Opinion: A new development conference can’t be just a Western echo chamber
By Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, Romilly Greenhill // 17 June 2025
“A conversation about reform is long overdue.”
These were U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s words at a recent parliamentary committee session, referencing global development programs. For that conversation to happen, he has proposed a new conference for the Western community on development and aid, with the U.K. playing a leadership role.
While it is encouraging to hear the U.K. foreign secretary call for reform of the international development system, these conversations are not completely new and reflect a pattern that has defined development for far too long: Western governments and institutions setting the agenda, determining the terms, deciding who gets a seat at the table, and excluding partners from the Majority World.
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About the authors
Nana Asantewa Afadzinu
Nana Asantewa Afadzinu leads the West Africa Civil Society Institute, or WACSI, with over 26 years championing governance, human rights, and African transformation. A trained lawyer with a doctorate in African Philanthropy, she serves on a number of boards including Oxfam GB while advocating for equity across the continent as a recognized influential African leader.
Romilly Greenhill
Romilly Greenhill is the chief executive of Bond, the U.K. network for organizations working in international development. Romilly was previously the U.K. director at the ONE Campaign for six years, leading successful campaigns on global health, education, and development finance, and working actively with Bond and other NGO networks.
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