| ACP | African, Caribbean and Pacific countries |
| ADEA | Association for the Development of Education in Africa |
| AfDB | African Development Bank |
| AsDB | Asian Development Bank |
| AsDF | Asian Development Fund |
| CAP | Common Agricultural Policy [European Union] |
| DAC | Development Assistance Committee [OECD] |
| EBRD | European Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
| ECDPM | European Center for Development and Policy Management |
| EEC | European Economic Community |
| ESAF | Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility [IMF] |
| GATT | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade |
| GDP | gross domestic product |
| GNP | gross national product |
| GWP | Global Water Partnership |
| HIPC | Heavily Indebted Poor Countries trust fund [World Bank] |
| IBRB | International Bank for Reconstruction and Development [World Bank] |
| IDA | International Development Association |
| IDB | Inter-American Development Bank |
| IDRC | International Development Research Centre |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund |
| NGO | nongovernmental organization |
| ODA | official development assistance |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| OPEC | Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries |
| UNDP | United Nations Development Programme |
| UNICEF | United Nations Children's Fund |
| UNRISD | United Nations Research Institute for Social Development |
| USAID | United States Agency for International Development |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |