Aid to Africa - Gordon Cumming

The end of the Cold War forced Western donors to rethink their aid relations with Africa.
This book looks at two of these donors, France and Britain, and asks whether the development programmes of these former colonial powers have undergone radical changes since the end of the Old World Order.
It focuses on the introduction of a controversial new 'regime' trend - political conditionality - and uses policy models to illustrate the driving forces behind this new development strategy and explain substantial differences in France and Britain's practice of political conditionality in Togo and Kenya.
Overall, this volume - the first comparative study of French and British aid in the post-Cold War period - offers fresh insights into the evolution of the political assistance agenda and into deeper forces at work within the French and UK policy processes.

Gordon Cumming, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

'This bookis a major contribution to our knowledge about two crucial areas: first, the recent political impact of British and French bilateral aid in Africa and second, the ways that African leaders were able to mould or evade such influence for their own benefit.
It would be read with profit by anyone interested in such issues.' Professor Jeff Haynes, London Guildhall University, UK
'This comparative study of French and British aid policy is most timely, coming as it does just as the first results of a major overhaul of aid structures and policy-making in the aid field in Britain and France are beginning to be seen.
Based on extensive original research in both the UK and France, this book will be essential reading for students of French studies, as well as development studies and public policy specialists.
Highly recommended.' Dr Tony Chafer, University of Portsmouth, UK
'For students of aid policy in general, and Britain and France in particular, this is a valuable book, detailed and well documented.'
Journal of International Development
'...a well written book, whose content is accurately described by the title...an excellent book, clearly based on a very thorough understanding of the making of aid policy in both France and Britain...the arguments of the book are generally convincing, thoroughly grounded in the evidence presented, and made vivid by the two country case studies.'
Progress in Development Studies
'Based on original research in Britain and France, including access to top civil servants in the aid bureaucracies of both countries...this is a detailed and extremely well-documented study...the author signposts his arguments well...it is an indispensable work of reference for anyone interested in the changing politics of aid policy. It should be in every academic library.' Journal of Contemporary European Studies