Donor harmonisation: Between effectiveness and democratisation
Casa GaliciaMadrid, Spain 23/11/2007
Description
Does aid foster or constrain freedom? Does democracy help reduce poverty and inequality? Is good governance a necessary condition for aid to be effective? In the context of these ambitious questions FRIDE is undertaking a research project on the impact of donor harmonisation on the democratisation of partner countries.
In the context of the Paris Declaration and the use of new aid modalities, the project aims to analyse possible side effects of a more exclusive relationship between donors and national governments compared with the weakening influence of other actors in the partner countries.
Based on four country studies (Mali, Nicaragua, Peru and Vietnam), the investigation will identify the opportunities and constraints facing donors with regard to the promotion of a genuine social contract between citizenry and the state in developing countries.
The specific aims of this seminar are to:
- Analyse the relevant findings from the country studies;
- Discuss the political and institutional implications for aid agencies;
- Arrive at concrete, experience-based proposals for the adaptation of agencies to the political economy of development.
Program
09.15 - Introduction
Manuel Sánchez-Montero, director of Humanitarian Action and Development, FRIDE
09.30 - Welcome
Milagros Hernando, DGPOLDE
09.50 - Introduction to the study: Analytical framework and contents
Stefan Meyer and Nils-Sjard Schulz, researchers, FRIDE
10.10 - Vietnam's laboratory on aid - see presentation (PDF, 94 KB) and Comment on Vietnam.
María Delfina Alcaide and Silvia Sanz-Ramos, independent researchers
Debate
10.50 - Nicaragua: How to sustain the Paris agenda on a wobbly table - see presentation (Spanish, PowerPoint, 78 KB) and this recent FRIDE comment.
Claudia Pineda
Debate
11.30 - Coffee break
11.50 - Peru: The kingdom of NGOs - see presentation (Spanish, PowerPoint, 135 KB)
Enrique Alasino, independent consultant
Debate
12.30 - Mali: World apart? - see presentation (PowerPoint, 326 KB)
Hamidou Magassa, independent consultant
13.10 - Summary
Stefan Meyer and Nils-Sjard Schulz, researchers, FRIDE
13.30 - Lunch
15.00 - Challenges and implications: Main questions
Stefan Meyer and Nils-Sjard Schulz, researchers, FRIDE
15.20 - Political dialogue and human resources
Ina Eriksson, SIDA
15.40 - Institutional set-up
Christian Freres, ICEI/AECI
16.00 - Debate
16.30 - Coffee break
16.50 - Analytical capacities
Sven Grimm, DIE-GDI
17.10 - Civil society perspective
Lucy Hayes, EURODAD
17.20 - Debate
17.40 - Summary and conclusions
Manuel Sánchez-Montero, director of Humanitarian Action and Development, FRIDE
Related publications
- Vietnam's laboratory on donor harmonisation: between effectiveness and democratisation
- Nicaragua: a rude awakening for the Paris Declaration
- Donor harmonization and democratisation: new challenges for the development agenda
- Donor harmonisation: between effectiveness and democratisation. Theoretical framework and methodology for country case studies
- Country ownership and donor harmonisation: the Vietnamese experience
