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Towards a New Governance Architecture for Development Cooperation

By José Antonio Alonso

At the beginning of the 1960s, OECD donors decided to establish a specialized body—the Development Assistance Committee (DAC)—to govern the aid system. Since then, the DAC has proven effective in defining standards, harmonizing reporting, disseminating good practices, and promoting learning and accountability among donors. These achievements, however, go along with a fundamental limitation: the exclusive nature of the institution. Although development cooperation formally embraces the principle of country ownership, the governance of the system excludes the representation and voice of those who are expected to exercise that ownership.

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Three Implications of the Oil Shock for the Turbulent Political Economy of Development Cooperation

By Andy Sumner and Stephan Klingebiel

The 2026 US–Israel–Iran war has produced what the International Energy Agency describes as the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. Brent crude rose from around $70 at the end of February to a peak of about $140 in early April before settling around $100 as of early June 2026. In a new Brief we argue that the significance of the oil shock lies not only in the price increase itself but in its timing.

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Why “Community-Led” Health Programmes Often Aren’t as Local as They Claim

By Bernabas Petros and Bethelhem Teshome / Shaping Sustainable Futures conference series

Global health policy loves a good success story. Community health workers are constantly praised as the backbone of efforts to achieve SDG 3 — healthy lives and well-being for all. From Ethiopia’s famous Women Development Army to Malawi’s Health Surveillance Assistants and the UK’s Community Health Champions, these initiatives are regularly showcased as shining examples of “localization” in action.

But there’s a problem. Localization is talked about far more than it is genuinely practiced.

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Conservation through Belief: Indigenous Spiritualities and Protected Areas

By Karen Heikkilä and Geethanjali Mariaselvam

It has long been acknowledged in biodiversity conservation and human development circles that local communities have a special role in safeguarding nature. Local religions and stewardship principles and practices have sustained the bond between people and their specific environments, amidst legal, capitalist and modernist pressures. This is supported by our case studies of communities living in protected areas in India and Malaysia that show how nature is interwoven with the society and culture of the communities.

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