This paper makes the case for a fundamental transformation of international development cooperation (IDC). It argues that Official Development Assistance (ODA) or foreign aid, traditionally framed as benevolent assistance from the Global North to the Global South, must instead be understood in the context of colonialism and ongoing systemic injustice. International development cooperation must be decolonised and reframed as reparations for historical injustices and a collective obligation to global justice and solidarity.

The proposals put forward in this paper will surely be opposed by those with vested interests in current policy norms. Others may sympathise with these proposals but may be reluctant to champion them in the current political climate. In an era where multilateralism is under siege, political elites in many countries are fanning the flames of xenophobia, racism, and national chauvinism to consolidate domestic power. This political climate breeds regressive forces that are contrary to international commitments rooted in global solidarity and shared responsibility. Yet history teaches us that as long as systemic global injustice persist, peoples' movements will continue to resist and demand transformative changes in the international order. The struggle for a fair and just system of international development cooperation is, ultimately, a struggle for the future of humanity itself.