Put to the test: Prejudices against development cooperation

The impact of development cooperation (DC) is repeatedly called into question. This is also the case, for example, in the current debate surrounding the budget cuts for the reconstruction of Ukraine. What is the truth behind the criticism? We categorize three prejudices against development cooperation.

"If development cooperation were any good, there wouldn't still be so much poverty."

The fact is that poverty has decreased worldwide. When the World Bank started recording statistics on how many people worldwide live in extreme poverty in 1990, the figure was 30 percent. Today it is less than ten percent.

Development cooperation alone cannot eradicate global poverty. However, it can help to alleviate the worst manifestations of poverty, create economic prospects and strengthen civil society. It is undisputed, for example, that access to education and health has a major impact on poverty. These are both areas in which development cooperation achieves a great deal. The political and economic framework conditions are also key factors in reducing poverty. Supporting civil society so that it can stand up for its own interests therefore also contributes to poverty reduction in the medium term. 

But even the best development cooperation reaches its limits when, for example, a battle for raw materials breaks out in northern Mozambique or countries groan under a burden of debt due to China's geopolitical interests. This is why dealing with such global contexts is also part of the task of development cooperation.  

"Money only flows to corrupt, authoritarian governments."

The beginnings of "development aid" were often actually characterized by the Cold War and the end of colonial rule. Donor countries tried to protect their interests in the countries of the Global South. In the 1990s, however, there was a paradigm shift in international cooperation - development aid became development cooperation.

In the 2000s, various donor countries began to invest specifically in the rule of law, the promotion of democracy and "good governance", working increasingly with civil society organizations on the ground.

Democracy promotion in development cooperation takes place, for example, through the support of human rights organizations or the promotion of institutional reforms. But development projects in the education and health sector, in agriculture or in economic development can also have a positive impact on democratization. This is because an educated, healthy and prosperous population is more likely to be committed to democracy than a population living in poverty and misery.

"Development cooperation is colonialist and reinforces dependencies."

The time of the "white helpers" is over. Today, development cooperation focuses on issues such as supporting local civil society, political participation, the rule of law and strengthening the local economy. However, this does not mean that development cooperation is completely free of outdated colonial patterns of thought and behavior.

Correcting this is at the heart of the debate surrounding the decolonization of development cooperation, which has gained considerable momentum in recent years. In short, it is about respecting local knowledge and shifting decisions from the North to the South. Cooperation on an equal footing has not yet been achieved everywhere. However, the shift in the balance of power in development cooperation is being seriously promoted by many organizations - including terre des hommes schweiz.