The Gulf Arab states have been major players in international aid since the 1970s. In particular, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have ranked among the top providers of official development assistance (ODA), which is aid targeted at the economic advancement of developing countries. According to the World Bank, these three countries provided ODA averaging 1.5% of their combined gross national income (GNI) from 1973–2008, significantly exceeding the UN target of 0.7% of GNI.

While the Gulf Arab states have provided substantial development assistance over the years, their efforts have at times been tainted with controversy. This is largely due to the fact that these countries often politicize their aid and attach it to their foreign policy aims. In recent years, this has ranged from seeking to boost support for the Saudi-led war on Yemen or countering Iran...