In the economic crisis, Finland and other donors are looking to include all manner of expenses under the ODA umbrella. Climate funding is a key example, but there are many others. A Finnish government-appointed committee calls for a stop to this trend in its report for 2010.

Nordström had ‘no idea’ he was going to be fired

When the Minister Carlsson announced that she had decided to sack Anders Nordström as chief of Sida in late May, it sent shock waves through the Swedish aid community and receive much attention outside of Sweden.

Head of Norad announces resignation

A change of leadership in the Norwegian aid community is underway as well. The Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) Poul Engberg Pedersen has announced he will resign from his post one year before the end of his six-year contract.

Corruption costs Zambia dearly. SEK 600m in donor funds frozen

The corruption scandal in the Zambian Health Ministry, first revealed by a whistleblower more than a year ago, has so far resulted in a total of more than SEK 600 million in Swedish and Dutch aid being withheld. The payment of Swedish budget support for 2010 worth SEK 154 million is also delayed.

Global Fund gives up on Zambia Ministry of Health

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has lost trust in the Zambian Ministry of Health to manage its current public sector grants to Zambia. Instead of channelling these grants through the Ministry, the Fund will now use UNDP.

Game changer. Cash-strapped donors wait for China to step up

World Bank donors met in Mali earlier this month to negotiate the latest round of replenishment of IDA. Short of funds, the OECD donors are waiting for new powers China, Brazil and India to come forward with commitments to fund World Bank programmes in the poorest countries.