Does Development Evidence Travel? Regional Reflections on Governance & Policy

This policy event, hosted by the Duke Center for International Development and the Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP), is designed to foster structured, cross-regional reflection on the future of development research and practice. EGAP-supported research has generated deep insights into governance and development, but much of this work has been disproportionately concentrated in Africa. At the same time, regions around the world face distinct and evolving challenges-from basic service delivery and literacy to digital governance, from heavy aid dependence to increasingly domestic sources of development finance and philanthropy. Without intentional, comparative dialogue, we risk talking past one another or reinventing solutions that may not travel well across contexts. The goal of these panel discussions is to address this gap directly. Collectively, we aim to: •Map the major development challenges likely to shape the next decade, region by region; •Take stock of what EGAP-style interventions have taught us, and critically assess which lessons travel across contexts and which do not; •Reflect on the changing development landscape, particularly with respect to financing, sustainability, and the role of external actors. Panel 1: Major Challenges in Development (Next Decade) Panel 2: Lessons from EGAP Interventions Panel 3: Navigating the New Development Landscape