11 hours ago
Bravo Shahida, well done. You have succeeded to bridge the gap between unicef and its retirees , something we hope many other XUNICEF colleagues will also do. Of course not many can emulate the hospitality you provided. In any/case I hope that the new Rep and her staff will effectively build on this relationship and make something of it as an example for others to follow. Warm Salaams.
Unknown commented on "UN 80th Anniversary - Postage Stamp Release in India Shared by Sree Gururaja"
11 hours ago
Kudos , and Kudos again to India Post,
Issuing stamps for all UN agencies, almost.
Something that they can cherish and boast
Carrying mail from coast to coast,
A tradition other countries have lost.
And nice stamps becoming rare as a ghost,
As a collector I admire Indian stamps the most,
Other Post Offices have become toast,
While India issues some that are embossed.
Issuing stamps for all UN agencies, almost.
Something that they can cherish and boast
Carrying mail from coast to coast,
A tradition other countries have lost.
And nice stamps becoming rare as a ghost,
As a collector I admire Indian stamps the most,
Other Post Offices have become toast,
While India issues some that are embossed.
Mary Racelis commented on "Textures of Thought: Artist-Machine Collaboration - Gautam Banerji"
12 hours ago
My goodness, Gautam! This is a side of you I hadn't seen until now! Congratulations, not only on your international recognition but also on the creativity and courage you show in combining your innate artistic talent with fascinating technology breakthroughs. I'd like to forward your account to two of my artist-graduate students studying anthropology to make similar fine-arts/anthropology/technology connections. They will love your examples. Can you please send me this article with the pictures as a separate for forwarding to them--unless Tom can more easily do that? My own ability along those lines is limited. Thanks -- and keep it up! Mary
MvD commented on "Latest Plans for Post Relocations and Reductions"
16 hours ago
If I am not mistaken, this game of musical chairs is saving less than one percent of Regular Resources over the next four years, and less than 0.2 per cent of the UNICEF budget. But it will hugely benefit those getting yet another installation grant.
Yesterday
Here is friend Sam, also known as Mr. Koo,
Not with one colleague, but two,
Charming ladies , we all know who,
And in Malta of all places too.
Wonder what they had to do,
Celebrating Helen’s birthday so true.
With dear Muffy, a host that few
Could rival as we all knew.
Is Valletta the new XUNICEF venue?
Where UNICEF HQ will move to?
Not with one colleague, but two,
Charming ladies , we all know who,
And in Malta of all places too.
Wonder what they had to do,
Celebrating Helen’s birthday so true.
With dear Muffy, a host that few
Could rival as we all knew.
Is Valletta the new XUNICEF venue?
Where UNICEF HQ will move to?
2 days ago
I was working in Gode in Ethiopia, when it was the HQ for the final push to eradicate polio. It was an impressive operation, but UNICEF was not involved. UNICEF, at the time, was only marginally involved in immunisation.
The CRC is an impressive achievement, and UNICEF deserves credit for that landmark. However, the implementation is what matters. Africa, where UNICEF is most active, has fallen behind on both implementation and reporting on CRC.
The CRC is an impressive achievement, and UNICEF deserves credit for that landmark. However, the implementation is what matters. Africa, where UNICEF is most active, has fallen behind on both implementation and reporting on CRC.
Fouad commented on "Mourning the rapidly disappearing UNICEF NY Headquarters : John Gilmartin"
2 days ago
Wonder how they will re-stack UNICEF House. Will it remain the unicef HQnow that most moves are focussed on European cities ? In a sense this brings UNICEF back to its early beginnings when most of its efforts and offices were in Europe.
2 days ago
So sad and so true that the multi lateral system has failed to prevent the genocide
2 days ago
I stand corrected again. If the four stakeholders are: 1) the Western taxpayers, 2) the aid workers, 3) government officials and other elites in Africa, and 4) the impoverished Africans, it has always been a win-win. Numbers 2) and 3) have won consistently.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Rohini de silva commented on "DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (by Myra Rudin)"
2 days ago
You are a great photographer Myrna. Thanks for sharing
2 days ago
If we have not found a win-win formula after 80 years of trying, perhaps it is time to throw in the towel.
2 days ago
There's much to add to the debate and I wish the exchanges would continue. You have touched upon here a very live and sensitive issue around aid - the politics of development assistance. Politicians on either side seem to keep the dependency alive with strong vested interests entrenched around the aid industry. I wish more could be said about it. At the same time, in a highly inter-dependent world today, any pocket of under-development remains no less a threat to the developed world. It would be far too idealistic to believe that the under-developed regions of the world will, given the opportunity, all rise up to a state of bliss. Many argue that the inter-dependency with promise of development does in reality perpetuate a new kind of dependency syndrome. In short, can development assistance be fully done away with? is there a win-win through development assistance? Or is it all a zero-sum game?
