Author : ID4D guests
Date : August 30, 2010
Jon Lomøy has been appointed Director of the Development Co-operation Directorate of the OECD in April 2010. Read more...
To build a smarter partnership for development, where we meet for an honest discussion of what we have achieved so far, and how we should work together to finish the remaining distance by 2015, we need to do away with the three false dichotomies:
- between aid and other sources of finance for development: we all recognize that aid is only one part of the overall financing package needed, but still aid matters, and the difference between the pledges and the deliveries matter
- between aid quantity and aid quality: we who are in favour of aid must (re)capture the debate about effectiveness and result – we need more aid because we can produce more and better results
- between external resources and domestic policies: we know that domestic policies are more important for development than external resources, but we also know that without additional external resources, the process will be too slow for us to meet the MDG targets.
The global development partnership of the MDG 8, is about capturing the totality of development financing, but also about tracking aid deliveries compared to commitments, it is about making aid work better, and about using aid to support countries that have got their policies right, and about helping countries to get their policies right by sharing experiences.
And it is about letting the different traditions of development cooperation meet. The DAC represent a rich 50 years aid tradition, with the Paris declaration in many ways being the expression of the lessons learnt from those 50 years. But there is also a parallel, and equally rich, tradition of south-south cooperation, where developing countries have found innovative ways of supporting each other and sharing experiences. In Bogota the lessons from that tradition were articulated. We must continue to let the two enrich each other, so that we can build a future, broadened development partnership on the lessons from both.
It is also about promoting development through real, effective and equal partnerships not only between governments, but between societies, including the private sector, civil society, parliamentarians, and local governments – to ensure that they are part of the decision-making on development.
And lastly it is about partnerships that are founded on evidence, on statistics and on sharing best practices. This is the core of the OECD approach in all areas, including development. And at the end of the day it is about results. Not results from aid, “owned” by donors, but results from the developing countries’ effort, owned by them, but helped by the development partners through aid and other types of finances. And also helped by the sharing of experiences, enabling countries to learn from each other, and make smarter choices and fewer mistakes.
The OECD has fostered networks in a wide variety of areas – from aid effectiveness to taxation to climate change – basing its support on solid principles:
- ensuring that partnerships are built at the country level and determined by developing countries facilitating high-level and inclusive political decision-making
- providing a broad platform for dialogue amongst all stakeholders, particularly taking care to raise the voice of partner countries and civil society
- gathering evidence, facts and figures to inform policy and support technical solutions
- promoting peer pressure to monitor commitments and review practices
- providing instruments for dialogue on development at the country level
- strengthening mutual accountability amongst all stakeholders around common objectives
- working at the global level, to build strong links with the United Nations, the World Bank, and regional institutions and processes
How do these partnership principles – the “soft power” of dialogue, evidence and peer pressure – change the approach to development?
To begin with, it was evident that problems could not be solved by donors talking among themselves. More partners had to be around the table. The Working Party on Aid Effectiveness was born out of this realization. And the Working Party is not a “donor club”; it has 80 members, and is co-chaired by a representative from a donor institution and one from a developing country. From this group a broad consensus emerged on what needed to be done to produce better results. This consensus underpinned the agreements in the Paris Declaration (2005) and the Accra Agenda for Action (2008). Today, the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness is the international framework for improving the quality of aid. This partnership focuses on how to deliver aid in a more harmonised, aligned and accountable way.
Putting developing countries in the lead is the key partnership principle promoted by the Working Party. Examples that highlight how partners have significantly reduced transaction costs by following local government procedures rather than a multiplicity of donor-imposed ones – a key principle of the Paris Declaration – are emerging. The recipe for achieving these results: focusing not only on how much is spent, but also on how it is spent.
The Working Party has also provided a platform for ensuring mutual accountability. While not legally binding, the accountability commitments fostered by the Paris Declaration have been shown to have real “teeth”, encouraging changing practices amongst donors, partner countries and other stakeholders. The Working Party’s mandate is to ensure that donors and developing countries ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to meeting their commitments. One tool for doing that is the survey on monitoring the Paris Declaration, which tracks implementation of the Paris commitments at the country level. The survey shows that change is happening, but too slowly. Donors are using country systems, reducing parallel implementation units, and coordinating missions among themselves. And countries are strengthening their own systems to take control of their development, and broadening the domestic discourse about development. But the survey does not only provide information – it also promotes dialogue to improve aid practices at the country level and strengthens mutual accountability. This monitoring process attracted 34 countries in 2006 and 55 in 2008; an estimated 65-70 countries will take part in 2011.
