2013年-世界发展银行全球_Response_of_the_Arab_Donors_to_the_Global_Financial_Crisis_and_the_Arab_Spring_4页_819kb

MENA Knowledge and Learning: Response of Arab Donors to the Global Financial Crisis and the Arab Spring

Core Content

This document provides an overview of the response of Arab donors, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Arab financial institutions, to the global financial crisis (2008-2011) and the Arab Spring (2011-2012). It highlights the scale, composition, and distribution of development and humanitarian assistance provided during these periods.

Main Points

• Gulf Countries' ODA:

  • The combined net official development assistance (ODA) from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE peaked at $6.5 billion in 2008 and remained relatively high, averaging $4.8 billion annually.
  • In real terms, ODA from these three countries increased by two-thirds during the crisis compared to the previous four years.
  • Saudi Arabia was the largest contributor, accounting for 80% of total aid, followed by the UAE (16%) and Kuwait (4%).
  • The share of ODA from the three countries in total DAC aid increased from 2.8% to 4.1%.
  • Most aid is bilateral (94%) and in the form of grants (92%), with a slight increase in grant share during the crisis.

• UAE and Qatar's Aid Details:

  • The UAE became the first non-DAC country to publish detailed aid flow information in 2010.
  • On average, the UAE provided $1.4 billion annually in financial aid (ODA and non-ODA) from 2009 to 2012.
  • 90% of this aid was in the form of grants and in-kind contributions, with the rest as concessional loans.
  • The UAE's aid was primarily channeled through the government (60%), the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (16.5%), and foundations/charities (23.5%).
  • The UAE directed nearly one-third of its aid to IDA recipients, 12% to Sub-Saharan Africa, and 15% to HIPC.
  • The top five recipient countries accounted for over 50% of UAE aid.
  • In 2011, Oman received the highest amount of UAE aid (over $1 billion), while Jordan and Yemen received the most from the politically transitioning countries.

• Qatar's Aid:

  • Qatar's aid averaged $540 million annually from 2007 to 2011.
  • 69% of its aid was directed to North Africa, with Egypt receiving nearly half.
  • 44% of aid went to IDA recipients, 8% to Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • 88% of Qatar's government aid was for development projects, with 12% for humanitarian purposes.
  • 56% of aid from Qatar's NGOs was for development, and the rest for humanitarian support.

• Arab Regional Financial Institutions:

  • These institutions increased their aid by 50% in real terms from 2008-2012 compared to 2005-2007.
  • Total commitments rose from $4.6 billion in 2007 to $8.5 billion in 2012.
  • The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, and OPEC Fund for International Development were the main contributors.
  • The share of aid to IDA recipients increased by 9 percentage points, reaching 47% of total commitments.
  • Aid to HIPC increased by 2 percentage points, reaching 25% of all commitments.
  • The level and pattern of aid to Africa increased, mainly due to aid to Egypt and Tunisia.

• Support to Arab Spring Countries:

  • GCC countries and Arab financial institutions provided significant support to transitioning countries like Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen.
  • From the beginning of 2011 to September 2012, $7.1 billion was provided to transitioning countries, representing 40% of total official disbursements.
  • Egypt received the most aid, accounting for 77% of government assistance to transition countries.
  • GCC pledges to these countries reached $40 billion by July 2013.
  • Egypt received 55% of total GCC pledges, with over half of the July 2013 pledges allocated to it.
  • The bulk of the pledges were in the form of loans, followed by commodity aid and grants.
  • Pledges were directed towards investment project financing, balance of payments and budget support, and commodity aid.

Key Information

• GCC Countries' Role:

  • Saudi Arabia was the largest donor, providing over two-fifths of total GCC pledges.
  • The UAE and Qatar also played significant roles, with detailed aid reporting starting from 2010.
  • Jordan and Morocco received $5 billion each from the GCC over five years, with support from sovereign wealth funds.

• Impact of the Arab Spring:

  • The Arab Spring led to an increase in aid to transitioning countries, though disbursements lagged behind the acute needs.
  • The fiscal deficit in Egypt and Tunisia worsened, with Egypt's deficit at 14% of GDP and Tunisia's at 7%.
  • Foreign exchange reserves dropped sharply in both countries, equivalent to barely 3 months of imports.

• Sectoral Focus:

  • During the global crisis, support was mainly directed at infrastructure (transportation, energy).
  • In 2011-2012, more aid went to water and social sectors, while agriculture and industry saw a decline.

Conclusion

Despite the global financial crisis, Arab Gulf countries and regional financial institutions increased their development assistance. While aid to transitioning countries was substantial, it often fell short of their needs. The IsDB, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, and OPEC Fund for International Development were the main regional contributors, with Saudi Arabia as the largest individual donor. The aid was primarily bilateral and in the form of grants, with a growing role for multilateral assistance.