Given the rising intensity of demographic pressures, natural resources scarcity, environmental degradation, and social inequity, no single actor has the resources or the capacity to solve the global development challenge alone. The enormity of the task is well beyond the current methods, approaches, and policies in development. International donors, foundations, NGOs, and businesses are seeking to leverage and coordinate their development efforts in a time of budget austerity.  Accordingly, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) has launched a Center of Excellence for Transformational Partnerships.

The Transatlantic Experts Group, co-chaired by former U.S. Congressman Jim Kolbe and former French Development Agency (AFD) Chief Executive Officer Jean-Michel Severino and backed by over 40 international experts, was established to contribute to this ongoing dialogue on development partnerships and food security. The Experts Group initially convened in July 2011 and set out to identify and propose transformational partnerships that help drive positive change and lead to scalable programs, based on a shared vision among public and private sector actors, viewed through the lens of food security in sub-Saharan Africa. The Group’s main focus is on understanding the unique characteristics of transformational partnerships in food security in Africa so that they can be scaled up and replicated across the continent. The Experts Group held focused workshops in Washington DC, Brussels and Dar es Salaam and developed a series of principles and policy recommendations to catalyze partnerships.

Global poverty is a challenge to us all, because it affects us all. In our interdependent world, we must act together to address this global challenge. Development matters. The Transatlantic Taskforce on Development consists of 24 members from the United States, Canada and Europe. Our countries have a joint population of 740 million people, account for around half of all global trade, and provide more than 85 percent of Official Development Assistance (ODA). It is therefore particularly important for these countries to reassess policies and practices with the intention to improve global development outcomes, such as economic and human progress. The combined leadership of North America and Europe can help to accelerate the pace of human development, but only by working together in partnership will we be successful – rather than working alone, or worse, in separate directions. The Taskforce urges leadership on and commitment to development even in the midst of the economic and financial crises that beset the world.

The Development Innovations Series facilitates cooperation on market-oriented solutions to poverty and sustainable economic growth through dialogues and workshops. These meetings bring together U.S., European and African policymakers and practitioners to exchange lessons learned. It fosters improvements to development effectiveness and policy coherence, including aid, trade and investment.