Explore the debate 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/21april2026

“Alongside traditional ODA, NODA encompasses a growing set of activities that contribute to development outcomes — from maritime domain awareness and cyber cooperation to labour mobility and security partnerships… Despite its growing prominence, non-ODA remains relatively under-defined.”

The Intel’s editor, Victoria Cooper, sets the scene for this fortnight’s question and why it deserves to be asked:

This fortnight’s Intel featured insights from Serena Sasingian, Grace Stanhope, and Richard Moore, responding to the question:

🔴 Non-ODA support for development - What works, what doesn't?

Explore the points of agreement, tension, and difference here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/21april2026

Dev Intelligence Lab • Home The Lab is a think tank working on development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. We're convinced that great development cooperation comes from unusual collaborations, inspired leadership, good natured…

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Explore their three competing views, here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/21apri...

This fortnight on the Intel we ask:

🔴 Non-ODA support for development - what works, what doesn't?

Our expert contributors pitch in:

⚫ Lowy Institute’s Serena Sasingian’s
⚫ Lowy Institute’s Grace Stanhope
⚫ The Lab’s Richard Moore

"AI will transform development" - but what's actually being talked about?

The Lab's Geordie Fung, argues the transformation can be understood through 3 lenses: AI for efficiency, AI for effectiveness, and AI as a force reshaping development trajectories

www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/ai-...

In such cases, geostrategic, security, diplomatic or economic objectives may be determinative, provided development remains a secondary or complementary focus.

🔴 Read our latest brief to learn more about NODA here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/non...

⚫ The converse is true for non-ODA support for development.

While not formally defined, it captures spending that does not meet ODA criteria but nonetheless contributes to sustainable development.

Broader objectives (geostrategic, security, diplomatic and economic) can inform decision-making, but they should not displace or undermine the primary goal of promoting the economic development and welfare of lower and middle income countries.

What is non-ODA support for development (NODA)?

⚫ The primary objective of Official Development Assistance (ODA) is the sustainable development of the recipient country.

The brief concludes that non-ODA support is a promising building block for a new development paradigm in Australia.

🔴 Read the full brief by Lab’s Strategic Advisor, Michael McKenzie, here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/non...

⚫ Further guidance on the use of non-ODA support alongside Official Development Assistance (ODA) would help sharpen the development program as an element of statecraft while preserving its core development purpose.

⚫ Non-ODA (NODA) support has moved from the margins to the mainstream of Australia’s development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

⚫ When purposefully deployed, non-ODA support enables greater scale, flexibility and coherence in development cooperation.

In recent years, Australia’s non-ODA (NODA) support to countries in the region has grown dramatically. Yet uncertainty remains about the nature and development impact of this funding.

Our new brief ‘Non-ODA support and the future of development cooperation’ looks at this issue and finds:

Explore the debate 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/10march2026

“Pacific Island countries have the lowest level of female political representation in the world. Women in Asia and the Pacific work the longest hours in the world, with 80% of unpaid care work in the region done by women. Climate shocks and conflict are widening these gaps.”

The Intel’s editor, Victoria Cooper, sets the scene for this fortnight’s question and why it deserves to be asked:

Explore the points of agreement, tension, and difference here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/10marc...

This fortnight’s Intel featured insights from Renat Muruket and Jocelyn Condon, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, and Beth Eggleston responding to the question:

🔴 When does ‘gender mainstreaming’ become ‘gender washing’?

Multiple perspectives. Different angles.

Explore their three competing views, here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/10marc...

Don’t miss an edition, sign up to our list to get the Intel straight to your inbox 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com#launch-section

Our expert contributors pitch in:

⚫ Femili PNG’s Renat Muruket and FemiliPNG Australia’s Jocelyn Condon

⚫ GPPAC Pacific & Pacific Women Mediators Network’s Sharon Bhagwan Rolls

⚫ Humanitarian Advisory Group’s Beth Eggleston

This fortnight on the Intel we ask:

🔴 When does ‘gender mainstreaming’ become ‘gender washing’?

"Governments around the world are grappling with how to harness the technology’s immense potential for good and mitigate the risks of its evils."

Explore the debate 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/24february2026

The Intel’s editor, Victoria Cooper, sets the scene for this fortnight’s question and why it deserves to be asked:

"Few abbreviations elicit as buzzy reactions as ‘AI’.

Artificial intelligence has entered all our lives, and Australia’s policy wonks are no exception."

Explore the points of agreement, tension, and difference here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/24february2026

This fortnight’s Intel featured insights from Geordie Fung, Pia Andrews, and Michael Barlow, responding to the question:

🔴 Australia is drafting an international strategy on AI: so what for development?

Multiple perspectives. Different angles.

Dev Intelligence Lab • Home The Lab is a think tank working on development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. We're convinced that great development cooperation comes from unusual collaborations, inspired leadership, good natured…

Don’t miss an edition, sign up to our list to get the Intel straight to your inbox 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com#launch-section

Explore their three competing views, here 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/24february2026