A greater focus on systemic change and systems strengthening is required for reaching SDGs. For this to happen, we need increased application of systems thinking in international assistance to better understand the issues and to design interventions that lead to better performing and inclusive systems – public, social, and economic. In this blog, I have presented four recommendations to promote systems thinking in international development sector and also argued to couple systems thinking with results-based management (RBM) approach to enhance aid effectiveness.