Abstract
Despite widespread concerns over aid effectiveness in poorly governed states, Ethiopia – an authoritarian regime with weak institutions – has remained the largest bilateral aid recipient in sub-Saharan Africa. This article investigates why and how traditional bilateral donors, who generally emphasize good governance, have continued to support Ethiopia’s repressive government. Drawing on aid data between 2011 and 2022, the article analyzes aid allocation patterns, delivery channels, and donor behaviors. The findings suggest that Ethiopia’s geopolitical significance, especially in Western donor security interests and diplomatic strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, outweighed governance concerns in donor aid decision-making. Donors primarily disbursed aid as grants and through project-type interventions, with substantial funding directed to emergency response and food assistance as part of humanitarian efforts. Although donors rhetorically emphasized governance reforms, aid to governance sectors remained marginal due to resistance from Ethiopian authorities and donor concerns about aid efficacy and potential diplomatic friction. The analysis reveals that donors tactically bypassed state institutions, relying on non-governmental organizations and multilateral organizations: donors might have perceived Ethiopian public systems to be ineffective or politically compromised. The study contributes to aid literature by offering a nuanced country-level narrative of donor behaviors under authoritarianism and highlights how donor strategic interests and local political dynamics interfere aid principles.
Keywords: Authoritarian, Bilateral donor, Ethiopia, Foreign aid, Governance, Sub-Saharan Africa.