Michael Petterson

This presentation is from a personal viewpoint as a practitioner in international aid projects. Much of this talk practitioner in international aid projects. Much of this talkdraws from programmes in Afghanistan and the Pacific draws from programmes in Afghanistan and the PacificIslands region. I will present a thesis that proposes contextualIslands region. I will present a thesis that proposes contextual international development, respectful of power imbalances international development, respectful of power imbalances and local wisdom as a powerful model for mutually and local wisdom as a powerful model for mutually collaborative international interventions. This model, in collaborative international interventions. This model, in practice, is difficult to achieve. The main obstacles are varying practice, is difficult to achieve. The main obstacles are varying agendas, drivers, timescales, and values, between donor and agendas, drivers, timescales, and values, between donor and recipient communities, governments and organisations. Even recipient communities, governments and organisations. Even with the ‘best of hearts’ skewed power imbalances between with the ‘best of hearts’ skewed power imbalances between donor and recipient actors inevitable lead to tensions and donor and recipient actors inevitable lead to tensions and mixed goals. University actors in most serious in-depth mixed goals. University actors in most serious in-depth development projects mostly play relatively minor roles development projects mostly play relatively minor roles(exceptions being at higher level advisory and policy levels)(exceptions being at higher level advisory and policy levels)because research-centric universities and organisations because research-centric universities and organisations reward systems and institutional strategies are strongly mis-reward systems and institutional strategies are strongly mis-aligned with development programme goals. The aligned with development programme goals. The presentation will explore the changing nature of aid presentation will explore the changing nature of aid programmes over c. 4 decades and using lessons learned programmes over c. 4 decades and using lessons learned suggest where aid will progress into the future.

Michael Petterson is a geologist who has worked for much of his career with the British Geological Survey (BGS) and since his career with the British Geological Survey (BGS) and since leaving BGS has been a Professor at the University of Leicester leaving BGS has been a Professor at the University of Leicester(UK) and AUT, Honorary Professor at the University of the(UK) and AUT, Honorary Professor at the University of theSouth Pacific, as well as Director of the Geoscience Division ofSouth Pacific, as well as Director of the Geoscience Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). Much of his the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). Much of his career has involved applying geoscience to international career has involved applying geoscience to international development particularly in the Pacific, Caribbean and Asian development particularly in the Pacific, Caribbean and Asian regions. Michael has worked in areas such as disaster and risk regions. Michael has worked in areas such as disaster and risk and climate change, natural resource management, capacity and climate change, natural resource management, capacity building, institutional strengthening, education and research, building, institutional strengthening, education and research, and policy development, collaborating with numerous and policy development, collaborating with numerousDevelopment Agencies and National Governments, down toDevelopment Agencies and National Governments, down tograss roots community levels.