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Unknown commented on "Developed, Developing and Least Developed: Gautam Banerji"
Oct 30, 2025
This suggestion will be seen as heresy in the powerful, righteous global aid community, often led by failed politicians with their contacts up to date. They will, despite the facts, denounce it as callous, dangerous and risking lives. The elite in Africa might chime in.
On the other hand, those who oppose aid may point out that the aid community and the elite in Africa often skim off the lion’s share of the aid for themselves and may be more interested in feathering their own nests than helping Africa develop.
Over the past decades, the former group has won hands down. It will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming years.
On the other hand, those who oppose aid may point out that the aid community and the elite in Africa often skim off the lion’s share of the aid for themselves and may be more interested in feathering their own nests than helping Africa develop.
Over the past decades, the former group has won hands down. It will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming years.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 30, 2025
Would Africa Have Been Better Off Without Aid?
When Africa gained independence in the 1950s and 1960s, it quickly became dependent again. This time on aid. Trillions of dollars have been poured into the continent since then, but Africa remains poor, indebted, and politically unstable. Would Africa have been better off without aid, dealing with the rest of the world as all other countries do?
With the benefit of 70 years of hindsight, the answer is most probably yes. Aid has too often removed accountability. Governments that rely on foreign donors do not need to rely on their citizens. When revenues come from abroad rather than from domestic taxation, the contract between those who govern and the governed is broken. The elite answer to aid agencies, not to the voters. The result has been a cycle of weak governance, corruption, and endless capacity-building projects that build little except the aid bureaucracy.
Instead of stimulating business and entrepreneurship, aid has often been a disincentive for private initiatives. Donor-funded schemes crowd out local businesses and attract talent away from the private sector. The constant flow of aid money discourages reform and protects leaders from the consequences of mismanagement. It is no coincidence that the best-performing African countries, such as Botswana and Mauritius, are those that focus on sound institutions, trade, and investment.
By contrast, the countries, globally, that developed fast over the past 50-60 years did so without any significant aid. They embraced competition, exports, property rights, and accountability. They succeeded not because aid workers and development experts from the other side of the world engineered development, but because they were allowed to fail, learn, and reform. That is how all countries have developed. Why would Africa be different?
The path forward should replace aid with economic engagement. Remove trade barriers that keep African goods out of Western markets. Channel capital into private investment and infrastructure that yield returns. Treat African countries as capable partners in global commerce.
After 60 years, the verdict is clear: aid has not helped Africa. A continent rich in resources and talent deserves the dignity of self-determination, not another decade of handouts. The right thing now is to end the aid era in an orderly way and allow Africa the freedom to rise on its own terms.
When Africa gained independence in the 1950s and 1960s, it quickly became dependent again. This time on aid. Trillions of dollars have been poured into the continent since then, but Africa remains poor, indebted, and politically unstable. Would Africa have been better off without aid, dealing with the rest of the world as all other countries do?
With the benefit of 70 years of hindsight, the answer is most probably yes. Aid has too often removed accountability. Governments that rely on foreign donors do not need to rely on their citizens. When revenues come from abroad rather than from domestic taxation, the contract between those who govern and the governed is broken. The elite answer to aid agencies, not to the voters. The result has been a cycle of weak governance, corruption, and endless capacity-building projects that build little except the aid bureaucracy.
Instead of stimulating business and entrepreneurship, aid has often been a disincentive for private initiatives. Donor-funded schemes crowd out local businesses and attract talent away from the private sector. The constant flow of aid money discourages reform and protects leaders from the consequences of mismanagement. It is no coincidence that the best-performing African countries, such as Botswana and Mauritius, are those that focus on sound institutions, trade, and investment.
By contrast, the countries, globally, that developed fast over the past 50-60 years did so without any significant aid. They embraced competition, exports, property rights, and accountability. They succeeded not because aid workers and development experts from the other side of the world engineered development, but because they were allowed to fail, learn, and reform. That is how all countries have developed. Why would Africa be different?
The path forward should replace aid with economic engagement. Remove trade barriers that keep African goods out of Western markets. Channel capital into private investment and infrastructure that yield returns. Treat African countries as capable partners in global commerce.
After 60 years, the verdict is clear: aid has not helped Africa. A continent rich in resources and talent deserves the dignity of self-determination, not another decade of handouts. The right thing now is to end the aid era in an orderly way and allow Africa the freedom to rise on its own terms.
Ramesh Shrestha commented on "Rethinking development by Ramesh Shrestha"
Oct 29, 2025
Salam Janab Naseem, I am happy that I have at least one regular reader! Shukran Jajilan
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Unknown commented on "Developed, Developing and Least Developed: Gautam Banerji"
Oct 29, 2025
There should not be a major issue with discontinuing aid; it is, according to many on the extreme left, a pittance, a thin veil to hide centuries of crimes, and the aid workers are merely pawns or useful idiots in the hands of Sevlierauw-suited Western men in dark glasses running the world. It was never intended to lift Africa out of poverty, let alone help develop it. It was all about neocolonialism, control and dominance.
