The Changing Role of Official Donors in Humanitarian Action: a Review of Trends and Issues

Historically, humanitarian assistance accounted for only a very small part of official aid programmes, and attracted relatively little scrutiny and attention. During the 1990s,however,humanitarian issues became mainstreamed into international relations, and more explicitly linked to efforts to enhance international peace and security. The rising volume of official humanitarian aid brought with it heightened concerns for its effectiveness, and the need to improve the performance and accountability of partner organisations.