Latest news with #development aid
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China promised the Philippines billions in development aid. Why did it fall so short?
China pledged US$30.5 billion in development aid to the Philippines between 2015 and 2023 – the most for any Southeast Asian country – but only a sliver of that funding ever arrived, according to new data from an Australian think tank report. Advertisement Of the total pledged, just US$700 million was actually disbursed – a shortfall analysts attribute to derailed infrastructure projects, changing political winds in Manila and rising tensions with Beijing. These factors have not only stalled flagship ventures under the Belt and Road Initiative but also cast doubt on the long-term viability of Chinese development finance in the region. The report by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute, released on Sunday, found that while the Philippines received the highest total commitment from China among Southeast Asian nations, it ranked near the bottom in actual disbursements. Indonesia, by contrast, received and spent US$20.3 billion out of the US$20.7 billion Beijing had pledged, mostly on energy and transport projects. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (left) and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2017. Duterte pursued closer ties with Beijing through a wave of high-profile infrastructure agreements. Photo: AP The bulk of China's pledged financing to the Philippines was made during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte , who held office from 2016 to 2022 and pursued closer ties with Beijing through a wave of high-profile infrastructure agreements.
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Tighter borders and aid cuts could risk greater instability, UN migration chief warns
The head of the United Nations' migration agency warned Thursday that Western nations risk creating greater instability by simultaneously tightening borders and reducing development aid to countries experiencing mass migration. In an interview with The Associated Press, Director General of the International Organization for Migration Amy Pope said that an approach focused solely on border enforcement without addressing causes of migration was 'short-sighted' and could destabilize origin countries further. 'If you want to manage irregular migration, then you need to make investments in stabilizing populations closer to where the migration begins,' Pope said. 'It is short-sighted to cut foreign assistance without identifying alternatives to make sure that populations are not on the move.' Pope became the first woman to lead the IOM in 2023 after serving as a White House advisor on migration and homeland security under the Obama and Biden administrations. She spoke to the AP at an international conference in Rome supporting Ukrainian reconstruction. Her comments come as European countries shift toward stricter migration policies, with more funding for expanded deportation efforts and for transit countries to deter migrants. Lawmakers in Greece on Thursday were expected to adopt a proposal to halt asylum applications for all migrants traveling by sea from Libya, following a spike in arrivals. Pope singled out Syria as a concern, cautioning that premature repatriation could prove counterproductive. 'If Syrians go home too quickly and they're facing further destabilization, further conflict, if their children aren't safe, if their homes are still destroyed and they have nowhere to go, that could actually backfire,' she said. Pope noted that tougher U.S. border policies have already created ripple effects throughout Latin America. 'We're seeing a reversal of the flows. Not only are fewer people coming to the United States and Mexico border, more are actually heading south,' she said, raising concerns about capacity and support for countries along alternative migration routes including Panama, Costa Rica and other Central American nations. The IOM chief was supportive of Italy's approach, which combines strict border measures with expanded legal migration channels. Italy plans to provide nearly 500,000 permits for non-EU workers, starting in 2026 and staggered over three years, working with employers to identify labor needs. 'You can't have enforcement on its own without addressing the pull factors that are encouraging migrants to come,' Pope said, calling Italy's strategy an 'experiment' worth watching. 'We encourage other governments to watch what's happening in this space closely.' ___
