Good Governance and European Aid: The Impact of Political Conditionality

In: European Union politics: EUP, Band 1, Heft 3, S. 293-317

Abstract

This research analyses whether Official Development Assistance (ODA) of Germany, France, the UK & the European Community/European Union (EC/EU) between 1980 & 1995 rewarded good governance in developing countries, using OLS regressions for three cross-sections over that time period. The results show that good governance, in the form of respect for basic human rights, democratic structures & low military spending, did not play a consistent or prominent role in European aid. The coordination between the European donors however seems to have increased during the first half of the 1990s. France & the UK give more aid to their former colonies, the EC/EU favors ACP countries. The results also indicate that both strategic & economic factors influence ODA distribution, whereas recipient needs receive only limited attention. 5 Tables, 3 Figures, 1 Appendix, 37 References. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Ltd.]