Mary Racelis commented on "Mini-Reunion in Malta - Sam Koo, Helene Gosselin, and Margherita Amodeo : Shared by Sam Koo"
Oct 29, 2025
Lovely to see three friends from my UNICEF days blooming and enjoying one another's company! Lucky you, Helene and Sam -- Margherita welcomes friends with gratifying hospitality, as so many of us experienced when XUNICEF held its 2024 reunion in Malta.
Oct 29, 2025
Botswana is often mentioned as an example of “aid done right works.” After independence in 1966, it received considerable Western aid. However, the government was stable, competent, and corruption-averse. Aid was used primarily for infrastructure and education, and the country already had sound fiscal management. Botswana’s success was driven far more by domestic governance and resource management than by aid.
Oct 29, 2025
Development aid often fails to achieve its objectives due to several factors, such as:
Mismanagement: Poor planning and execution by donor agencies.
Inadequate Planning: Lack of strategic aims or focus on strategic aims of the donor country.
Government Mismanagement: Mismanagement by recipient governments can compound the failure.
Structural Inertia: The aid system resists fundamental changes, leading to ineffective efforts.
Perverse Incentives: The system rewards short-term results over long-term impact.
Risk Aversion: Individual career concerns often outweigh the benefits of innovation.
Disconnected Feedback Loops: Those most affected by aid interventions have the least say.
These factors contribute to inaction in the international aid system, where aid organisations fail to implement what they know works despite having the tools and resources.
Mismanagement: Poor planning and execution by donor agencies.
Inadequate Planning: Lack of strategic aims or focus on strategic aims of the donor country.
Government Mismanagement: Mismanagement by recipient governments can compound the failure.
Structural Inertia: The aid system resists fundamental changes, leading to ineffective efforts.
Perverse Incentives: The system rewards short-term results over long-term impact.
Risk Aversion: Individual career concerns often outweigh the benefits of innovation.
Disconnected Feedback Loops: Those most affected by aid interventions have the least say.
These factors contribute to inaction in the international aid system, where aid organisations fail to implement what they know works despite having the tools and resources.
Unknown commented on "Developed, Developing and Least Developed: Gautam Banerji"
Oct 28, 2025
James Shikwati (Kenyan economist): “The countries that have collected the most development aid are also the ones that are in the worst shape. … Development aid is one of the reasons for Africa’s problems. … It weakens the local markets everywhere and dampens the spirit of entrepreneurship that we so desperately need.”
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Unknown commented on "Developed, Developing and Least Developed: Gautam Banerji"
Oct 28, 2025
Africa lags behind due to poor governance, weak institutions, corruption, rapid population growth and aid dependency. Unless African governments prioritise accountability and self-reliance over aid dependence, the gap with the rest of the world will widen.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Unknown commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 28, 2025
"The poorest countries and failed states have received most of the aid, and have not made good use of it". UNDS have no responsibility?
Unknown commented on "Developed, Developing and Least Developed: Gautam Banerji"
Oct 28, 2025
There is a clear, though not perfect, link between GDP per capita and respect for human rights. Wealthier societies tend to have better human rights records, but there are important exceptions.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 28, 2025
In 2024, Tanzania's GDP per capita was $1,120, which is 9% of the global average. In 1960, it was $275 or more than 60% of the global average. Few countries in Africa received more aid during these 60-plus years than Tanzania. Some food for thought.
Unknown commented on "Patricia Marin - Murals and Paintings"
Oct 28, 2025
Beautiful murals.
Oct 28, 2025
But surely there must have been established channels for this knowledge to be passed on for millennia. Why can't they be used?
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Ian Thorpe commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 28, 2025
Sure - there are a bunch of examples on the UNOSSC website: see here for a few example: https://unsouthsouth.org/our-work/knowledge-co-creation-and-management/ some agencies also have their own individual examples. There's certainly potential to do more and better but there are already quite a few examples.
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Gautam Banerji commented on "Developed, Developing and Least Developed: Gautam Banerji"
Oct 28, 2025
I have been reading with interest your comments on the "Beyond Aid" blog shared by Detlef. Much of your observations there bear relevance to what we seek to debate here. I wish many more will chip in with you here to take the discussion further. It has been our hope that the posts we carry on the Blog will generate lively dialogues through observations and comments. Now that you have set the trend, we hope to see many others follow it through.
Unknown commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 28, 2025
Could you give examples where "sharing knowledge from the global south" has been done with UNDS involvement?
