by James Rigney

History

The concept of international aid began when the International Committee of the Red Cross was organized to help war victims. Aid flowed mostly from large countries such as the United Kingdom to allies and protectorates. Aid reached a new level after World War II when the United States set up the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. The U.S. also sent billions abroad during the Cold War.

Aid as part of human rights

The United Nations stipulates that each sovereign nation has the right to self-determination and that each individual has the right to an education, health care and to employment. Aid money is supposed to go toward these and other goals. Major examples of aid money expenditures are for development, AIDS treatment and education.

Current obligations

The developed world is already behind its self-imposed obligations to the developing world. United Nations Resolution 2626 states that economically advanced countries should provide at least 0.7 percent of their gross national product to international aid.

So far, only five European nations provide the stipulated amount each year.

Rising inflation and the end of the Cold War have also affected the amount of international aid rich countries provide to less wealthy countries. The dollar amount of development aid from the United States increased steadily up until the 1990s, but inflation and a larger GNP meant the percentage of aid relative to GDP actually lowered. Aid was also used as part of foreign policy during the Cold War to help allies and win friends abroad.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Web site says it uses aid money to stimulate economic growth, agriculture and trade; fund global health; and promote democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance.

Terrorism and aid

After the U.S. tightened its budget in the mid-1990s, and with the threat from the Soviets gone, the amount of international aid fell drastically. The amount of international aid increased dramatically after Sept. 11, 2001, as the Bush administration sent over $1 billion to Pakistan, Afghanistan and former Soviet republics.

Many nations have reiterated their responsibility to international aid as part of their foreign policy. The theory is that poverty and economic instability give rise to terrorists.