Alma Nurshaikhova, PhD in International Relations, Department of International Relations, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University; E-mail: mailto:a.nurshaikhova@mail.ru

The article provides an overview of the criticism by economists, developing countries and civil society regarding the effectiveness of development assistance. In particular it discusses three directions of criticism: critics of aid’s theoretical basis, critics of recipient country’s internal conditions, and critics of donor practices. The article briefs on current initiatives on aid effectiveness and provides synopsis of international civil society’s attacks against the former. It also discusses the peculiarities of new donors’ assistance in relation to traditional aid criticism. The author comes up with the following conclusions: development assistance should be directed to the real needs of a recipient country and meet interests of their population, which is possible if the principles of equal partnership and accountability are adhered to; new donors should consider to join the existing international efforts on increasing aid effectiveness or set up an alternative platform leading to this goal; enhancing aid effectiveness is a long process, which should involve all stakeholders and take into account their interests.