Foreign Aid Heterogeneity: Issues and Agenda

The present paper serves as an introduction to this special issue providing a justification for, and linking and introducing to the articles that follow. A central message emanating from the papers included in this special issue is that it is not sufficient to double aid efforts by simply raising and transferring more money. Substantial effort needs to be taken in order to delve deeper into the various routes and transmission mechanisms through which the various types of aid operate. And this is a timely as well as important issue in view of recent calls (as well as concerns) for another “big push” approach in development aid. JEL no. F35