Glossary of Development Terms and Abbreviations

NB: Some of these terms are specific to DFID, others are used throughout the development community.

BADEA - Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

Balance of payments - A set of accounts for a given period, usually a year, which summarises the financial transactions of the institutions and residents of one country with the institutions and residents of the rest of the world. The set of accounts consists of a current account, which shows expenditure the country made during the period on the purchase of goods and services from abroad, and the revenue derived from the sale of goods and services to the rest of the world; and a capital account, which shows the flows of private and public investment and of other transfers. Bilateral loans and government contributions to multilateral lending agencies are part of the capital account. Bilateral grants, all technical co-operation and other multilateral flows are part of the current account.

Balance of Payments Support - Monies paid by multilateral or bilateral donors to a country to assist with balance of payments problems (see also Programme Aid).

Bankable - refers to a project that has been prepared in such a way (often with a feasibility study) that it is acceptable for a donor/ international bank and easily passes the appraisal stages.

Bar Chart - graphical representation of project data; useful in presenting the facts about a project or illustrating the use of time and resources (see also: GANTT Chart; PERT Chart; Work Plan).

Basel Convention seeks to control and reduce movement of hazardous waste across boundaries, ensure safe management and disposal, assist developing countries in environmentally sound management of waste they generate.

Baseline - information collected before or at the start of a project which provides a basis for planning and/or assessing subsequent progress and impact.

Information will be required on a control site or comparable group outside the project if with/without comparisons, not just before/after comparisons, are to be possible subsequently.

Baseline Study - a description of existing conditions to provide a starting point against which progress can be assessed or comparisons made.

Basic Needs - Usually defined as items of private consumption (adequate food, shelter, clothing, household equipment and furniture) together with essential community services (safe drinking water, sanitation, public transport and health, education and cultural facilities). The term was largely originated by the International Labour Organisation.

BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation

BC - British Council

BCBS - Basel Committee on Banking Supervision

BE - British Embassy

Benchmarking - establishment of quantitative standards with which to compare performance.

Beneficiaries - those receiving some benefit/advantage from an activity or project (see also Stakeholders).

Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) - is a measure of Discounted Cash Flow; it is one of the measures generated by Cost-Benefit Analysis. It is the ratio between discounted total benefits and costs, allowing a distinction to be made between projects that have a high Net Present Value simply because they are large and projects having a genuinely high rate of return (see also: Time Value of Money; Discounted Cash Flow; Net Present Value; Internal Rate of Return).

Benefits - the positive advantages or outcomes of a project which justify its implementation. They may be measurable/tangible or unquantifiable/intangible (see also cost benefit analysis).

BESO - British Executive Services Overseas

BGS - British Geological Survey

BHC - British High Commission

Bilateral - agreement between two organisations or countries - assistance directly from one specific donor country to a recipient country.

Bilateral Aid - is provided to developing countries and countries on Part II of the DAC list on a country to country basis, and to institutions mainly in Britain working in fields related to these countries.

Biomass - the mass of living organisms forming a prescribed population in a given area.

Board - usually comprises the executive directors of an organisation; an IFI Board is the body that formally approves a loan.

Bonn Convention bans the commercial capture of 50 migratory species of wild animals, urges member countries to conserve and restore habitats.

BOTB - British Overseas Trade Board

Brain-storming - rigorous intellectual discussion by a group of people leading to the generation of ideas to address or resolve a problem; a think-tank.

BRCS - British Red Cross Society

BRE - Building Research Establishment

Brief - a specification listing tasks to be addressed or undertaken in a specific context.

British Expatriates Supplementation Scheme (BESS) - A scheme under which DFID supplements the terms of service of British expatriate staff employed in universities and semi-public institutions, such as public boards, corporations and local government, in development countries. DFID contributes to salaries, passage costs, children's education and medical expenses.

British Partnership Scheme - an allocation of DFID aid money which allows Heads of Mission to approve, without reference to DFID, small projects of developmental value.

British Chevening Scholarships - an FCO scheme to enable policy makers from abroad to come to the UK to study. DFID makes a substantial contribution to the scheme.

Budgetary aid - Financial assistance to the government of a dependent territory to help balance its annual recurrent budget.

Build- operate- transfer - a form of concession involving finance, construction, and maintenance of a facility for a specified period until the ownership is transferred usually to a public authority.

Business Plans - are produced annually in DFID. They cover performance against existing objectives, linked into Aims; proposed objectives for the next 3 years; how performance will be measured; programme and running costs needed to deliver the forward objectives.

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