The recent fallout from the closure of USAID is a very stark example of something that has long affected aid-recipient countries; just how unreliable a source of finance external aid is. 

This is a linkpost to a recent blog where my co-authors and I note the above and point towards alternative aid models. 

In some ways these alternative models are in tension with EA approaches, as they say that donors should not target the most cost-effective health services. However in my view they are the natural extension of EA thinking; that countries themselves should identify and financing the most cost-effective services, with aid coming in as top-up. 

We've recently received new UK gov funding to develop this work further, and are picking up increasing interest in development policy circles. We'd welcome more engagement with / support from this community.