Education
Global leaders meet as aid cuts force rethink of development cooperation – EnviroNews
– Advertisement –
Global development leaders are gathering in Nairobi this week for a major international conference aimed at rethinking development cooperation as traditional aid models come under increasing pressure and countries across the Global South demand partnerships that better reflect their priorities, agency and economic ambitions.
The two-day conference, Transforming International Development Cooperation: Markets, Interests and Partnerships in a Changing Global Order, is being held at the Nairobi Serena Hotel from June 22 to 23, 2026, and is facilitated by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
The meeting comes at a critical moment for international cooperation. Aid budgets are shrinking in several donor countries, public resources are under strain, debt servicing costs are rising across many developing economies, and progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals remains off track.
At the same time, countries in Africa and across the wider Global South are increasingly calling for development partnerships that move beyond the traditional donor-recipient model toward approaches centered on trade, investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer and shared interests.
The conference has brought together policymakers, economists, development practitioners, private-sector leaders, civil society representatives and international partners from both the Global South and Global North to explore how development cooperation can remain effective and relevant in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.
Addressing delegates, Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, emphasised the urgency of adapting development cooperation to new realities.
“The real question is whether we can adapt quickly enough, work more effectively across institutions and partnerships, and deliver results that people can see and trust,” she said.
Discussions are expected to focus on how trade, markets, entrepreneurship, investment and private-sector participation can complement public development assistance and contribute to long-term development outcomes.
Participants will also examine how cooperation frameworks can respond more effectively to pressing global challenges, including inequality, climate change, conflict, food insecurity, technological disruption and the rising cost of development finance.
A central theme of the conference is the transition from aid dependency to partnership-based cooperation. Delegates are exploring how development cooperation can be reframed as a strategic partnership that promotes shared prosperity rather than charity.
The shift comes as governments and development institutions face mounting pressure from declining aid flows, rising debt burdens and growing scrutiny over the effectiveness and sustainability of traditional aid models.
Conference organisers say discussions will generate ideas on strengthening private-sector engagement, supporting enterprise-led growth, improving partnership quality and ensuring development interventions deliver measurable benefits for communities.
Ralf Erbel, Project Director for East Africa and Global Partnership at FNF, stressed the importance of local ownership in development efforts.
“Development cooperation cannot be built on paternalism, but on agency and trust,” he said.
For Africa, the debate is particularly significant.
The continent is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and youngest populations, while also facing major challenges related to climate resilience, food systems, digital transformation, debt sustainability, regional trade integration and green growth.
Organisers say the Nairobi gathering offers an opportunity to examine what forms of development cooperation are best suited to a changing global order and how partnerships can be made more equitable, practical and sustainable for all parties involved.
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is a German political foundation that promotes liberal democracy, human rights, market economies, the rule of law and individual freedom through policy dialogue, partnerships and governance initiatives around the world.