Is foreign aid dead? Budgets, headlines, and public opinion polls would have you believe so. But the real story isn’t just about decline — it’s about evolution.
As public budgets tighten and skepticism grows, the old aid model is giving way to a new one built around partnership, private capital, and shared prosperity.
By the numbers, the traditional aid model has fallen short. Ten years after the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted, only 18% of targets are on track. Catching up would now require $3.5 trillion per year — up from $2.5 trillion when the SDGs were launched.
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About the authors
Kusi Hornberger
Kusi Hornberger is a partner at Dalberg and author of the recently released book, “Scaling Impact: Finance and Investment for a Better World.”
Ben Schatz
Ben Schatz is a consultant at Dalberg focused on development finance and private sector engagement. He holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and is currently based in Mexico City, after several years in Washington, D.C.
