A core function of the DCED is to serve as a trusted forum for the exchange of practical experience and learning on effective practice in Private Sector Development (PSD) among its member agencies. DCED Members engage with the DCED in a variety of formats, including:

Communities of Practice (formerly ‘Working Groups’): Communities of Practice are the DCED’s main space for continuous sharing of experience on key PSD themes and approaches among relevant focal points within member agencies. The DCED currently has 7 Communities of Practice – see their webpages signposted below for more information. Communities of Practice meet 3-4 times a year, including at least once in person.

Task Teams: These are collaborative, hands-on mechanisms formed by interested members of one or more Communities of Practice to develop joint knowledge products and guidance. These activities are typically defined through a consultative process culminating in an annual DCED Work Plan. See the Communities of Practice webpages for more information on current task teams and their work items.

Topical Exchanges: The DCED’s recently introduced Topical Exchanges are closed-door online meetings for all DCED member agency staff, designed to provide a safe space to discuss new or emerging priorities in PSD in an agile and timely manner. See the dedicated section on this page for information on recent Topical Exchanges.

Together, these formats contribute to advancing the DCED’s learning agenda; this learning agenda is defined on a rolling basis in light of consultations with member agencies. In 2026, particular priority themes include:

• Working systemically in times of budget cuts and more complex, often fragile operating environments
• Achieving mutual benefits for donor and partner economies through PSD/ Private Sector Engagement and trade-related approaches
• Using PSD to create markets for mobilising SME finance
• Advancing the PSD community’s collective understanding of what Green PSD is, how it can be achieved and measured
• Safeguarding and deepening efforts towards women’s economic empowerment and inclusion
• Gathering and communicating evidence on ‘what works’ in systemic PSD