From its origins in biology, philosophy and evolutionary theory, the concept of ‘development’ became the dominant interpretative frame for the explanation of global inequality and social change in the second half of the twentieth century and the basis for development cooperation (Esteva, 1992; Ferguson, 1994). However, while this frame has been hegemonic for many decades (and still is, for the most part), it has been increasingly criticized as colonial (recently by Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2020). This chapter seeks to investigate this claim. It starts with an exploration of the origins of development cooperation in US-President Truman’s, 1949 address in the historical context of the Cold War and decolonial ambitions (Sect. ‘The Origins of Development Cooperation’), before identifying not only the discontinuities, but also the colonial elements that could still be found in the theory and practice of post-war development cooperation despite the claim to establish a new program of North–South relations (Sect. ‘Colonial Elements of the Critique of Development Discourse’). Turning to the present day, we will then examine, to what extent the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), hailed as a new paradigm in international cooperation since 2015, offer new perspectives against the backdrop of these elements (Sect. ‘The Sustainable Development Goals: New Perspectives?’). We will conclude with reflections on how to overcome the colonial elements and decolonise development cooperation (Sect. ‘Decolonising Development Cooperation’).