This paper tackles the question whether ODA can be seen as an international distribution branch in analogy to Musgraves theory of national budgets. Applying Musgraves categories to ODA is difficult, and caveats are necessary. Nevertheless, the paper corroborates earlier research showing a perceptible shift towards donor interests after the demise of communism. Especially allocative flows (such as financing Global Public Goods) have substantially increased in violation of the DACs own ODA-definition. This shift towards donor interests is likely to continue, as new counter-terrorism or migration concerns show – in spite of abject global poverty or the Millenium Development Goals.
