The member countries of OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) give almost US$ 70 billion in foreign aid each year. This publication examines examples of effective aid management programmes, based on a study of the organisational structures and practices of 22 main donor countries. Issues discussed include: legal frameworks for development co-operation; how donors organise their operations in partner developing countries; comparison of centralised and decentralised management; relations with non-governmental organisations; gender equality, environmental sustainability and humanitarian action.