Development Policy – Debating Development Research

31/03/202631/03/2026

The Double Legitimacy Crisis of the Old Aid Order: Four Scenarios for Development Cooperation and their Plausibility

By Nadia Molenaers

Development cooperation is not simply facing another cyclical debate about effectiveness. It is facing something deeper: a crisis of the very roles through which it has historically been justified. For decades, development cooperation drew its legitimacy from two overlapping functions. First, it was seen as an instrument of international influence: a way for states to build relations, project (democratic, human rights) values, and shape the international environment. Second, it was presented as a symbol of international solidarity: an expression of moral responsibility, redistribution, and a concern for global inequality.

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.

21/10/202502/12/2025

The Gradual Change of Multilateralism and Development Cooperation

By Lars Engberg-Pedersen

In a recent piece on this blog, Stephan Klingebiel and Andy Sumner take up the important question of how the present situation of international cooperation and global development should be described. Clearly, they should be thanked for addressing the question, which has become increasingly urgent the last year. In this piece, I will discuss some of their arguments as an input into the discussion of contemporary changes.