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International division of labour: challenging partnership

05/03/2009 By Nils-Sjard Schulz

Kirk Carter, Flickir

International division of labour among donors has become a key aspect of the aid effectiveness agenda, set out by the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) and the Accra Agenda for Action (2008). However, international division of labour - i.e. the geographical distribution of donors among partner countries – is still to be backed by good practices and a more in-depth dialogue at the international level.

In spite of the fact that the international division of labour necessarily entails the phasing out of donors from certain geographical contexts, little attention has been paid to how this process is carried out (that is, its practices) and the resulting implications for the partnership between North and South. In its focus on procedures, the debate on division of labour has still not dealt with possible tensions between geographical concentration on the one hand, and the leadership of recipient countries and mutual accountability on the other hand.

This document by Nils-Sjard Schulz serves as a starting point for research into the implications of the division of labour for the partnership between North and South. By systematising the ongoing Swedish experiences in phasing out from previous partner countries, the objective of this research is to systematise good practices on phasing out, based on the evidence gathered in the five country studies. Special attention will thus be paid to the perspectives of the countries affected by this process.

 


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Keywords

Aid effectiveness Aid management Division of labour Donors

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Bio author: Nils-Sjard Schulz

Global governance of aid. Aid policy and effectiveness. Donor harmonisation. International division of labour. South-South cooperation.