Post by Nico Weers

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻. According to 2024 data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD - OCDE), only around One Thousand Five Hundred out of every one million euros of German Official Development Assistance reach local community based organizations directly.   This does not mean that the remaining funds have no impact. They do. But when localization is framed as a central reform objective, the question becomes one of decision-making power: Who defines priorities? Who controls resources? Who shapes the programs that affect communities?   Last Friday, I had the opportunity to speak at the Academy of Continuing Education der University of Bremen together with Anneli Sofia Räcker, recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz), founder of KETAAKETI e. V., and my predecessor as Chairperson of the Board, She introduced our work at #KETAAKETI and its approach to locally-driven partnership, where our partners take the lead in defining priorities and shaping programs. This approach matters because historical and structural funding patterns often reproduce power asymmetries rooted in colonial legacies, shaping priorities and agendas from the Global North.   In my contribution, I reflected from a personal perspective on these patterns while navigating development institutions, building on insights I first deepened while teaching a Global Poverty course at University of California, Berkeley with Kristopher Kohler, Ph.D.. I considered both broader structural debates and the practical realities of partnerships on the ground. We discussed the gap that can emerge between reform language and financial architecture, and whether meaningful change ultimately requires shifts in funding logics and partnership modalities.   What stayed with me most was the openness of the exchange. The questions were thoughtful and critical, and several participants expressed interest in engaging further themselves.   On a personal note, opportunities like this also reaffirm how much I value teaching as a space to critically engage with complex questions. The exchange and feedback reminded me that this kind of dialogue is exactly the kind of work I want to continue in the long-term.   Grateful for the exchange. #DevelopmentCooperation #Localization #DecolonialApproach #GlobalSouth #SustainableDevelopment