Locally Led Development – Smarter Aid or a Risky Experiment?

Today, almost all Norwegian aid to civil society is channelled through Norwegian organisations, rather than directly to local actors. Local actors are often used as implementers, not as decision-makers. Most agree that more ownership should be transferred to the Global South, but what does this mean in practice for how aid is managed? Norec has for many years allocated more than half of its funding directly to local partners in the South and has required partnerships to be based on equality. Norad has also experimented with different models that increase local ownership.

At the same time, civil society organisations are concerned about losing professional capacity and that this could create distance from the donor side.

Based on experiences from Norec and Norad, we invite an open and honest discussion on how Norwegian aid can become more locally led. What does increased transfer of power to recipients in the South mean in practice—and what are the implications for governance and for Norwegian aid organisations?

The panel will explore both challenges and opportunities related to accountability, effectiveness, and partnerships in development cooperation.

The event will be streamed via Norecs Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Norecno

Panel:

• Øystein Garfors, Moderator, Head of Section for Knowledge and Learning, Norec
• Sille Lukowski, Head of Section for Civil Society, Norec
• Stine Horn, Director for Welfare and Human Rights, Norad
• Erik Lunde, Secretary General, Strømme Foundation