Codevelopment

Codevelopment is a model of international development cooperation in which actors from donor and recipient countries collaborate throughout the project cycle to design, implement, and evaluate development initiatives. It emphasizes joint ownership, mutual learning, local participation, and sustainable outcomes, with efforts directed at strengthening institutions and capacities rather than solely providing external resources. The approach involves government agencies, civil society organizations, diaspora groups, communities, and private partners working together on shared priorities.

The concept originated in Europe in the 1990s, notably in France, as part of policy efforts to foster partnerships between migrant communities in donor countries and communities in developing countries. It is closely associated with South-South and triangular cooperation and is used to complement traditional aid by prioritizing knowledge exchange, skill transfer, and context-specific solutions.

Typical processes include joint analysis of needs, participatory project design, co-financing, and governance through shared decision-making. Exchanges of personnel, training, and technical expertise are common, with a focus on building local capacities and ensuring exit strategies that promote long-term independence rather than dependency.

Benefits cited for codevelopment include greater relevance to local conditions, stronger ownership by recipient partners, and improved sustainability. Challenges include power imbalances between partners, administrative and coordination complexity, potential misalignment of incentives, and the need for predictable, long-term funding.

Codevelopment has been implemented through formal government programs, NGO partnerships, and diaspora-led initiatives, with France’s official codevelopment framework often cited as a reference model. The approach is used across various regions to foster mutual learning and shared responsibility in addressing development challenges.