Partnership is also about improving practices and monitoring performance on commitments through peer-to-peer assessments and open and frank discussion. The OECD’s Development Assistance Committee provides a forum for exchange of experience and peer reviews, while carefully tracking progress on financial aid commitments. The DAC remains the leading global group of donors, delivering USD 120 billion of aid in 2009 – a 6.8% increase in real terms over 2008. And the OECD is extending its work to track financial commitments in other areas, including tax and development, innovative finance and climate change financing.
Could we wish that changes had been faster? Yes. Are there other and better processes producing quicker progress? Not that we know of. If they are out there, we must find them and learn from them! We have reached cross-roads in 2010 – the target date for delivery on the Paris Declaration commitments – offering the opportunity to review the quality of our partnerships on development in an honest and constructive way. This is precisely what we plan to do at the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4) in Korea in December 2011. But Korea also provides us with an opportunity to further deepen and broaden the partnership, and focus our work where it can make most difference.
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Date : September 7, 2010 07:40
A better partnership in development is a real concept that needs to be worked on. Yes, the United Nations is still viewed as an idealistic organization. This is not so bad because most of the time you have to estimate the demands in relief. The fact that the UN organization is located in the United States of America instead of Switzerland like during the first UN called at that time League of Nations shows that it helps to promote a dream of a United World that will become one day true. For this writers can do a great job in inventing situations or writing about experiences, so that we can share our knowledge on the problems of this world and how to solve them. This leads us to reflect on the problems of communications because the acquisition of a language always depends on the level of education for example a doctor will like to have more terminology. Therefore, partnership in development can be achieved by promoting native languages, which sometimes can help understand some situations, due to the fact that they give you a better understanding because of the fact that they are untouched by influences. We are all part of one world and the money spent in Europe can also be spent in Africa for example. It is a question on how to manage money wisely by contributing to common causes and making a good living.
Date : September 6, 2010 20:26
ach country will pursue a path rooted in the culture of its people and in its past traditions. First, in order to develop a global partnership for development Windowon.me (WWW.WINDOWON.ME) project helps people to know more about each other, their history, culture, traditions and so on. People all over the world dream about the future, where they can live their lives, raise their families, and resolve their differences peacefully. Equally important for our future: a global economy that advances opportunity for all people. And that means that developed nations must open their «Windows» and extend a hand to those who need help. Now we are working on building a new coalitions that bridge old divides -- coalitions of different faiths and creeds; of north and south, east, west, black, white, and brown, and together we will move forward, and work with others to bring MDG into force. This is what we have already done. But this is just a beginning. Some of our actions have yielded progress. Some have laid the groundwork for progress in the future.
And so, with confidence in our cause, our team supports the Millennium Development Goals. It is our duty to make our world a better place for all. It cannot happen without you. We call on all nations and their leaders to join us and keep the «Windows» open for all.
Thank you very much, everybody.
Yernar Alippek
Master of International Relations
CEO for Windowon.me
yalippek@gmail.com tel: + 7 777 777 2608 www.windowon.me
http://www.youtube.com/user/yalippek
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Date : September 6, 2010 17:24
Resources and Minerals
It is becoming increasingly clear that as the global use of resources and minerals increases so they become exhausted, and their prices increase.
Last week [Sept 1, 2010] the New York Times announced that ‘rare earth elements’, essential for new technologies, are entering political consideration for the world economy.
The rare earth elements include dysprosium; terbium; neodymium, which are necessary for the development of wind turbines, and electric cars.
93% of these elements are mined and prepared in China.
China’s government is now aware that it has the 2nd biggest economy in the world, and too many of its people live below the poverty line.
In order to ensure revenue, and not waste supplies, China has been placing tighter limits on the export and production of the elements. If International companies want to use the elements, they are being asked to set up their factories in China. At the same time, cash rich China is buying up companies and their mines all over the world.
