“Emerging Donors” from a Recipient Perspective: An Institutional Analysis of Foreign Aid in Cambodia

Debate about the impact of so-called “emerging donors” is becoming increasingly heated. The common reaction to these donors, as distinct from that accorded to traditional donors, has had the unfortunate effect of obscuring two important aspects: (1) commonalities between emerging donors and traditional Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors; and (2) diversity among the emerging donors themselves. With primary focus on the second aspect, this article examines the effects of four emerging donors—China, India, South Korea, and Thailand—on Cambodia’s development, with a specific focus on the processes of aid provision employed by these new donors. This article also challenges the conventional view that aid fragmentation should be reduced a priori.