UCLG Position Paper v_2 (eng)
22/12/09
18:13
Página 17
Support Paper on Aid Effectiveness and Local Government
In preparation for the mid-term 3rd High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra, Ghana (2-4 September 2008), several consultative processes have taken place. At an Advisory Group International Forum that was held in Canada in February 2008 to prepare civil society’s policy position on aid effectiveness for the Accra High Level Forum, local government was represented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Although local governments are not seen as part of civil society, their involvement in the consultations was well received given their shared interests in promoting community development, providing essential services and fostering citizens’ engagement in local decision making processes. As in the case of civil society, there has been no systematic process for engaging local authorities in the dialogue and consultations that have informed the development of the Paris Declaration.
local governments in these policy discussions in Accra and New York, UCLG has been invited to become a permanent member of the OECD/DAC Working Party on Aid Effectiveness and it will also be working with the UN Development Cooperation Forum in an advisory capacity. What has emerged from the discussions and consultations is a growing consensus that the Paris Declaration has fallen short in its objective of enhancing aid effectiveness. Part of this failure can be attributed to the great emphasis placed by donors on the mechanics of aid delivery rather than the development impact generated by aid. Another key weakness that has been highlighted is the absence of key development stakeholders (i.e. civil society and local governments) in the policy discussions. While many of the principles of the Paris Declaration (i.e. ownership, harmonization, better coordination) are widely supported by the development community, there is a growing concern that the Paris Declaration fails to recognize civil society, local governments or other non-state actors for their role in development and the contribution they make to aid effectiveness.
At a preparatory meeting for the United Nations Development Cooperation Forum (DCF), a multi-stakeholder forum was organized in collaboration with UCLG, the InterParliamentary Union and CIVICUS (the worldwide alliance of civil society). The stakeholder forum, which took place in Rome, Italy (June 12-13th, 2008) brought together local governments, parliamentarians and civil society in an open and interactive dialogue that reviewed their roles in contributing to effective development cooperation. For the first time local government had been given recognition as a partner in the aid effectiveness debate, and it provided an important venue to engage in a dialogue on key policy issues affecting the quality and impact of development cooperation. This involvement also led to the participation of UCLG in the DCF in New York (June 30-July 1st, 2008). Following these interventions, a UCLG delegation was given two speaking slots at the Accra 3rd High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. The final outcome of this Forum, The Accra Agenda for Action (AAA), includes specific timelines and recognizes the importance of democracy, improvement of governance, social progress and environmental challenges as prime engines of development. The role of local governments has explicitly been recognized in the development of national development policies. The AAA12 also recognizes the need to support capacity building initiatives of local authorities and emphasizes the importance of local resources in the provision of technical cooperation. In recognition of the value added brought by
From a local government perspective, there has been limited analysis on the impact that the Paris Declaration has had on the relationship between national and local governments although the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) had conducted research on the impact from the increased usage by donors of sector and budget support mechanisms. Based on the ECDPM analysis there is some initial evidence that these new delivery mechanisms have reinforced the responsibility of central governments in the planning and implementation of sector policies and programs, while marginalizing the role of local governments. It has been suggested that local governments have been relegated to the role of an executing arm of line ministries, as influence and decision making authority is consolidated with national governments and donors. In countries where sector and program based approaches are more prevalent, there is the risk of undermining decentralisation efforts if too much authority is consolidated in the hands of the national administration. This trend may also compound the challenge for local governments to establish themselves as credible public institutions which can be a factor in them becoming politically and administratively marginalized.13
12 Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, Accra Agenda For Action, 2-4 September 2008, Accra – Ghana, art. 12 and 13. 13 G. Kasumba, A. Land (January 2003).
Of equal concern is the lack of involvement of local government representatives, or other non-state actors, in helping to inform and shape the planning and design of 17