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Ian Thorpe commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 28, 2025
If only that were the case. While you can find a lot of things using Google or by searching AI, ensuring that this is reliable, relevant and actionable is something else entirely. In particular, Google and AI are heavily biased towards "western" knowledge and lacking in insights from developing countries and especially at -risk and marginalized communities. The UN (and others) can play an important role in supporting generation, sharing and use of knowledge from the global south, and in helping countries to contextualize knowledge from other countries and contexts.
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Oct 28, 2025
Rethinking Africa’s Future
After 2.6 trillion dollars in aid since 1960, Africa has not caught up with the rest of the world; it has fallen further behind. The continent is relatively poorer, less industrialised and more dependent than it was at independence. Foreign aid has failed.
What was meant to be temporary help has become a permanent dependency. Aid has turned into a parallel economy, sustaining the very weaknesses it was supposed to fix. Many African governments now answer more to donors than to their own people. Easy money discourages reform; corruption is common; accountability is weak. And still, the aid industry congratulates itself for caring.
The UN Development System and its network of agencies and NGOs are part of this failure. They have grown into vast bureaucracies that measure success by the size of their budgets and the number of reports produced, not by tangible improvements in prosperity or governance. The system’s main achievement has been to perpetuate itself.
An Orderly Exit
This dependency must end, not suddenly or chaotically, but in an orderly, planned withdrawal. Over the next four to eight years, Western governments and aid agencies should phase out development aid altogether. Humanitarian relief will always have a place in crises, but long-term aid should come to an end.
As the aid gradually reduces, African governments will have to face their citizens rather than their donors. They will be forced to tax, govern and reform. Responsibility will finally return. Removing aid will hurt, but healing rarely comes without pain.
Trade Over Aid
The West can still help, not with cheques, but with open markets and honest partnerships. Remove the tariffs and subsidies that keep African farmers poor. Encourage private investment, regional trade, and infrastructure that connects economies. Africa’s prosperity will come from factories, farms and entrepreneurs, not from another UN initiative.
Countries like Botswana and Mauritius have already shown what’s possible. Their success was built on discipline, clean governance and the belief that dignity lies in production. They prospered by rejecting dependency.
Ending aid dependency will be painful for everyone involved. Western bureaucrats and aid workers will have to admit that decades of development theory have achieved little. African leaders will lose the excuse of blaming history or donors. But honesty is called for, and Africa deserves the respect of being treated as capable of standing on its own.
Foreign aid was meant to be a bridge. It became a cage.
After 2.6 trillion dollars in aid since 1960, Africa has not caught up with the rest of the world; it has fallen further behind. The continent is relatively poorer, less industrialised and more dependent than it was at independence. Foreign aid has failed.
What was meant to be temporary help has become a permanent dependency. Aid has turned into a parallel economy, sustaining the very weaknesses it was supposed to fix. Many African governments now answer more to donors than to their own people. Easy money discourages reform; corruption is common; accountability is weak. And still, the aid industry congratulates itself for caring.
The UN Development System and its network of agencies and NGOs are part of this failure. They have grown into vast bureaucracies that measure success by the size of their budgets and the number of reports produced, not by tangible improvements in prosperity or governance. The system’s main achievement has been to perpetuate itself.
An Orderly Exit
This dependency must end, not suddenly or chaotically, but in an orderly, planned withdrawal. Over the next four to eight years, Western governments and aid agencies should phase out development aid altogether. Humanitarian relief will always have a place in crises, but long-term aid should come to an end.
As the aid gradually reduces, African governments will have to face their citizens rather than their donors. They will be forced to tax, govern and reform. Responsibility will finally return. Removing aid will hurt, but healing rarely comes without pain.
Trade Over Aid
The West can still help, not with cheques, but with open markets and honest partnerships. Remove the tariffs and subsidies that keep African farmers poor. Encourage private investment, regional trade, and infrastructure that connects economies. Africa’s prosperity will come from factories, farms and entrepreneurs, not from another UN initiative.
Countries like Botswana and Mauritius have already shown what’s possible. Their success was built on discipline, clean governance and the belief that dignity lies in production. They prospered by rejecting dependency.
Ending aid dependency will be painful for everyone involved. Western bureaucrats and aid workers will have to admit that decades of development theory have achieved little. African leaders will lose the excuse of blaming history or donors. But honesty is called for, and Africa deserves the respect of being treated as capable of standing on its own.
Foreign aid was meant to be a bridge. It became a cage.
Oct 28, 2025
If you could respond with your views on the second para of my post where I have mentioned you by name, please. Your views on zero-sum against win-win is quite relevant to set the discussion going. And of course your views on Africa and aid are no less relevant to the debate. You have said a lot about yourself, which are not true. Maybe you've done it out of modesty. Many would love to hear from you here.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 28, 2025
Blogs should be forums for the vigorous exchange of ideas, views and opinions, not only to showcase flawless writing or necessarily even very well-developed thinking. Things should evolve as the exchange expands. Perhaps something good and new could come out of it. That is the idea with the comments section, where you can even be anonymous. You can, of course, also use a blog to exchange beautiful pictures and cookie recipes.
