What is the real purpose of data? Is it simply to provide evidence, or does it also shape power and influence the way societies make decisions?

In this episode of the Future Cooperation Podcast, Jonathan Glennie from the Global Cooperation Institute reflects on how his thinking about data has evolved over three decades working in international development and public policy. From evidence-based policymaking and aid transparency to the importance of dialogue, he explores why better information alone doesn't necessarily lead to better outcomes.

This conversation examines the relationship between evidence, power, and dialogue, arguing that meaningful progress depends not only on having access to data, but on creating the conditions for collective understanding and better decision-making.

“Investment” is often misunderstood in global development debates. For some, it refers to finance and private markets. For others, it has become a contested term in discussions about aid and public spending.

In this episode, we explore a broader definition: investment as the long-term creation of public value.

From health systems and education to climate action, biodiversity, and crisis response—this conversation reframes investment as the foundation of collective futures, not just financial return.

We also discuss how the language of “aid” shapes (and sometimes limits) how we think about global cooperation and responsibility.

Is the era of foreign aid coming to an end?Jonathan Glennie sits down with Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, President and CEO of ACET, to discuss Africa's growing influence, the future of international development, and why old models of cooperation are no longer enough.A wide-ranging conversation on economic transformation, global power shifts, and what comes next for development in a changing world.