“Investment” is often misunderstood in global development debates. For some, it refers to finance and private markets. For others, it has become a contested term in discussions about aid and public spending.

In this episode, we explore a broader definition: investment as the long-term creation of public value.

From health systems and education to climate action, biodiversity, and crisis response—this conversation reframes investment as the foundation of collective futures, not just financial return.

We also discuss how the language of “aid” shapes (and sometimes limits) how we think about global cooperation and responsibility.

Is the era of foreign aid coming to an end?Jonathan Glennie sits down with Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, President and CEO of ACET, to discuss Africa's growing influence, the future of international development, and why old models of cooperation are no longer enough.A wide-ranging conversation on economic transformation, global power shifts, and what comes next for development in a changing world.

What does solidarity really mean in today’s world?In this episode of Future Cooperation, Jonathan Glennie reflects on months of conversations around the future of international development cooperation. From global conferences in Paris and London to debates around aid cuts, climate finance, multilateralism, and geopolitical fragmentation, one idea keeps appearing at the center of it all: solidarity.But beyond the speeches and policy language, what does solidarity actually look like in practice? Who defines it, who benefits from it, and can it still guide international cooperation in a more divided and multipolar world?This episode explores how solidarity has shaped global development in the past, why it matters now more than ever, and what a more honest and balanced form of cooperation could look like in the future.Brought to you by the Global Cooperation Institute.