The familiar world of international organizations concerned with the advancement of development has been upended by two phenomena: the emergence of sustained economic success in the developing world, and the international financial and economic crisis that has gripped much of the industrialized world since 2008. This paper examines the history of international organizations focusing on development, including the Bretton Woods organizations, the UN system and the regional development banks, and considers the parallel emergence of foundations and the role of international development actors. The authors conclude that the prognosis for organizations caught in this transitional stage in global economic governance can only be uncertain.
