What is it about?
This paper examines the United States assistance for economic growth in Pakistan since 2002. Delving into the political economy of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) economic growth programme, this paper appraises the effectiveness of economic growth projects and their impact on the economy of Pakistan by analysing donor’s project execution mechanisms and priority areas for economic development. This study finds that despite USAID’s proclamation of spurring growth through their neoliberal-oriented interventions, the economy has shown a gloomy picture in recent years, and hence questions the perception that foreign aid can spur economic growth in recipient countries.
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Why is it important?
This is the first ever study that delves into the US economic growth program in Pakistan looking at micro level projects but explicating larger political economy of such projects.
Perspectives
This project provides an important analysis of how donors devise and prioritize aid projects in developing countries, mainly based on their self-interest rather than altruistic objectives. Geopolitical interests of donors take precedence over the actual needs of the people in peripheral countries.
Dr Salamat Ali Tabbasum
University of Ottawa
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Political Economy of the United States Economic Growth Programme in Pakistan, Journal of International Development, August 2014, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/jid.3030.
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