At the same time the CONGO in Africa is well known as another country in which all rare elements and valuable minerals are available for mining. In theory the DRC should be one of the richest countries in the world. It is true that it is ‘resource rich’, and that its people live among some of the poorest communities, each living on $1 a day. It has been announced that the mines and the minerals and the revenues are controlled by the rebel armies that over run large areas of the Congo Basin.
These findings confirm that development and aid must be used to help the local peoples , not just further enrich the rich.
go to www.kelvynrichards.com
"Social Ecology: a new morality? alternative choices?"
Date : September 5, 2010 03:56
To Mr. Jon Lomøy and Participants in the FORUM
Yours speech informs idea about cooperation between governments, nations.
It appropriated to high official level in our country .I say about political designers in our country. We agree that strategy and national programme play important role in development of nation.
In our country without National programme for action we can’t take aid from state budget and call support from donors ( International and external )
So why we have National programme for many area: Poverty Alleviation, for ITC, for Health care, for HIV/AIDS prevention …
Those programme are putting to Government –Website and call comments from citizens. This is very good impact of E- Government (we starts since 2004)
The weakness are: The National progamme often separated from others actions and ODA.
For example in one commune the officials working for National programme do not know about others resources will be putting in commune in future .It lead to result waste money.
So why when consultants came to Vietnam : please ask question : how many resource were In community , are in community and will be in community .It should be written in documents . And take report with stamp from Vietnamese management agency.
When you do feasibility study does not forget ask: how many persons qualify to this work, how long time they will work?
Supply information related national programme to grass root levels: how it act in other countries. To help them I often download films of ADB, WB, UNICEF, and WTO and send the links with translation to fields.
To find the news, the goods technology solution send to grassroots levels .They will select: what information appropriated to them .They will decide what to do: cheaper and effectiveness.
Because of bad financial management and rules, we lost educated persons in corruption.
Very good you raise the idea cooperation for effectiveness work.
I think: 1- Information create needs and competition in society.
2- Training persons base on the their needs
3- Aid came with clear rules
In Vietnam they often said on behalf others: aid first.
Thank you for attention
Date : September 1, 2010 07:58
Dear All,
Good day!
First of all, let me thank the guest bolggers of ID4D Jon Lomøy, Michel Kazatchkine, Margaret Chan, Eckhard Deutscher and Anders Nordström for raising the importance of global development partnership of the MDG 8. Essentially the Millennium Declaration in 2000 was a milestone in international cooperation wherein world leaders pledged to forge a wide-ranging global partnership for development to improve living standard of millions of people around the world. In fact all eight points of UN Millennium Development Goals are important and interrelated. A close look at ‘The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010’ also stressed upon the MDG framework for accountability derived from the Declaration that has generated an unprecedented level of commitment and partnership in building decent, healthier lives for billions of people and in creating an environment that contributes to peace and security. However, the economic slowdown has put pressure on government budgets in the developed countries. Although the majority of the initial commitments are still in force, some of the big donors have reduced or postponed the pledges they made for 2010. The shortfall in aid affects Africa in particular. At the 2005 Gleneagles Summit, G-8 members projected that their commitments, combined with those of other donors, would double ODA to Africa by 2010. Preliminary data for 2009 show that bilateral ODA to Africa as a whole rose by 3 per cent in real terms. For sub-Saharan Africa, bilateral aid increased by 5.1 per cent in real terms over 2008. It is estimated that Africa will receive only about $11 billion out of the $25 billion increase envisaged at Gleneagles, due mainly to the underperformance of some European donors who earmark large shares of their aid to Africa. Aid remains well below the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for most donors. In 2009, the only countries to reach or exceed the target were Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
Another issue that I have raised time and again in different forum including ID4D is proper governance; it is the key not only to achieve MDGs but is a solution to many ill effects of the society including food security and livelihood. Many of the African problems may be ascribed to poor governance. Transparency, opening of trade and proper synergy of different governmental schemes is also essential which again can only stems from good governance.
Public-private partnerships, efforts for reducing digital divide are some other areas also important for MDG.
I think working on above areas will give precursor for further negotiation and global partnership for realizing MDGs.
Thanks and regards,
Pradip Dey
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