Collaborate for development

There is still a great need for rich and poor countries to work together for development. But little real cooperation comes about when development aid spending is decided and outsourced in the Netherlands.  This also goes against scientific insights on effective aid. This is argued by Geske Dijkstra, professor of Governance and Global Development, in her valedictory speech 'Working together for development', which she will deliver at Erasmus University Rotterdam on 29 March. See powerpoint in English below  Research shows that aid is most effective when recipients have a say in how it is spent and can take charge of implementation themselves. However, most of the Dutch development cooperation is determined and outsourced in the Netherlands itself, for instance, through World Bank 'trust funds' for a specific theme, such as primary education, or through Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland where companies can receive subsidies if they invest in developing countries. As a result, there is no cooperation with recipient governments and often not with other donors either.