ABSTRACT
Zambia received high levels of aid during the 1990s, peaking at over US$2 billion in 1995. Much of this aid – probably around half – was programme aid. In fact, despite high levels of aid, Zambia's economic performance was poor and social indicators stagnant or deteriorating. There is still no sign of a reversal of the years of decline which began in the mid-1970s. Does this poor performance reflect a failure of aid, or are things at least better than they would have been in the absence of donor support?
