Abstract

In recent years a series of non-traditional donors have gained relevance as providers of Official Development Assistance (ODA). In the present study we analyze the case of Chile, one of these emerging donors. Our estimates indicate that Chile's ODA was roughly 0.01% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the period from 2006 to 2012. Even though this magnitude was far below that of other emerging donors, Chile has become one of the main regional donors within Latin America. We show that the Chilean approach to international co-operation has been a mix of emergency aid and technical assistance for social policies, often in response to diplomatic affairs. As such, Chilean ODA has been mainly an instrument of soft power diplomacy.