Webinar : OECD Multilateral Development Finance Week 2026

Webinar : OECD Multilateral Development Finance Week 2026 | Rethinking Development Finance: African Agency and the Future of Multilateral Development Co-operation after ODA Retrenchment As part of the OECD Multilateral Development Finance Week 2026 (MDF Week), the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) is organizing a webinar entitled “Rethinking Development Finance: African Agency and the Future of Multilateral Development Co-operation after ODA Retrenchment.” The discussion aims to contribute to ongoing reflections on the future of development finance and the evolving role of African countries in shaping more sustainable and equitable development partnerships. As of mid-2026, the global development finance landscape is undergoing a profound structural shift. A historic decline in traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA)—driven by fiscal consolidation and shifting domestic priorities among major Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors—has exposed the vulnerabilities of a development model reliant on external aid. This retrenchment is creating substantial financing gaps in critical areas like public health, climate adaptation, and infrastructure across Sub-Saharan Africa. However, this crisis of traditional aid also presents a pivotal opportunity for African nations to redefine their development sovereignty. This session brings together African policymakers, global development finance leaders, and civil society experts to explore how the continent can transition from a donor-recipient paradigm toward a model anchored in self-reliance, strategic autonomy, and local agency. Moderator: Oumayma Bourhriba, Senior Economist, Policy Center for the New South Speakers: Otaviano Canuto, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South Nathalie Delapalme, CEO, Mo Ibrahim Foundation Karim El Aynaoui, Executive President, Policy Center for the New South Hafez Ghanem, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South Mahmoud Mohieldin, Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, United Nations