engagement in Africa is also important for international development cooperation.
The research will conduct a systematic review of IDA development and history. It aims to enrich, and develop further, China’s understanding of IDA in terms of policy and delivery. The research provides a comprehensive introduction regarding international development assistance to Africa for Chinese government departments and research institutes engaged in foreign aid. It will enable them to draw upon the large body of international experience and also provides them with a platform to conduct exchanges on theory, knowledge and practice with the international development community.
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