This working paper has been prepared within the UNU-WIDER project 'Foreign Aid': Research and This paper confronts three conundrums. First, does the relationship between aid and growth fade over time when aid is successful? Second, why are aid inflows neglected in the literature on growth...

The traditional aid-to-investment-to growth linkages are not very robust, especially for African economies. Aid does not necessarily finance investment and investment does not necessarily promote growth. Differences in economic policy, on the other hand, can explain much of the difference in...

Aid does not necessarily finance investment, and investment does not necessarily promote growth. But the combination of private investment, good policies, and foreign aid is quite powerful. When societies themselves take the lead in putting growth-enhancing policies in place, foreign aid can...