When it comes to North-South relationship, a major question is "what works". Indeed a question is: What works? How effective is development aid, vs for instance trade?
Our opinion is that aid has a place in the mix, but we cannot have aid that is without measuring of the effect of it. We need effective aid, and we need to find ways to weave aid away from the mix wherever we can. Not because aid in itself is bad, but because it becomes a drug, and drugs are awful.
Seriously, aid is an example of unequal relationships between partners. The party that Gives the aid has power over the one receiving the aid, because that aid could always be taken away.
This blog will explore these topics over the next months.