As foreign aid flows decline and skepticism about the effectiveness of assistance to Africa grows, a major reassessment of aid is timely. This Policy Essay presents the policy findings of a collaborative project of field research and analyses of donor/African relations and how African countries use aid resources. The authors assess current donor practices and the impact of economic crisis on aid effectiveness in the region. They offer recommendations to promote management capacity, focusing on the integration and aid resources in development management, sectoral specialization, and public dialogue on aid.