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Date November 2013 Marks available 2 Reference code 13N.1.bp.2
Level SL and HL Paper 1 Time zone
Command term Define Question number 2 Adapted from N/A

Question

The graph shows migrants’ remittances and official aid to low and middle income countries, 1989–2009, in billions of US Dollars (USD).

[Source: The World Bank, World Bank Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011 (2011)]

Define the term remittances.

[2]
a.

Referring to the graph, describe the trend in remittance flows since 1989.

[3]
b.

Suggest three reasons why international financial aid is not always effective.

[6]
c.

Markscheme

Transfers of money/goods [1 mark] by foreign/migrant workers to their home countries [1 mark].

a.

Increasing steadily from 1989 (US$ 50 billion) to a peak (US$ 325 billion) in 2007 [1 mark]; from 2007 onwards sharp decline to below US$ 300 billion [1 mark]. Accurate quantification (+/- 10 billion) and use of dates essential for final [1 mark].

b.

Award [1+1 mark] for each valid reason, provided that it is developed by means of explanation and/or exemplification.

Possibilities include: insufficient aid (few donors achieving UN target of 0.7% of GDP); wrong type of aid; some aid results in debt; aid targets specific groups within a population who are not always the poorest; unreliable source of funding (can be tied/withdrawn); there are other more reliable sources of income; can be subject to corruption; conditionality; spatial isolation; not spent in the correct manner; targets short term problems.

Allow other valid reasons.

c.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.
[N/A]
c.

Syllabus sections

Core » Disparities in wealth and development » Reducing disparities

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