Beyond Aid: A Conceptual Perspective on the Transformation of Development Cooperation

Development cooperation is part of an international system characterised by fragmentation and limitations in global problem solving. Drawing on the term beyond aid, this article explores the transformation of development cooperation within this system. The article distinguishes four dimensions of beyond aid – actors, finance, regulation and knowledge – where aid loses relevance relative to other fields of international cooperation. Creating links to these beyond aid dimensions is at the core of the transformation of development cooperation. Understanding this transformation as a learning process, the article identifies ‘specialisation’ and ‘integration’ as two options for the future of development cooperation.