Development Aid with Reciprocity: A Response to Imperialism and the Politics of Global Coloniality

This position paper seeks to identify the undermining of freedom and human rights, juxtaposed through the narrative of “so much ill and so little good” (Easterly, 2006) regarding traditional aid and cooperation. The hardships currently constructed by linear frameworks leave no space for countries to define their own developmental pathway. The inherent ideology of current constructs neglects local initiatives and freedom of action and needs to endorse humanistic dialogue or a shift in approach, rather than a radical change of content. This paper proposes a hybridised approach as a means to “restoring culture” in development for Development Aid with Reciprocity ‐the deepening of human rights in every sphere of development and increasing the voice of people. It is contended that development aid for reciprocity in direct relation to the benefit of assistance to the countries in question would provide a most positive approach to development.