International Aid – Money, goods and services given by the government of one country to another to help the quality of life and economy

To remember the meaning of the term International Aid, use the following mnemonic:

Our country sent into their nation a team to stick a Band-Aid on (international aid). That was a great service and they also left some money behind.

International aid is the transfer of capital, goods, or services from a country or organisation for the benefit of the recipient country or its population. International aid can be economic, military, or emergency-humanitarian – for instance, aid given following a natural disaster such as an earthquake.

Official development assistance (ODA) is the most common type of foreign aid: this is assistance given to promote development and combat poverty.

The primary source of ODA is grants from one country to another, though some aid is in the form of loans, and sometimes the aid is channelled through international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).