Startling research from a couple of Harvard economists, Ilyana Kuziemko and Eric Werker, in a forthcoming paper for the University of Chicago's Journal of Political Economy. The pair examined aid given to countries when they take up one of the 10 revolving seats on the 15-member United Nations Security Council.

On average, the authors find, a non-permanent member of the council enjoys a 59 per cent increase in total aid from the US when it joins, receives continuing high levels of aid during its two-year term and suffers a drop back to prior levels "almost immediately upon completion".