All considered, perhaps the former should be given more attention than the latter, even if it might be uncomfortable.
Considering that the UNDS is under criticism and facing severe budget cuts, it might be reasonable to give more focus to how that happened rather than lamenting the loss of norm and standard-setting authority.
An analysis of what went wrong in Africa would be a good start. While GDP per capita is a flawed indicator, it is the most commonly used. By that measure, most African countries have fallen further behind the rest of the world over the past several decades. That was not the plan. The UNDS was heavily involved in all the countries that not only failed to catch up but fell further behind. All UNDS staff must have been aware of this. Such a basic understanding was not above our $300,000 pay grade.
That fact, though, was sadly rarely broached, let alone analysed. We all focused on our very thin slice of the large overall development pie, and it was often possible to show some little improvements on a micro level here and there. The bigger picture was ignored. IDOS might want to focus on the above in its next paper.
All considered, perhaps the former should be given more attention than the latter, even if it might be uncomfortable.
Considering that the UNDS is under criticism and facing severe budget cuts, it might be reasonable to give more focus to how that happened rather than lamenting the loss of norm and standard-setting authority.
An analysis of what went wrong in Africa would be a good start. While GDP per capita is a flawed indicator, it is the most commonly used. By that measure, most African countries have fallen further behind the rest of the world over the past several decades. That was not the plan. The UNDS was heavily involved in all the countries that not only failed to catch up but fell further behind. All UNDS staff must have been aware of this. Such a basic understanding was not above our $300,000 pay grade.
That fact, though, was sadly rarely broached, let alone analysed. We all focused on our very thin slice of the large overall development pie, and it was often possible to show some little improvements on a micro level here and there. The bigger picture was ignored. IDOS might want to focus on the above in its next paper.
Oct 27, 2025
Detlef. Yes, it helps to read a paper before defending it. Now you may add your thoughts to my comment: "Rather than trying to cling to the UN as the global norm setter, perhaps handing gracefully over the baton to those more respected and capable may be appropriate".
Oct 27, 2025
Your own document emphasises the UN's role in norm-setting and standard-setting. In fact, one of the criticisms you make is that the UN’s normative and standard-setting role has become marginalised as the development system focuses more on project implementation rather than leveraging the UN’s global normative authority.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 27, 2025
This is what ChatGPT says about the matter:
Norm-setting as a central UN role
The UN is not just a forum for diplomacy or aid delivery — it is also a global standard-setter. Through its charters, declarations, conventions, and specialised agencies, it defines what the international community considers acceptable behaviour by states, businesses, and individuals.
Norm-setting as a central UN role
The UN is not just a forum for diplomacy or aid delivery — it is also a global standard-setter. Through its charters, declarations, conventions, and specialised agencies, it defines what the international community considers acceptable behaviour by states, businesses, and individuals.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 27, 2025
The United Nations System: Frequently Asked Questions says: Entities within the UN system may set international standards on various matters.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 27, 2025
UN agencies do not set norms. Norms emerge from Conventions or other agreements among member states, and should reflect almost global consensus.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 27, 2025
Thanks Robin, we – the authors – noted at the beginning that we do not, at this point, discuss the inefficiency resulting from duplication or any other unresolved institutional challenges – these are already widely discussed within and outside the system. We proposed that, before condensing the bloated bureaucracy, we need to look at the overall purpose, in light of the experiences and the new requirements in a world that has dramatically changed over the last 80 years.
In Response to a comment by Robin van Kippersluis
Oct 27, 2025
The UDHR of 1948 may have been a landmark of global norms and standards. However, it does not mean that the UN has some kind of monopoly on norms. For norms to be respected and adopted, the norm setter must be respected.
There are other organisations today that may be more respected than the UN, and therefore perhaps in a better position to set norms and standards. Take, for example, outstanding universities from around the world and NGOs such as ICRC, or, for that matter, ISO, an industrial standard setter.
Rather than trying to cling to the UN as the global norm setter, perhaps handing gracefully over the baton to those more respected and capable may be appropriate.
There are other organisations today that may be more respected than the UN, and therefore perhaps in a better position to set norms and standards. Take, for example, outstanding universities from around the world and NGOs such as ICRC, or, for that matter, ISO, an industrial standard setter.
Rather than trying to cling to the UN as the global norm setter, perhaps handing gracefully over the baton to those more respected and capable may be appropriate.
