EMBARGOED UNTIL 22 JUNE 2011

Aid Doesn't Always Work

“Not all the aid that goes to the developing world works,” says Jane Silloway Smith, author of a new policy paper being released by Maxim Institute. “Sometimes we waste our money, or even do damage through the aid that we send.”

“The best way for our aid practices to improve is if we’re honest about what does and doesn’t work, and we make amendments when things fail. We need to create a better culture of transparency and accountability around aid,” says Smith. “And this culture requires a more educated public.”

“The New Zealand Aid Programme and international development NGOs tend to report on the work they have done, without always reporting what the outcomes of that work have been. Sending 100 textbooks to a school might sound good, but the real question is whether or not education standards have improved and if children are learning. We need to know more.”

“The results of rigorous, regular evaluations should be made more available and accessible to the public. The difficulty is that often as a public we don’t want to know. Aid agencies may feel like their hands are tied and that theyhave to ‘spin’ the work they are doing to keep their donors. We need to end this cycle. The public need to accept that development requires long-term investment and isn’t just something to make us feel good,” says Smith.

Practising greater transparency is one of the key recommendations in Maxim Institute’s new policy paper “Being Better Neighbours: Improving New Zealand’s contribution to foreign aid and internationaldevelopment.” The paper also makes other recommendations, including that New Zealand:

* Stops giving money to poor countries all around the world, and instead focuses its aid on the Pacific; * Looks to extend its seasonal workers scheme (Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme) into other industries to let more temporary migrants in to New Zealand; and * Sets up business mentoring and educational programmes in entrepreneurship and investment in the Pacific.

ENDS

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