Development Cooperation Forum

Transforming international development cooperation for accelerating SDG progress

Building on 2025 DCF outcomes

The 2025 Development Cooperation Forum addressed critical challenges facing the international development system: with nearly 600 million people projected to face extreme poverty by 2030 and developing countries confronting annual SDG financing gaps of up to $4 trillion, the current cooperation system is faltering precisely when needs are greatest and priorities urgent.

The landscape of international development cooperation has transformed dramatically since 2015, becoming more complex with new actors, modalities and instruments. While this diversity brings opportunities, it has also increased coordination burdens and transaction costs for developing countries. The growing focus on global public goods and humanitarian emergencies, while crucial, has reduced support for countries’ long-term sustainable development priorities, including those of the most vulnerable.

Making development cooperation fit for purpose through fundamental reforms to ensure true country leadership and policy coherence is not just a technical challenge – it is imperative to ensure limited resources reach those most in need and drive real sustainable development impact.

The Path Forward

Building on the recommendations from the 2025 DCF, the international community continues working toward reforms of international development cooperation. Up next is the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development taking place in Sevilla, Spain from 30 June to 3 July 2025.