The following will be the last part of a forthcoming IBON International paper on development cooperation today. The first and second sections were released prior as “Decolonising Development Cooperation: Towards a reframing,” and “The Unfinished Agenda of International Development Cooperation,” respectively.

The global governance of international development cooperation is currently fragmented, ineffective, lacking legitimacy and accountability. A UN Convention on International Development Cooperation can address these shortcomings by fundamentally reorienting IDC based on human rights, solidarity and justice; establishing binding agreements inclusive of all IDC partners; and enhancing transparency, accountability and effectiveness of development cooperation. It would not only address the quantitative and qualitative shortcomings of ODA but also tackle the deeper structural imbalances that perpetuate global inequalities. Without such a framework, development cooperation will continue to be driven by geopolitical interests rather than a genuine commitment to global justice and shared prosperity.