The First Tranche

All Blog Posts

Good news for rare birds: Development projects that don’t harm the environment New research evaluating World Bank development projects, including those that pose the most environmental risks, finds no harm to important bird habitats. Soren Patterson
2018-11-01

Good news for rare birds: Development projects that don’t harm the environment

New research evaluating World Bank development projects, including those that pose the most environmental risks, finds no harm to important bird habitats.

Sirocco the kākāpō among renga lilies on Maud Island, New Zealand. Photo by Chris Birmingham for New Zealand Department of Conservation via Flickr, licensed under (CC-BY-2.0).
Counting on statistics: What can data producers and donors do differently to increase use? A new report from AidData surveys hundreds of government officials in developing countries to understand what they need to better produce and use official statistics. Soren Patterson, Tanya Sethi
2018-10-21

Counting on statistics: What can data producers and donors do differently to increase use?

A new report from AidData surveys hundreds of government officials in developing countries to understand what they need to better produce and use official statistics.

Cover image for Counting on Statistics report
USAID roads project sparked—and shifted—economic activity in West Bank AidData merged high-resolution nighttime lights imagery with precisely-located road improvements to discover how a $900-million investment impacted the Palestinian economy. Elizabeth Teare
2018-10-08

USAID roads project sparked—and shifted—economic activity in West Bank

AidData merged high-resolution nighttime lights imagery with precisely-located road improvements to discover how a $900-million investment impacted the Palestinian economy.

Where the coastline begins to curve gently in the lower center of the picture lies the West Bank. Photo by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center, via NASA, in the public domain.
AidData wins two-year Millennium Challenge Corporation award The MCC awards AidData $400,000 to develop new methods using high-resolution satellite data to more accurately and frequently monitor the impacts of land reforms on poverty and land use. Elizabeth Teare, Soren Patterson
2018-10-04

AidData wins two-year Millennium Challenge Corporation award

The MCC awards AidData $400,000 to develop new methods using high-resolution satellite data to more accurately and frequently monitor the impacts of land reforms on poverty and land use.

View of South India and Sri Lanka from the payload bay of the Space Shuttle in earth orbit. Photo by NASA via Wikimedia, licensed under (CC BY 2.0).
Chinese infrastructure investments reduce inequalities in developing countries A new AidData working paper analyzes Chinese infrastructure's impacts using the most comprehensive dataset of Chinese development project locations ever assembled. Soren Patterson, Bradley Parks
2018-09-11

Chinese infrastructure investments reduce inequalities in developing countries

A new AidData working paper analyzes Chinese infrastructure's impacts using the most comprehensive dataset of Chinese development project locations ever assembled.

The India-Pakistan border in 2015, as viewed from the International Space Station. Photo by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center, in the public domain.
A volley of words—and new data—on China’s diplomatic reach A recent report by AidData informed and incited discussion of China’s growing public diplomacy activities in East Asia and Pacific. Soren Patterson
2018-08-01

A volley of words—and new data—on China’s diplomatic reach

A recent report by AidData informed and incited discussion of China’s growing public diplomacy activities in East Asia and Pacific.

Sports Ministers from South Korea, China and Japan meet in 2016 in Pyeongchang.
Chinese public diplomacy in East Asia and the Pacific: Is it working? A new report from AidData chronicles the nature and impact of China’s diplomatic programs. Alex Wooley
2018-06-26

Chinese public diplomacy in East Asia and the Pacific: Is it working?

A new report from AidData chronicles the nature and impact of China’s diplomatic programs.

Culture ministers representing China (left) and Korea (right) in discussion at the 8th Korea-China-Japan Culture Minister’s Meeting in 2016 in Korea. Photo by Jeon Han/Republic of Korea via Flickr, licensed under (CC BY-SA 2.0).
New report reveals how donors perform in “customer satisfaction survey” of foreign aid Alex Wooley
2018-05-31

New report reveals how donors perform in “customer satisfaction survey” of foreign aid

Country flags fly at the Salar de Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. Photo by Nico Kaiser via Flickr, licensed under (CC BY 2.0).
Report: Climate change among least important issues according to developing countries Alex Wooley
2018-05-31

Report: Climate change among least important issues according to developing countries

Properties built in a flood-prone area in Tonga, a low-lying island nation in the South Pacific vulnerable to rising sea levels. Photo by Asian Development Bank, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Report: China, India winning friends in the developing world, but lag far behind U.S. Alex Wooley
2018-05-31

Report: China, India winning friends in the developing world, but lag far behind U.S.

The leaders (l-r) of South Africa, China, India, Russia and Brazil meet in Goa, India for the 2016 Annual BRICS Meeting. Photo by Beto Parata/PR via Flickr, licensed under (CC BY 2.0).
Tuned-in or tone-deaf? Leaders and citizens agree, diverge on priorities for poorer countries Alex Wooley
2018-05-31

Tuned-in or tone-deaf? Leaders and citizens agree, diverge on priorities for poorer countries

Girls sit at school in Bamozai, near Gardez, Paktya Province, Afghanistan. Photo by Capt. John Severns, U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia (public domain).
Linking the SDGs with national development planning for better coordination AidData is piloting a new methodology in Rwanda to connect financing for and progress on the SDGs with national development. Jennifer Turner, Lauren Harrison, Soren Patterson
2018-05-11

Linking the SDGs with national development planning for better coordination

AidData is piloting a new methodology in Rwanda to connect financing for and progress on the SDGs with national development.

Amina Mohammed, UN Special Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning, speaks about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. Photo by UN Photo/Mark Garten, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).