Petronilla Wandeto, Early Stage Researcher within the ADAPTED program and affiliated both with the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam and the IEE, has published a paper together with her fellow ADAPTED researchers Ahmed El Assal and Guido Maschhaupt. The paper titled "Can ODA enable autocratic entrenchment? Investigating donor-driven cash transfer programmes in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Egypt" has been published in the Development Policy Review journal and is available Open Access.

In their article, the three authors address the debate whether the increased levels of Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided to electoral autocratic states entrenches non-democratic tendencies. Drawing on the case of donor support for social protection and cash transfer programmes in Egypt, Ethiopia and Uganda, Guido, Ahmed and Petronilla show that aid can be used by ruling regimes to legitimate autocratic practices. This stands in contrast to the potential long-term developmental impact of social protection and cash transfer programmes as intended by donor organizations. In addition to their analysis, the three authors provide valuable policy recommendations.

Maschhaupt, G., El Assal, E. and Wandeto, P. (2025): Can ODA enable autocratic entrenchment? Investigating donor-driven cash transfer programmes in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Egypt. Development Policy Review (Online First): https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.70014.