New Report Highlights Drivers of Neglected Crises
Some of the world’s most urgent crises aren’t receiving the resources and support they need — but it doesn’t have to be that way. World Relief has partnered with Integral Alliance, a collaboration of 21 Christian aid agencies based in 14 countries, to release a new report on these neglected crises and the factors driving them. In it, we call for a collective and effective response.
Below, watch our recent press call and read an excerpt from the report co-authored by Myal Greene, World Relief President & CEO, and Isabelle Duval, Development Program Director at SEL France.
Access the full report on Five Factors Driving Neglected Crises, here.
Neglected Crises Factor 1: The Impact of Cultural, Political or Economic Isolation
A casual observer or a rational individual might assume that the distribution of foreign aid corresponds closely to the levels of need around the world. Yet the cultural, political and economic interests of donor countries have an outsized influence on the distribution of aid. As a result, some countries in crisis become isolated from donor countries, aid agencies, and potential support. This isolation leads to neglect which can worsen and leave countries without an ongoing basis of partnership.
The incongruence of aid distribution and need is dramatic. Based on 2022 data, among the nine nations of the world designated as both “Low Human Development” (UNDP’s HDI) and High Alert or Very High Alert on the Fragility Index, only two countries (South Sudan and Somalia), were among the top twenty recipients of aid per capita. Four nations (Chad, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Central African Republic) received less aid per capita than more than 100 countries.1,2,3
You can help those facing urgent crises in countries like Chad, Sudan and DR Congo by giving today.
Among the key factors driving this disparity can be the cultural and political influences of colonialism. An empirical analysis of aid provided by the United Kingdom and France between 2007 -2016 found a relationship between historical colonial ties and aid distribution nearly fifty years after the end of colonialism.4 Both countries were more likely to provide aid to countries that used to be part of their colonial holdings than to other countries. Further, they each provided dramatically little aid to each other’s former colonies. While this distribution might be deemed an ethically appropriate response to injustices of colonialism, it does contribute to a deviation of aid away from some nations experiencing the greatest vulnerability.
The distribution of aid for political reasons extends beyond the legacy of colonialism. The United States, the largest donor in gross foreign assistance dollars, has used its aid as an extension of foreign policy for decades. The beginning of U.S. Foreign Aid can be tied to the Marshall Plan and the rebuilding of Europe after World War II. Subsequently, U.S. assistance followed Cold War interests, and since the turn of the century, economic aid has flowed disproportionally to countries connected to the ‘war on terror.’ Currently, five of the top seven nations supported by the U.S. are in the Middle East. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, aid to that country has surged, with economic aid exceeding U.S. support to the next five countries combined.5
Additionally, economic interest can be a key driver in aid distribution. The availability of oil in recipient countries has a documented relationship with aid distribution. Research that analysed thirty years of aid from G7 Countries identified that oil-rich nations are more likely to receive foreign aid than oil-poor countries.6 Further, the researchers identified a relationship between the levels of oil consumption of G7 countries and the likelihood oil would influence their respective distribution of aid.
In light of these disparities, the global church must advocate for a more equitable distribution of aid that prioritises human needs over political and economic interests. Scripture teaches us that all people are created in the image of God, and Christ’s example exemplifies offering assistance to all — regardless of race, nationality, religion or relative importance in society. This divine mandate should challenge us to look beyond historical, political and economic ties and place our common humanity at the forefront of our efforts.
Learn about four more factors driving neglected crises in the full report.
1 World Bank Open Data’, The World Bank [website], , accessed April 2024.
2 The Fund for Peace, ‘Fragile States Index Annual Report 2022’, Fragile States Index [website], , accessed April 2024.
3 Human Development Report 2021/2022’, United Nations Development Programme [website], , accessed April 2024.
4 Becker, B. (2020). Colonial Legacies in International Aid: Policy Priorities and Actor Constellations. In: Schmitt, C. (eds) From Colonialism to International Aid. Global Dynamics of Social Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
5 Government of the United States of America, ‘Foreign Assistance Dashboard’, Foreign Assistance [website], , accessed April 2024. 6 Cécile Couharde et al, (2020). The role of oil in the allocation of foreign aid: The case of the G7 donors. Journal of Comparative Economics, Volume 48, Issue 2, Pages 363-383.
Myal Greene has a deep desire to see churches worldwide equipped, empowered, and engaged in meeting the needs of vulnerable families in their communities. In 2021, he became President and CEO after serving for fourteen years with the organization. While living in Rwanda for eight years, he developed World Relief’s innovative church-based programming model that is currently used in nine countries. He also spent six years in leadership roles within the international programs division. He has previous experience working with the U.S. Government. He holds B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and an M.A. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Global Leadership. He and his wife Sharon and have three children.
Isabelle Duval is the Development Program Director at SEL France, where she has been serving in various roles for 11 years. She was motivated to participate in the Integral Alliance Neglected Crises working group by injustices linked to crises in places like DR Congo and Burkina Faso. She is passionate about working with local partners, walking alongside them to implement projects that respond to needs and issues raised by their own communities. She firmly believes that God reaches out to people in the most tragic situations and in the most remote areas through Christians and Christian organizations working on the ground.