This article documents a positive and sizable correlation between the location of historical Christian missions and the allocation of present-day World Bank aid at the grid-cell level in Africa. The correlation is robust to an extensive set of geographical and historical control variables that predict settlement of missions. The study finds no correlation with aid effectiveness, as measured by project ratings and survey-based development indicators. Mission areas display a different political aid cycle than other areas, whereby new projects are less likely to arrive in years with new presidents. Hence, political connections between mission areas and central governments could be one likely explanation for the correlation between missions and aid.

中文翻译：

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基督教历史使命在世界银行援助非洲地区的作用

本文记录了历史悠久的基督教使团的位置与当今世界银行在非洲网格单元级别上的援助分配之间的正相关关系。这种关联对于预测任务完成的大量地理和历史控制变量具有鲁棒性。该研究发现，通过项目评级和基于调查的发展指标来衡量，其与援助有效性没有关联。任务地区显示出与其他地区不同的政治援助周期，因此，新项目在新总统任职的几年内不太可能到达。因此，任务地区与中央政府之间的政治联系可能是任务与援助之间关系的一种可能解释。