If we are to deliver on global commitments—including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—there is an imperative to strengthen international cooperation, and for an increasingly diverse group of development cooperation providers to work more closely together. But geopolitical tensions and concern for national interests often stand in the way of such collaboration, highlighting a critical paradox between the imperative for deeper cooperation and the declining will to work together.

In this four-part research series, we explore the challenges and opportunities for building cooperation between traditional and emerging providers to advance common global goals, and offer recommendations for building a more collaborative development system in the years ahead.