Laos

Ten-Year Low: U.S., Japan and China Simultaneously Pull Back Aid to Southeast Asia, Multilateral Institutions Struggle Alone

According to ABC News, citing the Lowy Institute's latest Southeast Asia Aid Map, official development financing flowing into Southeast Asia in 2024 fell nearly 10% to about US$26 billion, a ten-year low. The three traditional aid donors—the United States, Japan, and China—are retreating in sync, while multilateral institutions have taken on nearly half of the share but face pressure of "missions expanding while institutional capacity does not grow accordingly." The social protection systems of