CIVICUS

FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

We must plug the leaks: Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness

Release Date: 29 August 2007

By Kumi Naidoo, CIVICUS Secretary-General

Dear e-CIVICUS Subscriber,

I am writing this from Sweden where the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) is hosting a conference on “Civil Society, Governance and Aid Effectiveness”. This conference was inspired by the adoption two years ago of the Paris Declaration by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a grouping of developed countries headquartered in Paris, France. Previously, in a column in e-CIVICUS 349, I introduced to you the issues of Aid Effectiveness, the Paris Declaration and ‘the road to Accra’.(http://www.civicus.org/new/content/deskofthesecretarygeneral58.htm)

This conference is seen as preparation for the crucial conference on Aid Effectiveness to be held in Accra, Ghana in October next year. A civil society advisory group has been working for some time now looking at how to ensure that civil society has a legitimate and relevant space to participate in shaping an agenda that improves the way in which aid flows from rich to poor countries.

Some six civil society organisations are part of the Advisory Group: ActionAid International, Concord, Care International, the Reality of Aid Network represented by the C ana dian Council for International Cooperation and the Philippines-based IBON. Africa is represented by Third World Network and AFRODAD.

Magnus Lindell from SIDA pointed out some of the challenges that are grappled with at the conference . According to Magnus, these are:

1. Donor harmonisation: Donors must harmonise the goals with and the forms for support to civil society. Yet, we must be able to harmonise to foster pluralism. Civil society must be developed on its own terms. CSOs must be actively involved in shaping these support models.

2. An aid effectiveness agenda owned by civil society.

At the international level there is an intense debate about the consequences for civil society of the Aid Effectiveness Agenda. But now there is also a need to clarify what an aid effectiveness agenda within civil society itself means.

3. CSOs have begun to discuss a range of controversial issues, such as the need for increased coordination in countries vs. visibility for domestic support among the constituency.

Magnus went on to say that civil society must also address the following challenges:

· There are overlaps and ambiguities in the role distribution between CSOs in the North and their partners in the South. How, if ever, can we clarify these outstanding issues?

· The power and control over the resources still lies in the hands of the CSOs in the developed countries (a.k.a. the North). The question is how ownership in the developing countries (a.k.a. the South) can be strengthened? CSOs in the South are experts in tuning in to the latest buzz words from funding agencies and CSOs in the North. Nonetheless, that does not equal ownership. We must go beyond that and achieve real ownership. Mutual accountability is high on the aid effectiveness agenda at the bilateral governmental level. This should be a lively debate within civil society as well.

One particular controversial issue that is generally mentioned only superficially is what added value CSOs in the North really have - apart from grant making of funds from its own constituency or from official donor agencies? Magnus put forward a couple of roles and relationships that I feel need our attention:

· Exchange of experience both ways. CSOs in the South generally need capacity development (IT, accounting, marketing) and CSOs in the North need knowledge about the reality of development on the ground, international processes and so on.

· Information and intelligence exchange between North and South on complex policy issues.

· Joint campaigning on global issues of common interest. (Voices in the South increasingly say “We mainly need your voice, not your money”).

· Building strong cross-boarder alliances (unions, child organisations, churches) for increased mutual dependency and increased social capital.

The head of the Reality of Aid Network, Anthony Tujan from the Philippines, gave a detailed presentation of the various complexities pertaining to thinking about the role of civil society in the aid effectiveness debate. He reminded delegates about the range of difficulties facing civil society and spoke of the extra-judicial killings that are taking place in the Philippines and in particular targeting civil society and independent media representatives. I would not be able to do justice to his presentation but will run it in e-CIVICUS soon.

Diane Vincent from the C ana dian International Development Agency, who chairs the civil society advisory group on aid effectiveness, invited civil society delegates to share their perspectives and to review the discussion documents. These are available on the extranet website http://web.acdi-cida-gc.ca/cs. Because of this process, and notwithstanding the normal imperfections that characterise these efforts, we have the possibility to open up space for civil society to engage in the struggle for effective aid; aid that delivers not only quantity but also an improved quality.

I would therefore like to urge you to find out more about how to engage and to share your perspectives with the civil society advisory group. Indeed, we need to ensure that money flows to where it is needed most and is put to the best possible use, so that we can reduce the sad reality that 50 000 women, men and children die from poverty related causes every single day. We all have a moral responsibility to plug the gaps and to ensure that aid plays its part in combating global poverty. But for this to be effective, we need to understand the various ways in which aid intersects with trade justice, debt cancellation and improved national and global governance.

We will be tracking these developments, including the hosting of regional and national consultations in the run up to the Accra meeting. My colleague, henri.valot@civicus.org, who works on the Global Call to action Against Poverty, has been tracking this process. He can be contacted should you need any further information.

Warmest regards

Kumi Naidoo

Below you will find all previous columns published.

• October 17: Stand up with millions united as one

• Should the voting age be reduced to sixteen? International Youth Day: a time for reflection

• CIVICUS partners continue to languish in jail

• If civil society organisations cannot change how governments can?

• Climate Change: How much longer can we ignore this catastrophe and how will climate change affect the work of civil society?

• Civil society engaging with inter-governmental organisations: is the feeling mutual?

• 07/07/07: Reflection on the mid-point of the Minimalist/Millennium Development Goals

• Towards the Legal Empowerment of the Poor

• Continuity and Change: The position of CIVICUS' Secretary General

• Continuity with change: Governance change at CIVICUS