An aid agency is an organisation dedicated to distributing aid. Many professional aid organisations exist, both within government (e.g. USAID, DFID, ECHO), and as private voluntary organizations (or non-governmental organisations, e.g. Oxfam, Mercy Corps). The International Committee of the Red Cross is unique in being mandated by international treaty to uphold the Geneva Conventions. Aid is assistance, often financial, provided to developing countries by developed countries. ... The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the US government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. ... DFID is the United Kingdom Department for International Development, it is headed by the Secretary of State for International Development. ... European Community Humanitarian aid Office (ECHO) is the European Commissions department for humanitarian aid. ... Jenns a loser ... Mercy Corps is a not-for-profit organization engaged in humanitarian aid and development activities. ... The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a committee of Swiss nationals and probably will be so as long as the ICRC exists. ... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ...

Aid can be subdivided into two categories: humanitarian aid (emergency relief efforts, eg in response to natural disasters), and development aid (or foreign aid), aimed at helping countries to achieve long-term sustainable economic growth, with the aim of achieving poverty reduction. Some aid agencies carry out both kinds of aid, whilst others specialise (eg Red Cross, humanitarian aid; ActionAid, development aid). Humanitarian aid is assistance given to people in distress by individuals, organisations, or governments to relieve suffering. ... Development aid (also development assistance, international aid, overseas aid or - especially in the US - foreign aid) is aid given by developed countries to support economic development in developing countries. ... This article should be merged with [[{{{with}}}]] development aid and humanitarian aid Foreign aid, international aid or development assistance is when one country helps another country through some form of donation. ...

See also

• List of development aid agencies