Governance, Development

1
Governance, Development the 2005
AgendaDiscussion Meeting and Book Launch
Overseas Development Institute 4
April 2005 Contact Julius Court
(jcourt_at_odi.org.uk)
2
The Context

• Key Events
• G8 Meeting, Gleneagles
• MDG Summit, New York
• Big Analyses
• Commission for Africa Report, Our Common Interest
• Millennium Project Report, Investing in
  Development
• (Hyden et al., Making Sense of Governance)

3
Centrality of Governance

• "The issue of good governance and capacity
  building is what we believe lies at the core of
  all of Africas problems." (CFA, 2005)
• there is no excuse for any country, no matter
  how poor, to abuse its citizens, deny them equal
  protection of the law or leave them victims of
  corruption, mismanagement or economic
  irrationality. (UN Millenium Project)
• good governance is perhaps the single most
  important factor in eradicating poverty and
  promoting development. (UN SG, Kofi Annan)
• Of all the ills that kill the poor, none is as
  lethal as bad government. (The Economist)

4
Key Questions

• Governance matters, but .
• What do we mean by governance and why does it
  matter?
• How can we assess governance?
• What aspects of governance matter most?
• How can we improve governance and what can be
  achieved from outside?
• Is governance good enough to double aid?

5
Outline

• Julius Court Context and 2005 Agenda
• Hester le Roux CFA and Governance
• Goran Hyden Making Sense of Governance
• Mathew Sudders Comment on Assessing Governance
• Discussion
• Close

6
Big Issues

• Analysis What about politics?
• CFA MDG Reports Recommendations dont really
  follow analyses (double aid despite problems
  CFA only 4 of funds for governance).
• Implementation seems unclear
• Is governance good enough? How assess?
• Can reform happen fast enough?
• What about domestic accountability?

7
Towards Implementation?

• If governance matters, we want to improve it
  we dont want to waste money we need
• Better way to assess governance and respond
  accordingly
• Better assessments means
• In country evidence based
• Detailed (not 3-sizes fits all)
• Decision also based on poverty, policy, existing
  levels of aid, improving, etc