In the Pursuit of Justice in Aid Giving: A comparative analysis of the US and the UK�s development assistance policies under the Paris Declaration

Abstract

International development cooperation has become a gesture of showing states awareness about global responsibility to secure global peace and justice since the end of World War II. Providing development aid has been a more prominent means these actors use to bring substantial progress to development. Thus, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness was enacted as an international norm that guides these states to use aid more effectively and to increase aid effectiveness. We presume that all states that signed on the PD would show similar level of performance in delivering development assistance; however, the OECD (2010) announced its reservations on mixed aid performances by these states, especially donor states, under the PD. In this context, the main purposes of this paper are to identify the factors that influence the donor states different levels of performance in delivering aid and to suggest possible alternatives to improve their influence in securing global peace and justice by providing aid. To achieve these objectives, the paper utilizes the following indices with the data obtained from the OECDs DAC: the Quality of ODA (QuODA) and Easterly&Williamsons study (2011). Then, it observes the contexts behind their performances by comparing their development assistance policies to further explain the difference. Through this comparative analysis, this study hopes to understand the relationship between national policy framework and the effectiveness of the international norm to examine the influence of these developed countries commitment to upholding international normspromoting global peace and justice.