# Advisers urge overhaul of Dutch development aid

> The government's advisory council on international affairs (Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken) says development cooperation must change to stay relevant. It hands its report to minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma today.

Politics · published 2026-10-26 21:33 · https://nlnow.nl/a/advisory-council-says-dutch-development-aid-must-be-overhauled/

The Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken (AIV) says Dutch development cooperation "must be overhauled" to stay relevant in a changing world order. It presents its report to Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66), the minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, today.

The council wants investment in four global transitions that affect every country to take priority: poverty, security, a liveable planet and democratic institutions.

The authors say that despite earlier reforms, much has stayed the same in the development world. "The donor-recipient model is outdated in a world where economic and political power is more widely distributed," the council writes.

AIV chair Bert Koenders says the Netherlands and countries in the global South face big challenges and must tackle them together, with much more attention to partner countries' priorities. "Poverty reduction remains essential," he says.

## Background

- **AIV (Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken)**: The Advisory Council on International Affairs is an independent body that advises the Dutch government and parliament on foreign policy and other international issues, including development cooperation, security and the European Union. It publishes reports, called advies, which the government must respond to. Its reports are a common reference point in debates about the direction of Dutch foreign and development policy.

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