Dissertation Paper 1
Title: Unraveling Aid Assistance: Linking Funding Allocation Patterns and Localization in Sierra Leone
Abstract: Development assistance funding by international donors rarely reaches local actors directly. While there are strong normative and practical arguments to "localize" funding, progress has been piecemeal as donors are largely left to their own devices to decide how/when/where and how much to localize. This research paper explores the antecedents to the financial angle of localization and poses the question "How and why do donors vary in their extent of localization (as defined by the use of local channels to disburse aid funding)? Using the case study of aid-dependent Sierra Leone and applying a mixed-methods research design which combines primary interviews with quantitative analysis of the Development Assistance Database, I find that projects funded by multilateral donors are more likely to be localized, unlike bilateral donors who prioritize funding their own aid actors at the cost of local actors. I also find that the nature of aid assistance (whether donor funding is provided through loans or grants) significantly determines the extent to which local channels and capacities are used. Lastly, I show that these trends manifest at the sectoral level where sectors dominated by bilateral donors often use parallel implementation structures, while sectors dominated by multilateral donors use local channels. Furthermore, projects by multilateral donors may appear more "localized", but interestingly, I find no evidence that such projects are more impactful or participatory than projects funded by other donor types.
Dissertation Paper 2
Title: From Empire to Aid: Analyzing Persistence of Colonial Legacies in Foreign Aid to Africa
Abstract: For decades now, Western development agencies and donors have been castigated for their colonial biases in providing aid to Africa. It is well established that donors provide considerably more foreign aid to their former colonies relative to other countries in the region. However, what happens over time to the influence of the former-colonizer-turned-donor within the aid recipient countries? Does their influence become stronger over time due to early and significant contributions, or does it decline with the emergence of other contemporary donors? Additionally, do these colonial legacies evolve differently depending on who the former colonial power was? Using a statistical analysis of the OECD Creditor Reporting System database, I show that the persistence of colonial legacies in aid, measured through donor concentration, is declining over time across all aid recipient countries. However, the pace of decline varies: former French African colonies, while more concentrated at any given time, see this concentration decrease faster compared with former British African colonies. These trends are influenced by the growing number of donors, France’s morphing Françafrique policy, and the ongoing influence of former colonizers through military and trade avenues. By drawing on interdisciplinary approaches, this research attempts to empirically measure persistence of colonial legacies across Africa and help inform policy strategies for reforming aid practices by understanding the broader trends.
Dissertation Paper 3
Title: The Gates Effect: Private Foundations and Donor Funding Shifts in Global Health
Abstract: While private foundations have long been active in global health, the meteoric rise of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in the last two decades is unprecedented. With its growing financial and non-financial influence, BMGF is poised to become one of the largest funders of the World Health Organization (WHO), challenging the dominance of traditional bilateral and multilateral donors. This shift raises important questions about how other traditional donors respond to the Foundation’s presence. This paper addresses the question: “How does the presence of private foundations such as BMGF influence the funding allocation of other bilateral and multilateral donors within global health?” Using a mixed methods design, I analyse 3,14,107 unique health projects across 143 countries and 21 years, coupled with qualitative interviews with former BMGF staff and global health experts. The analysis reveals a “crowding-in” effect, where bilateral and multilateral donors increase their funding for the same disease areas within the same countries as BMGF. The crowding-in effect is strongest in the year immediately following BMGF’s involvement, with a slight decline over time. I identify three key strategies by BMGF that drives this effect: (1) its substantial funding volume and strategic engagement at the country level, which influences other donors to align with the Foundation’s priorities, (2) its multi-channel funding approach, which amplifies BMGF’s influence across various organizations, and (3) BMGF’s presence on governance boards of other health organizations, enabling the Foundation to shape disease priorities through means beyond monetary contributions.