For too long, the development sector has operated in a self-referential bubble — talking mostly to itself, reinforcing its own logic, and shielding itself from broader scrutiny. But the world has changed, and the gap between the sector’s narratives and the realities on the ground has become impossible to ignore.

On one side, citizens of donor countries — the very people whose (tax) money funds development cooperation — have been kept at a distance. In many OECD nations, public engagement has been low, and skepticism high. Even before populist narratives gained traction, surveys showed significant doubts about the effectiveness of aid. In Germany, for example, only 10% of respondents in 2017 believed development aid was largely effective, while a quarter considered it mainly ineffective. But because the system continued to work for its established players, these concerns were largely ignored.

On the other side of the system, communities in recipient countries — those meant to benefit from #InternationalCooperation — have been given limited ownership over their own development. Decisions remain largely top-down, dictated by donor-driven priorities, rigid bureaucracies, and external expertise that often overlooks local solutions. Despite decades of discussion on localizations, meaningful shifts in power and decision-making remain rare.

A lot of the industry is like a ship drifting far from the shores where the people are. Passengers onboard are happy on their own and engaging in ever more sophisticated pursuits.

So, before we can talk about what can be done, we need to recognise that there’s a problem. The ship has to dock again and needs to be rebuilt! Because not only do populists ask the question already: Do we even need this ship anymore?

#FutureOfCooperation #DevelopmentReform #Localization