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Vol 67 No 3

Published 6th February 2026


Rich economies turn off the aid tap

Activists are demanding urgent policy reform and UN agencies are on the brink of ending many life-saving relief operations in war zones

Against the backdrop of heightening geopolitical rivalries and a sluggish world economy, rich western economies are ending many of their long-established aid – or Official Development Assistance (ODA) – programmes. In some cases, as in the United States, it’s an abrupt halt and in others, it’s more gradual. In all cases the policy direction is similar. The old model is seen as defunct. Even the western and northern European countries that once met the United Nations’ target of spending 0.7% of GNI on aid have abandoned it. But governments can’t agree on what should replace it.

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