The role the OECD Development Centre played in the economic and social development of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries was fundamental in the progress made in these regions. The work of the Center consisted in North/South and South/South collaboration with researchers to fight against "academic neo-colonialism" - a problem that emerged following the "independence" that came with the end of colonialism.
The Centre was active in the field of information on the research being carried out by numerous institutes dedicated to the problems of North/South relations and economic and social development. For Fossi the "cultural" dimension was a key to understanding the problems of integral development "of every man and each race" and the limits of pure economic/econometric analyses.
The role played by the so-called "Civil Society" - NGO's, as actors of micro-projects or as educators, in those countries which had programmes for "public aid for development" to the real and complex realities of the under-developed countries, to fight against the recurring stereotypes which were fed to the public opinion so as to sabotage development aid programmes, was imperative.
The Development Centre could also take a lot of the credit for the ideas and actions which brought the international community in the 1970's and 1980's to consider the creation of a New International Economic Order, greater solidarity and justice between the developed and less developed countries, and new South/South solidarity (Group of 77 of the United Nations).

Some years are missing.