Less
pretension,
more
ambition
On 18 January 2010, the Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) presented its report ‘Less pretension, more ambition: development aid that makes a difference’ to the Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation, Mr Bert Koenders. This long-awaited study promotes substantial changes in the organisation of Dutch aid as well as more structural attention for global public goods. In the past years, heated discussions in the Dutch media about international development have rarely been the perfect example of a nuanced, constructive debate. Because The Broker believes that the future of aid merits exactly that, we are hosting this discussion blog. Already more than seventy experts and practitioners have contributed to the Dutch blog (some contributions are in English).
We believe that the WRR can spark discussion well beyond the Dutch borders. The questions essentially at stake are: what could or should a new paradigm for aid or global justice look like? Can the world community proceed along the known tracks, or is it high time for new analyses, priorities and a truly global vision on what development means and needs in a world of shifting powers and unprecedented challenges?
Email us at editor@thebrokeronline.eu to join the debate or comment now on the blog postings on this page.
The April issue of The Broker will publish a special report on this subject, with an article by the authors of the WRR report as well as a summary of both the Dutch and international discussions. Unfortunately, an English translation of the entire WRR report is not yet available.
