Donor and developing countries meeting in Paris in 2005 agreed by signing the Paris Declaration on a series of principles designed to improve the effectiveness of development aid. At the follow-up conference held in Accra in September 2008 the action plan entitled «Accra Agenda for Action» has been worked out. This one contains more binding goals.

Effective development cooperation is a fundamental goal for all actors in the development sector. Moreover, aid can only truly serve development in association with other means of seeking justice, such as trade reforms.