Development cooperation – Debating Development Research

02/12/202502/12/2025

Three Ideal Types for the Future of Development Cooperation

By José Antonio Alonso

The international aid system is undergoing one of the most acute crises in its history. Although it is often portrayed primarily as a budgetary crisis—intensified by decisions such as the Trump Administration’s cuts to foreign assistance—it in fact reflects a deeper and long-standing structural malaise. The crisis is rooted in fundamental questions about the system’s relevance, legitimacy, and capacity to adapt to the evolving global order.

18/11/202502/12/2025

The G7 and Global Development Architecture: Gradual Shift or Pivotal Moment?

By Andy Sumner and Stephan Klingebiel

In late 2025 the development cooperation architecture or system is being openly renegotiated rather than quietly adjusted. Will it be a gradual shift or will 2025 be seen in the future as a pivot moment or a tipping point?

The global development architecture is under the spotlight. This refers to the broad architecture of actors, norms, instruments and institutions that mobilise and coordinate resources, knowledge and political support for development goals. Within this system, Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a core financial instrument, primarily provided by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) DAC (Development Assistance Committee) members. It functions alongside other modalities such as South–South cooperation, climate finance, philanthropic aid and private-sector engagement.

11/11/202502/12/2025

Finding Hope amidst the Ruins – Building a new Narrative for Development Cooperation

By Peter Taylor

The re-election of President Trump in January 2025 led to an immediate freeze on all international development funding from USAID, the largest international aid donor. As highlighted in this recent publication, this freeze caused rapid and devastating effects on humanitarian and development programs worldwide, including halted efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and Mpox, shutdowns of women’s health providers, and suspension of water and sanitation projects. The sudden withdrawal undermined trust and severed long-standing partnerships critical for equitable global development research and cooperation.

12/08/202502/12/2025

US Abdication of Leadership and the “Rise of the Rest”: What does this Mean for International Cooperation?

By Brendan M. Howe / Development and Development Policy in the Trump Era Series

US Abdication of Leadership and Geopolitical Challenges

The demise of the liberal international order (LIO) is a prominent topic of conversation among contemporary academics and practitioners. The first administration of Donald Trump disdained multilateralism in all forms and dealt global governance a serious blow. Joe Biden’s single-term administration, despite recommitting to some of the inter-national accords from which Trump had signalled an intention to withdraw, exacerbated rather than alleviated international concerns about US leadership (or a lack thereof).

08/07/202502/12/2025

Navigating the Tipping Point: Four Futures for Global Development Cooperation

By Stephan Klingebiel and Andy Sumner / Development and Development Policy in the Trump Era Series

The global system of development cooperation is in a state of flux. In a new policy brief we discuss how and why the very foundations of international aid and development are being shaken by geopolitical shifts, contested norms, and institutional upheaval. The brief argues that the crisis is not a mere cyclical downturn, or nor is it only about money, but a fundamental reordering of the global development landscape. In short, a “tipping point” in the sense of a dramatic moment when incremental changes coalesce into a transformative shift, for better or worse, is in the offing. We ask what might come next.