Abstract Three key trends will shape the future development cooperation system: increasing fragmentation in both geopolitics and the aid architecture; growing pressure on public sectors across countries at different income levels; and the high degree of interconnectedness among societies worldwide. In both the Global North and Global South, governments are testing new modalities to enhance service coverage, including low‐cost services and subsidising private providers for health, education and other functions that have historically been considered part of the public realm. As these adaptive models emerge, a deeper and more troubling question remains: can a world without a strong public sector or shared commitment to public goods truly sustain development cooperation and solve global challenges? Reimagining the nature and role of the public sector, balancing the influence of powerful private actors and revitalising a national and global commitment to universal public services (education, health and civic space) will be essential.