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The Future of Development Cooperation Coalition was born from high-level discussions at the June 2025 Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, Spain. Governments, researchers, philanthropies, and global institutions recognized the need for a fresh, independent effort to rethink how development cooperation works.
The Coalition was formed with an ambitious agenda to define a vision for cooperation that is efficient, effective, and fit for the future—anchored in mutual trust and grounded in consultation.
The Coalition brings together countries at all stages of development — along with leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector — to co-create a bold vision for a modern development cooperation system.
Our focus is on clear principles, practical strategies, and a compelling narrative for a reimagined development cooperation system that is more effective, efficient and legitimate.
The world has changed. Development cooperation must change with it.
We are navigating:
The way development cooperation operates is also shifting:
Despite widespread recognition that the current system is no longer fit for purpose, there is no shared vision for what comes next.
That is the challenge — and the opportunity — the Coalition was created to address.
The Coalition exists to chart a path toward a development cooperation system that is more effective, efficient, and legitimate.
For us, development cooperation includes the full range of actors and resources — financial and non-financial — that help countries accelerate sustainable development. This spans:
It also encompasses the policies, norms, and behaviors that shape how these actors work together.
| The Coalition IS… | The Coalition IS NOT… |
|---|---|
| about development | about the development industry |
| interested in all types of financial flows (domestic resource, private, ODA, etc.) as well as flows of trade, technology, and knowledge | just focused on ODA |
| focused on all development sectors (agriculture, infrastructure, health, education, etc.), climate, and development in fragile and conflict affected contexts | focused solely on humanitarian aid. Nonetheless, the Coalition recognizes the importance of the humanitarian-development nexus |
| focused on principles, approaches, and delivery models for more effective, efficient, and legitimate development cooperation | just focused on a review of existing architecture or institutional arrangements |
| by and for countries at all stages of development | targeted exclusively to traditional donor countries |
The Coalition is guided by five core values:
Independence
We are fully independent — not a governmental or intergovernmental process. Our co-chairs, commissioners, and secretariat members serve in their personal capacities, selected for their expertise and commitment to the Coalition’s vision. We actively listen and consult widely, but we do not negotiate text publicly. Our independence is protected through our governance model and diverse funding base.
Transparency
We are open about how we are governed, how we are funded, who we consult, and how we use evidence and data to inform our work.
Frank and Open Communication
We ask hard questions. We engage respectfully on sensitive issues. And we avoid “lowest-common-denominator” consensus. Our communication is plainspoken and focused on practical solutions.
Evidence-Based
Our recommendations are grounded in analytical rigor and clear methods.
Diversity
We elevate a wide range of views and voices — especially those too often left out. Co-creation, representation, and active listening are essential to our work.
The Coalition is a time-bound initiative designed to deliver practical and actionable recommendations.
Over the next year, the main body of work includes:
For more information, read the terms of reference for the Coalition
The global consensus on why and how development cooperation works — including who provides it, who receives it, and how it’s delivered — has been under strain for years. Concerns about the system’s effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy have grown, especially amid recent cuts to official development assistance.
The Coalition’s goal is to create a process where stakeholders from countries at all stages of development can co-create a bold, shared vision for development cooperation. The outcome will be evidence-based, actionable recommendations for reforming the development cooperation architecture in ways that countries and institutions can directly implement.
The Coalition is a time-bound initiative designed to deliver practical and actionable recommendations over the course of approximately 12 months.
Over the next year, the main body of work includes:
For more information, read the terms of reference for the Coalition
While there are many working groups and task forces, this independent and time-bound Coalition fills a unique role. It can explore a broader range of reforms than intergovernmental negotiations usually allow and propose evidence-based, practical changes.
Its work will also complement the Financing for Development (FfD4) process by offering concrete options to address high-level issues raised in the FfD4 Outcome Document. Through active listening, open dialogue, and honest debate, the Coalition aims to inform real decision-making.
There are precedents for this model’s impact, such as the Independent Expert Group on Strengthening the Multilateral Development Banks, which helped catalyze significant reforms.
The Coalition will engage countries at all stages of development, including both traditional and emerging development partners, as well as multilateral organizations involved in development cooperation.
The Coalition’s findings and recommendations will also be shared directly with donor governments and development partners to help shape their own policies and priorities. The co-chairs, commissioners, secretariat, and co-host organizations will all play a key role in disseminating findings and encouraging adoption.
Being independent allows the Coalition to take a system-wide view, unconstrained by the politics or mandates of any single organization. This independence strengthens its credibility and objectivity across different regions and stakeholder groups.
If the Coalition were formally linked to a specific body — such as the UN or OECD — it could risk being seen as representing only part of the global community or resonate with some audiences more than others, potentially limiting the reach and acceptance of its recommendations.
The co-chairs will be selected by the secretariat and the co-host organizations, with input from funders and supporting countries.
Following extensive consultation, a commissioner shortlist will be presented to the co-chairs for final selection.
Commissioners are drawn from a diverse set of countries and backgrounds — including least developed, low- and middle-income, small island, and advanced economies.
They bring expertise from fields such as development economics, policymaking, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector.
Supporting countries are expressing support for the goals and objectives of the Coalition and a commitment to engage with its work and recommendations as well as serve as ambassadors for the Coalition in their regions and in the regional institutions of which they are members. However, this does not imply automatic acceptance of the Coalition’s recommendations. Each country retains the flexibility to consider and adopt proposals as appropriate.
To date, the Coalition is supported by five philanthropies.
Further funding will come from voluntary contributions by philanthropic organizations committed to supporting independent, evidence-driven policy work.
No. The Coalition is complementary to FfD4. It will focus on developing a framework of principles and actionable recommendations for effective, inclusive development cooperation — outside of formal negotiations.
While countries and institutions may later discuss or adopt its recommendations, the Coalition’s work itself is non-negotiated, independent, and evidence based.
The Coalition’s work will be shared through a series of reports and communications, not just a single final document. The process of engagement — listening, dialogue, and iteration — is part of the change.
The final report will: