Lowy Institute Pacific Aid Map: Foreign Aid At Historic Highs As Geopolitics Returns To Pacific

Today, the Lowy Institute releases the third iteration of the Pacific Aid Map.

Covering 64 donors, 38 000 projects and activities, 44 million datapoints and more than $20 billion in spending, the Pacific Aid Map is the largest and most comprehensive database of aid information ever assembled for the Pacific. The Pacific Aid Map was designed to improve aid effectiveness in the Pacific through enhanced transparency.

The 2020 update now includes comprehensive data of every aid project in the Pacific from 2010 to 2018.

Key stories from this year’s Pacific Aid Map:

• Aid to the Pacific in 2018 surged by more than 25% to reach a historic $2.89 billion, equivalent to roughly 8.5% of the region’s GDP.
• Every major donor to the Pacific increased aid, led by the ADB (58%), New Zealand (37%) and the World Bank (182%).
• While Australia remains by far the largest donor to the Pacific and absolute aid to the region is at record highs, its share has fallen from 51% in 2010 of total aid to 32% in 2018 due to other donors stepping up and the depreciating value of the Australian dollar.
• Over the full nine years of data, 2010 to 2018, Australia and New Zealand still account for 52% of all aid to the Pacific, more than US $10 billion.
• China remains a steady donor to the region, delivering 8% of all aid in 2018.
• Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific Aid Map data reveals the limited support aid has played in the health sector in the Pacific. Between 2010 and 2018, 12% of aid to the Pacific was spent in the health sector, compared to 21% in governance and 13% in transport and infrastructure.

The Pacific Aid Map interface has been updated to include a graphing tool and commentary page, in addition to other streamlining.

Pacific analysts will discuss the health sector in more detail on the Lowy Institute Interpreter magazine.

A panel of regional experts will discuss the findings of the Map, and the impacts COVID-19 has had on aid delivery in the Pacific in an online event tonight.

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