Western nations demand more while offering less

The United Nations' 2026 Sustainable Development Goals Report, released on July 7, presents a sobering picture. Of the 139 measurable targets, only 36 percent are on track or showing moderate progress, while 15 percent have slid below their 2015 baselines. Escalating conflicts, climate change, sluggish growth, rising debt, and a record fall in official development assistance were the primary forces that slowed progress, with the world's most vulnerable communities paying the heaviest price.

The numbers paint a stark picture. According to the OECD, net official development assistance from Development Assistance Committee members plunged by 23.3 percent in 2025 — the largest annual drop on record — with the United States alone accounting for 70 percent of the decline. A further 6.9 percent contraction is projected for 2026, pushing development aid volumes to their lowest level since 2014. Several major donors have announced multiyear reductions in the future. Against this backdrop of unprecedented withdrawal, a narrative has emerged suggesting that a "post-aid era" has arrived, and that developing countries should embrace it as a step toward self-reliance.