It is essential to be on the ground.

As in other professions, in addition to practicing, it is important to study a lot. In this case on Development and if possible on Political Science and International Relations. Without knowing how change is generated and how poverty is reduced, you run the risk of causing more damage despite good intentions.

But the voluntary “career” is conspicuous by its absence.

Cooperation must have professionals who have firm values ​​of justice and solidarity. In turn, the best professionals are usually those of the country itself, because they are the ones who know it best and they must be paid. We must also be careful, because the border between volunteering and solidarity tourism is tenuous.

“The one who takes up a lot of space, the less he squeezes”. Led to cooperation, could this be the reason why it is hard to see results?

The Basque is a cooperation that undoubtedly tries to cover a lot, especially if we compare ourselves with other countries. An example. Danish cooperation is 20 times greater than Basque cooperation and distributes its resources among 100 entities; in Euskadi we do it at 215. There is a whole explanation of the social roots for this, but we must start to open the reflection.

I speak out of ignorance. If every First World economy “sponsored” a cause in a vulnerable country, would we be better off?

The cooperations in the world most recognized for their contribution to the various global challenges have been specializing for years. This is the case of the Norwegians with conflict resolution or of Canada with women’s rights. These are progressive processes involving their NGOs, cooperation agencies or universities. The Basque Country has the potential to contribute more to peace processes, cooperativism or feminism.

Is the money donated enough?

Although cooperation alone will not solve the various global challenges we are currently facing, it certainly helps and more resources are still needed.

The political class escapes engagement while talking…

In many countries of the South, many politicians still do not see poverty as a problem and inequality comes naturally to them. When you talk to politicians in Guatemala or Paraguay about women’s rights, progressive taxation or reducing social gaps, it sounds like Chinese.

Does the war in Ukraine affect cooperation?

Ukraine and Russia were two of the breadbaskets of the world, especially for Africa, which is beginning to suffer from a serious crisis of famine. In turn, many of the resources that were previously channeled into major development projects in other parts of the world are no longer being funded by Ukraine.

Recognition of NGDOs?

In the Basque Country, yes, and in other European countries too, but in the host countries, they are increasingly perceived with certain colonial logics. They don’t understand why a foreign organization is telling them what they need to do to develop their country, and sometimes that’s understandable. There has been a certain arrogance on the part of the cooperation which we must take great care of. It is time to be very respectful and in general NGOs in Euskadi are.

He has an excellent network of associations…

It’s like that. There are not many other places where cooperation is not questioned by any political party, is accepted by society, is viewed favorably by the media and has a strong associative associative fabric. Now, we must be careful that this does not lead us to a certain conformism.

How do they assess us from the outside?

Basque cooperation represents 0.04% of global development aid, it is quite fragmented and deals with many problems at the same time. She is appreciated as benevolent and committed, but has little influence on development debates. If certain measures are not taken, it risks being diluted and being so local that its impact is not statistically significant.

If you could, what would you change?

It is a reflection that must be opened up in a serene and serene way, but I think that as we go along we must move towards a certain specialization, reduce the dependence of NGOs on public funds, because otherwise their logic is distorted and yes it is above all, it helps the countries of the south to channel the resources of Euskadi through so many NGOs.

Times are changing, conflicts, needs, inequalities,… Where should we look?

I think we have to defend democracies, which have been in sharp decline for a decade. And for this, strengthen the leadership of civil society in the countries of the South, which can defend it. Euskadi can be an example that inspires other countries, we have universities, NGOs and institutions together. It is still difficult to defend progressive taxation, strong public health and education systems, and policies that do not forget the less likely. If Euskadi convinces Guatemala, Ecuador, Sudan or Uganda on this subject, it will be the best contribution.

Will we be the Himalayas or with the size we have, should we be satisfied with other dimensions?

In the mountains, the Basque Country has a tradition of both, but in cooperation only at low altitude; and we should aspire to have both in the future.