Poorer nations set for plunge in aid

AID to the world’s poorer nations reached its highest level ever in 2008, but charity levels are likely to be doubly hit by the growing economic crisis, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and aid agencies have warned.

Several countries, including Ireland, have already announced they will reduce the amount of money they can give to developing nations this year, with Ireland lowering aid by about 17% in total.

But poorer nations are likely to be hit at least as hard, if not harder, than more wealthy countries by the global economic downturn, according to an OECD report.