Robin van Kippersluis commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 27, 2025
Thanks for this report: it has interesting and recognizable points and I certainly see the value of a stronger knowledge function - first internally between UN institutions and also for governments. In both the UN has limited expertise unfortunately (with some exceptions including on South-South exchanges) so a lot of work is needed. Regardless of good work done by UN agencies, a simple look at the UN organigram remains scary: 15 specialized agencies + 8 'related organizations', almost 10 (!) very substantial research and training institutes, about 8-10 massive funds and programmes, a longlist of ECOSOC related organizations, commissions and bodies and countless Fora and Committees. The report speaks about effectiveness and avoids efficiency and internal benchmarking for impact.
Unknown commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 27, 2025
Why would there be a need for repurposing UNDS as a knowledge centre? Today, almost all of humanity’s accumulated knowledge is available at the click of a mouse.
Oct 27, 2025
I am not getting this one. I may be opinionated, aggressive, obnoxious and arrogant and over-eager to take on things I do not like, things that I see as stupid, ignorant, unjust, corrupt, pompous or wrong, but I do not get what you are looking for here?
Oct 27, 2025
I have again been reprimanded, and correctly so. On unwinding the UNDS, I should have, of course, said that each agency within the UNDS should be assessed on its own merits. For example, it would be insane to dismantle the WHO's global disease control function.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Ian Thorpe commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 27, 2025
Good to see this paper whose authors include two former colleagues Detlef Palm and Frederik Matthys. I like the framing of the UN as a neutral knowledge broker, and wonder what would it take for the UN to do it better. There are strong incentives for UN agencies and donors to focus on project implementation rather than knowledge brokering and fostering self-reliance.
South-south cooperation, where useful development knowledge can be generated anywhere and exchanged in mutual partnership reshaped for local context is very powerful - but we need to avoid the same risks of knowledge exchange being dominated by who has the financial resources and the political power rather than as shared interest in exchanging practical solutions.
This implies a differently functioning and different sized UN. For the UN to fulfil this role it would first need to get better at sharing and brokering of knowledge within and between UN agencies, where silos and proprietary knowledge abound. On the other hand the know-how that countries seek isn't merely academic or technical its often quite nitty-gritty practical. To understand it and broker it well the UN might sometimes need to get its hands dirty.
South-south cooperation, where useful development knowledge can be generated anywhere and exchanged in mutual partnership reshaped for local context is very powerful - but we need to avoid the same risks of knowledge exchange being dominated by who has the financial resources and the political power rather than as shared interest in exchanging practical solutions.
This implies a differently functioning and different sized UN. For the UN to fulfil this role it would first need to get better at sharing and brokering of knowledge within and between UN agencies, where silos and proprietary knowledge abound. On the other hand the know-how that countries seek isn't merely academic or technical its often quite nitty-gritty practical. To understand it and broker it well the UN might sometimes need to get its hands dirty.
Oct 27, 2025
What a lovely home and sumptuous spread, congratulations.
Unknown commented on "DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (by Myra Rudin)"
Oct 26, 2025
Thank you Tony! Nice surprise to hear from you - hope all is well. Myra
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Unknown commented on "What Happened in Gaza Might Be Even Worse Than We Think : Shared by Tom McDermott"
Oct 26, 2025
Dear anonymous, once again you missed the real issue by the proverbial mile, Hamas is Palestinian, as Likud is Israeli.
For more on Gaza I recommend listening to Norman Finkelstein and his history of the Strip.
For more on Gaza I recommend listening to Norman Finkelstein and his history of the Strip.
Oct 26, 2025
Did the UNDS do much good? Would Africa have been better off without the aid industry? Considering that no country has developed with the help of aid, and the countries where the UNDS were strongest, most active and spent most of its money have, rather than catching up, fallen further behind the rest of the world, the answers to these questions are, in my mind, obvious. The UNDS did not do much good. Whatever good it did, could have been done by the countries themselves. To suggest otherwise borders on racism. Also, the incompetence, corruption and inept management of UNDS suggest that it should be closed down in an orderly manner. The ones who will oppose this most strongly will, unsurprisingly, be the ones who are employed by UNDS and the elite in the countries they work in. These groups have benefited handsomely. The mother with four children in a slum in an African city would probably not notice any difference.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Krishna KC commented on "New Book - Strategic Plan: What, Why and How? by Krishna KC"
Oct 26, 2025
Thank you very much for your kind and encouraging words — they are truly appreciated. I sincerely hope that this book will be beneficial to everyone around the globe; however, I believe that non-profit organizations and individuals with a genuine interest in social development and organizational growth will find it especially valuable and inspiring.
Oct 26, 2025
@Thomas. Now we know what you do NOT want the UN Development System to be or to do. Do you also have an idea what it should be, or should it cease to exist?
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Thomas Ekvall commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 26, 2025
Thanks, Detlef. I commented on your summary. I wonder how many have read the rather dense 22 pages? None of this makes my comments above redundant or irrelevant.
Now here we go, as per your request:
1) It is of limited use, looking at aid, to cut out a thin wedge (UNDS) out of a big aid pie and analyse that alone.
