TOKYO — Alexander De Croo, former prime minister of Belgium and current administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), stated that emerging economies require capital investments rather than charity. He emphasized that development aid should be viewed as an investment that creates markets, marking a shift from traditional aid approaches. De Croo acknowledged that countries providing development funds, including China with its Belt and Road Initiative, have the right to pursue their own national interests.

De Croo summarized this perspective by saying, “Aid is the past,” highlighting how governments like the US are increasingly focusing inward. His remarks underscore a new paradigm in international development where mutual benefit and market creation are central.

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