The Aid Localization Mirage: Dr. Duncan Green on Why Shifting Power Means Rethinking Aid

DevelopmentAid Dialogues

“Localization” has become one of the most repeated terms in international development—but is it a genuine shift, or just a new label for old practices? In this episode of DevelopmentAid Dialogues podcast, host Hisham Allam speaks with Dr. Duncan Green, Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics and longtime Oxfam strategist, about why shifting power in aid is harder—and more essential—than most are willing to admit.

“Localization means different things to different people,” Green began. “Some define it as simply channeling more funds to local organizations. But that alone won’t fix the system unless we also rethink how decisions are made, how impact is measured, and who gets to define what success looks like.”

Speaking from years of close collaboration with Global South actors and reform initiatives, Green warned that while localization is often framed as empowering, it can easily become a tick-box exercise. “True power isn’t about shifting tasks, it’s about shifting the authority to decide—and that’s rarely on the table,” he said.

He pointed to the deep institutional barriers that have stalled progress. “Aid agencies are still judged by how much money they move. Their internal incentives don’t reward giving power away,” he explained. “And donors still demand rigid plans and fast results, even when long-term change—like shifting harmful social norms—requires patience, trust, and deep context.”

Green also urged the sector to stop romanticizing the word “community.” “Power exists inside communities too,” he cautioned. “Just because an organization is local doesn’t mean it’s accountable, inclusive, or equitable.”

Amid growing aid cuts and political fragmentation, Green believes the landscape is shifting by necessity. “We may be witnessing a tsunami—not a tide—that washes away old assumptions,” he noted. “What rises from the wreckage might be more authentic, messier, and less funded—but also less colonial.”

He sees promise in alternatives, from pooled funds managed by local actors to locally driven philanthropy and religious giving like zakat, which mobilizes trillions globally. But he’s clear-eyed: “No money is free of strings. The key is understanding which strings we can live with—and who gets to tie them.”

Green’s message for international NGOs is equally blunt: “Stop pretending to build local capacity while preserving your own dominance. Ask instead: what would it take to get out of the way?”

Looking ahead, he doesn’t believe localization will emerge cleanly. “It won’t be one big shift,” he said. “It’ll be a thousand messy experiments. Some will fail. Some will stick. But the era of pretending power can be shared without being surrendered—that’s over.”

Listen to the full episode with Duncan Green on DevelopmentAid Dialogues. Stay informed. Stay engaged.

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