2) It might have been more appropriate to be a bit more critical in analysing the failings of the UNDS. We all know the truth and often discuss it.
3) Had you made a presentation of this paper to the Heads of Agencies' rather large weekly meeting in my last duty station, you would have seen many, if not all, eyes glazing over. And that was an experienced group in their mid to late 50s who had worked in the business for decades.
4) IDOS is obviously trying to repurpose UNDS, giving it new relevance. Typically, the UN does this by itself every few years in response to complaints of inefficiency and irrelevance.
5) You promises to make the UN financially smaller but politically stronger, shifting focus from traditional aid to a convener, adviser and global advocate. It sounds bold, but it may turn the UNDS into even more of a talking shop
6) It is well known that the UN’s development system is bloated, donor-driven and stuck in practices that have little to do with how countries actually develop.
7) Neither is it news that too many agencies chase too many earmarked funds from Western donors, creating perverse incentives, competition and infighting.
8) Rather than trimming bureaucracy and defining a limited and clear purpose, you propose a shift from aid delivery to advocacy, advice and norm setting. That may sound sophisticated, but how will UN officials, outsiders, perhaps not always of the highest standing, tell sovereign governments what norms to adopt and how to legislate?
9) The call for universality is also interesting. You want UNDS to move beyond the outdated distinction between donor and recipient and engage all member states through global monitoring and peer accountability. That may sound like an equal partnership, but in practice, it may be seen as interfering with domestic affairs that might not be appreciated.
10) Do you really think developed economies want peer review through the same UNDS system that struggles to get its own management in order?
11) A politically stronger UN is unclear. Stronger as vis-à-vis whom? A leaner, more focused UNDS that coordinates aid might be welcome, but one that substitutes that role with the one proposed risks becoming more politicised and less effective.
12) Normative authority borders on ideology, and effective advocacy often divides.
13) As traditional aid declines, the old North-South narrative is becoming less relevant, as you say. Thus, UNDS, leaving space to private enterprise, local governance, and new competitive ideas, may be more appropriate, rather than trying to reinvent itself as a think tank that dispenses advice rather than money.
14) To be fair, you acknowledge vested interests and political inertia, but the very structure of multilateralism ensures inertia. You have too many agencies, too many fiefdoms and too little accountability.
15) The proposed reforms may make the UNDS feel more important, more politically significant, but not necessarily more useful. A smaller, humbler UNDS that does a few things well would command more respect than a set of normative frameworks. The world needs fewer vision statements and more results.
Now here we go, as per your request:
1) It is of limited use, looking at aid, to cut out a thin wedge (UNDS) out of a big aid pie and analyse that alone.
2) It might have been more appropriate to be a bit more critical in analysing the failings of the UNDS. We all know the truth and often discuss it.
3) Had you made a presentation of this paper to the Heads of Agencies' rather large weekly meeting in my last duty station, you would have seen many, if not all, eyes glazing over. And that was an experienced group in their mid to late 50s who had worked in the business for decades.
4) IDOS is obviously trying to repurpose UNDS, giving it new relevance. Typically, the UN does this by itself every few years in response to complaints of inefficiency and irrelevance.
5) You promises to make the UN financially smaller but politically stronger, shifting focus from traditional aid to a convener, adviser and global advocate. It sounds bold, but it may turn the UNDS into even more of a talking shop
6) It is well known that the UN’s development system is bloated, donor-driven and stuck in practices that have little to do with how countries actually develop.
7) Neither is it news that too many agencies chase too many earmarked funds from Western donors, creating perverse incentives, competition and infighting.
8) Rather than trimming bureaucracy and defining a limited and clear purpose, you propose a shift from aid delivery to advocacy, advice and norm setting. That may sound sophisticated, but how will UN officials, outsiders, perhaps not always of the highest standing, tell sovereign governments what norms to adopt and how to legislate?
9) The call for universality is also interesting. You want UNDS to move beyond the outdated distinction between donor and recipient and engage all member states through global monitoring and peer accountability. That may sound like an equal partnership, but in practice, it may be seen as interfering with domestic affairs that might not be appreciated.
10) Do you really think developed economies want peer review through the same UNDS system that struggles to get its own management in order?
11) A politically stronger UN is unclear. Stronger as vis-à-vis whom? A leaner, more focused UNDS that coordinates aid might be welcome, but one that substitutes that role with the one proposed risks becoming more politicised and less effective.
12) Normative authority borders on ideology, and effective advocacy often divides.
13) As traditional aid declines, the old North-South narrative is becoming less relevant, as you say. Thus, UNDS, leaving space to private enterprise, local governance, and new competitive ideas, may be more appropriate, rather than trying to reinvent itself as a think tank that dispenses advice rather than money.
