ODAと国益 : 政治的道具としてのODAとその意味

ODA has been politicized in recent years. In arguments about ODA reform, many proposition papers insist that ODA should be linked with 'national interests.' However, when the contents of the 'national interests' are analyzed, most of them are multilateral interests rather than unilateral ones, including 'security' problems. In addition to it, the word 'security' is used in much broader senses. Most propositions about ODA reform in Japan emphasize the need to link ODA with 'national interests', but they are only rhetoric to legitimize ODA policy, shaken with budget reduction. ODA invested for donors' own political benefit is usually ineffective. We should reconfirm that benefits from ODA are different from traditional 'national interests' especially in political senses.