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International development is undergoing a profound transformation. The world is facing interlinked crises: climate shocks, soaring debt burdens, widening inequalities and growing geopolitical divides. The Financing for Development Conference (FfD4) in Seville captured both the urgency and fragility of today’s context, reminding us of the staggering $4 trillion annual financing gap needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the fragility of consensus in an era of political fragmentation. In our interview with Stefano Capodagli, Chief Risk Officer at the Caribbean Development Bank, we addressed all this, and more (click here to read the interview).
Amid these shifting dynamics, one thing is clear: funds alone will not be enough. Mechanisms, financial innovation and institutional reforms are necessary, yet insufficient. At the heart of development cooperation lies something more fundamental: values.
At Agile Development Consulting (ADC), this belief is embedded in our Charter of Value and Collaboration, a living framework that shapes how we engage with partners, clients, and communities. In times when global cooperation feels fragile, the Charter is our compass.
Why Values Matter in Development Today
The Seville Commitment reaffirmed principles of multilateralism, solidarity, and sustainability. But it also laid bare the struggles of aligning political will, financial capacity and the urgency of global needs. It is here that values make the difference between words on paper and impact on the ground.
Cooperation is more than coordination between institutions; it is the recognition that global crises cannot be solved in silos. When politics fracture, cooperation becomes an act of resilience, of rebellion to status quo
Participation is not consultation as an afterthought, but genuine ownership by communities who are too often treated as beneficiaries rather than agents of change. Breaking the traditional mechanisms of international cooperation is also a way to fight inherent colonialism and centralisation of power dynamics.
Inclusion ensures that diversity is not seen as complexity to be managed, but as richness to be harnessed for more relevant, accepted, and lasting solutions.
Integrity anchors trust at a time when corruption, disinformation and short-termism erode confidence in institutions.
Sustainability insists that our work outlives projects and budgets. Our aim is to leave behind stronger systems, skills and opportunities that communities can carry into the future. We aim to have a lasting impact, not quick fixes.
These values are not idealistic luxuries. They are practical necessities in a development landscape where financial instruments, however innovative, risk being ineffective if not grounded in legitimacy, ownership and fairness.
The ADC Charter in Action
At ADC, our values are not static. They guide the way we adapt to emerging realities:
As economic crises deepen, we insist that solutions must be co-created with affected countries and communities, not imposed from afar.
As climate change accelerates, we prioritise mutual learning: combining local knowledge with global innovation to ensure adaptation strategies are both effective and just.
As multilateral institutions reform their financing, we call for participation and inclusivity to ensure that reforms reflect the voices of those most impacted, of the most marginalised, not only the most powerful. After all, isn’t the Global Agenda 2030 aimed to “leave no one behind”?
As private capital is increasingly mobilised for development, we underline integrity and accountability as safeguards against short-term profit overriding long-term human rights and environmental sustainability.
Looking Forward
In times of uncertainty, reaffirming values may appear modest. But history shows that the erosion of values is the fastest way to undermine progress. That is why ADC insists on integrity, cooperation, participation, inclusion, respect, mutual learning, innovation and sustainability as the bedrock of all we do.
As global leaders debate financing frameworks and as institutions adjust to geopolitical realignments, ADC remains committed to values that transcend cycles and crises. Because only values can turn financing into fairness, partnerships into trust and projects into transformation.
Learn more about the ADC Charter of Value and Collaboration: https://www.agiledc.eu/about-us/adc-chart-of-values
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