14) To be fair, you acknowledge vested interests and political inertia, but the very structure of multilateralism ensures inertia. You have too many agencies, too many fiefdoms and too little accountability.
15) The proposed reforms may make the UNDS feel more important, more politically significant, but not necessarily more useful. A smaller, humbler UNDS that does a few things well would command more respect than a set of normative frameworks. The world needs fewer vision statements and more results.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Oct 26, 2025
Is this a case where UNDS can take credit for something that would have happened without it, or is it that UNDS' advice may be useful in well-governed countries, with corruption under control? UNICEF was often criticised for taking credit for the work of others.
In Response to a comment by Thomas Ekvall
Dan Seymour commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 26, 2025
Thanks for sharing this Detlef - it's an important argument to put on the table. The case for the UNDS to dramatically shrink its project-based work and focus more on things like knowledge sharing, convening, and advocating (that is settling the dial more to enabler than doer) is not necessarily that new but it's not been very popular in discussion within the UN. It deserves more of an airing so this is very valuable. I wonder whether it would have better traction if it were framed more as Charter originalism - after all, what you're proposing the UN should look like is probably a lot closer to what the drafters of the Charter had in mind than what grew up over the last thirty to forty years.
Oct 26, 2025
Sorry, I was wrong about Botswana. The UNDS played a role in helping Botswana develop since its independence in 1966. The UNDS has supported Botswana through technical expertise, policy advice, capacity building, and a focus on sustainable development, with key agencies like the UNDP, FAO, and UNEP providing assistance on a range of issues from poverty and health to environmental management and economic diversification.
Oct 26, 2025
Here are some countries that have achieved remarkable development over the past 80 years. To the best of my knowledge, UNDS had nothing to do with these impressive achievements, which may possibly even hold for Botswana. However, UNDS was very involved in sub-Saharan African countries, most of which have fallen further behind the rest of the world since their independence, despite its advice and assistance. But such details appear not to be of much interest to the intellectual powerhouse IDOS is, with its focus on norm-setting and universalities. That is wrong. IDOS should go back to the drawing board and learn from the countries listed below. That may result in a very different set of recommendations. Perhaps it would be pertinent to start the exercise by spelling out what has been achieved with the help of UNDS since its inception.
After the war in the 1950s, South Korea was one of the world's poorest countries, poorer than almost all African countries. Driven by export-led industrialisation and government-backed conglomerates, its economy grew at an average annual rate of 9% for three decades. It is now a global technology and manufacturing leader.
Taiwan successfully transitioned from an agrarian economy to a hub for light industry, science and technology. Its GDP per capita rose from being comparable to many African countries in 1950 to surpassing many European economies by 2022.
After gaining independence in 1965, Singapore rapidly developed into a global financial and technological centre. This transformation was powered by pro-business policies and heavy investment in education and infrastructure.
Since its independence in 1957, Malaysia has evolved from a commodity-based economy to one centred on manufacturing and services. This growth lifted the country from low- to upper-middle-income status.
The People's Republic of China saw one of the most rapid developments in history. Following market reforms under Deng Xiaoping starting in the late 1970s, China experienced average annual growth rates of 10% for decades, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.
Despite immense devastation from the war, Japan emerged as a global economic power. An unprecedented expansion of industrial production, a focus on technology, and aggressive export policies drove its growth for decades, cementing its status as a highly diversified and advanced economy.
Since its independence in 1966, Botswana has sustained economic growth and improved governance. It transformed from one of the poorest nations to an upper-middle-income country.
Ireland, which was very poor as late as the 1950s, underwent a dramatic economic transformation from the 1980s. Strategic policies, including tax cuts and a focus on foreign direct investment, fueled rapid growth.
Unknown commented on "Rethinking development by Ramesh Shrestha"
Oct 25, 2025
Ramesh g, truly thought provoking as it shines light on the great impact of unbridled adoption of AI. In these unsettling times, world needs stability, compassion and an intelligent design, particularly in the development field.
Naseem ur Rehman
Naseem ur Rehman
Mehr Khan Williams commented on "DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (by Myra Rudin)"
Oct 25, 2025
Stunning photographs, Myra. Such a beautiful Piece. Congratulations!
Oct 25, 2025
Beautiful photos. It seems like a good location to escape winter weather.
Unknown commented on "DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (by Myra Rudin)"
Oct 25, 2025
Myra, excellent th report and pictures It is very interesting and educational.
Thank you fir sharing.
Antoun Merhy
Thank you fir sharing.
Antoun Merhy
Ludo Welffens commented on "Beyond Aid - a new vision for the UN Development System: shared by Detlef Palm"
Oct 25, 2025
… melancholy has a hidden hope to it, with secrets and solutions ; [ ma tristesse doesn’t necessarily encapsulate these, c’est plus proche du néant ( Camus)… ] Sartre would have expected dialectical thinking to deliver
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