Norconsult International, a major player in the Norwegian aid market, has come under corruption scrutiny by the World Bank and now risks blacklisting and debarment from participation in tenders for future Bank-financed projects. A water project in Tanzania is currently under investigation.

All Nordic countries are scaling up their military efforts in Afghanistan while aid investments fell. This year they will spend 80 per cent more on military efforts than aid; a reversal since 2004 when twice as much funding went to development assistance as military efforts.

The new Finnish government will explore how bilateral forestry aid can be used to promote “carbon sinks" in developing countries as a way of combating climate change. Development Today met with Finland's newly appointed Foreign Trade and Development Minister.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry is undertaking a major effort to harmonise the SEK 13 billion in Swedish aid to multilateral agencies channelled by Sida and the Ministry.

US financial muscle in the World Bank has shrunk. The United Kingdom has bypassed the United States as the largest donor in the Bank’s most important tool for channelling money to poor countries, the soft loan arm, IDA.

The Palestinian Ministry of Finance has finally a bank account, which makes it possible to transfer international support directly to the government.