Key Takeaways: The best kept secret in international development, and why Global North CSOs will not talk about tied aid
By Sumeya Hussein
Link to original article>https://shiftthepower.org/2024/09/16/the-best-kept-secret-in-international-development-and-why-global-north-csos-will-not-talk-about-tied-aid/
The article draws attention to what it claims is the best-kept secret in international development. Less than 10% of the bilateral donor civil society organisations (CSO) funding goes to those in the Global South. The rest — 90% — goes to CSOs based in the Northern donor country. The poignant argument is made that perhaps that is why the narrative about Global South civil society as weak, unreliable, and in deficit of everything has been maintained to this day. Nevertheless, funding to Northern CSOs was not given without any demands. Northern CSOs were required to contribute to privately raised funding in order to be eligible to access grants.
The article discusses a donor statement on supporting locally-led development. This statement came after debates over the last decade around increased development effectiveness, local ownership, and decolonising development. The statement highlighted a positive shift in donor attitudes as donors looked to share power by supporting locally-led development and making decisions in partnership with those affected by them. The statement showed that donors looked to share platforms with local partners rather than speak for them.
The article exposes the sinister reason behind the surprising fact that 90 per cent of all the CSO funding still goes to Northern or international CSOs. Bilateral donors trust their Northern CSOs, unlike CSOs in the South, with this distrust rooted in structural racism, “developing country superiority,” and the white gaze.
