Definition

Noun: - Economic, military, or technical assistance given by one country to another: "Foreign aid" refers to the voluntary transfer of resources from one sovereign nation (or a multilateral organization) to another, typically with the stated aim of promoting economic development, providing humanitarian relief, or supporting strategic interests.

Usage

• "Foreign aid" is used as a non-count noun. It refers to the general concept or a specific package of assistance, not to individual items.
• It is commonly discussed in contexts of international relations, economics, development, and geopolitics.
• The term often implies a donor-recipient relationship between countries.

Examples

• The debate centered on whether to increase foreign aid to developing nations.
• A significant portion of the country's budget is allocated for foreign aid.
• The humanitarian crisis prompted an immediate delivery of foreign aid.
• Critics argue that some foreign aid fails to reach the people who need it most.

Advanced Usage

• "Tied aid": A specific type of foreign aid that must be spent on goods or services from the donor country.
  • The contract was awarded as part of a tied aid agreement.
• "Aid conditionality": The practice of attaching conditions to the receipt of foreign aid, such as implementing economic reforms.
  • The loan was granted with strict aid conditionality.

Variants and Related Words

• Development assistance: A synonym often used in formal and diplomatic contexts, emphasizing long-term economic and social development.
• Humanitarian aid: A subset of foreign aid focused on relieving suffering during and after emergencies like wars or natural disasters.
• Donor country: The nation providing the aid.
• Recipient country: The nation receiving the aid.

Synonyms

• International assistance
• Development aid
• Overseas aid

Related Phrases

• Aid package: A specific, organized set of resources offered as foreign aid.
  • The government approved a new $500 million aid package.
• Aid effectiveness: A concept referring to how well foreign aid achieves its intended goals.
  • The conference focused on improving aid effectiveness.
• To disburse aid: To distribute or pay out aid funds.
  • The agency was slow to disburse the promised aid.

Noun

1. aid (such as economic or military assistance) provided to one nation by another