Politicization of Aid

Aid is no sacks of wheat with a red cross tossed into dusty marketplaces from flatbed trucks. It is litigation and activist-training, LGBTQ+ and DEI. The public have only recently begun to understand the extent of the transformation that has been wrought across the last few decades.

But with the closure of USAID, that awareness has accelerated rapidly. Now, the industry must redefine itself, by going back to the fundamentals. What is aid for in the middle of the 21st Century? Is it simply the gift of the giver? Is it more than just leverage in international relations? Can it have a moral value – and how can that align with the priorities of the taxpayers on whose behalf it is sent? 

This one-day conference speaks to the new landscape of aid, beyond the old clichés, and beyond the NGO-industrial complex that replaced them. Charity begins at home – but a new model of aid begins here.

Preliminary programme*

08:30 - 09:00    Registration
09:00 - 09:30    Opening Remarks and Introduction of the Report 
09:30 -11:00     USAID Unmasked: From Humanitarian Aid to Political Interference
11:30 - 13:00    The EU’s NGO Machine
14:00 - 15:30    Sovereignty vs. Global Agendas: How Bilateral Aid Protects National Interests
15:30 - 15:45    Closing Remarks

*We reserve the right to change the programme.

Details:

Date & time: Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 9:00 AM
Venue: Lónyay-Hatvany Villa, 1 Csónak Street, 1015 Budapest (Entrance: Aranybástya Restaurant)
Gate opens at 8:30 AM
Language: English

Participation is free; however, due to limited seating, pre-registration is required by clicking the button below.