AT a IDS guest seminar Andrew Rosser examines how Australian aid policy is made and what impact AusAid can have, given the fact that it is now one of the OECD’s ten largest bilateral donors.
Sustainable Rural Development Funding: Lessons from the Field ruralxchange
This document provides an overview of sustainable rural development funding from lessons learned in the field. It discusses the context of funding challenges given the economic realities. A framework is presented for sustainable funding that emphasizes impact and sustainability through great strategy and execution. Three case studies from Appalachian Ohio, Project 17 in Kansas, and the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota illustrate different approaches. Key building blocks include developing a long-term capital plan through multiple phases from startup to scale. The potential for development endowments is also discussed.
Development planning and foreign aid aim to promote economic growth and improve living standards in developing countries. However, aid has had mixed results and its effectiveness depends on factors within recipient countries. Five-year plans in Pakistan focused on expanding education, but aid did not always achieve its objectives due to issues like weak policies, corruption, and donors pursuing strategic interests over development. For aid to be effective, recipient countries need sound economic management through policies promoting stability, trade, and self-sufficiency over aid dependence.
This document discusses how multilateral development banks can mobilize private finance to support the UN's 2030 Agenda goals. It outlines a framework where MDBs focus on addressing market failures through regulation, policy advice, and public-private partnerships to "crowd in" private sector investment. MDBs can catalyze both direct private investment in projects they finance as well as indirect investment in related areas through demonstrations of new markets and risk mitigation. The document provides examples of how MDB investment and advisory services can mobilize total financing that is several times the size of their initial investment.
- Bangladesh has a long history of dependence on foreign aid due to its structural weaknesses as a new nation formed after independence from Pakistan in 1971. It inherited debt from projects under Pakistan and had large resource gaps.
- Foreign aid has played an important role in development for many countries after World War II and became a major part of Bangladesh's economy, financing 10% of GDP and all development projects. However, some argue it has fostered anti-development attitudes and does not always benefit the poor.
- The top multilateral donors to Bangladesh are the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations agencies, while top bilateral donors include the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Arab countries. The World Bank
The document discusses DFAT's approach to partnering with the private sector to achieve development goals. It outlines two core principles of shared value, where business can deliver social impact while achieving commercial returns, and being problem-first rather than partner-focused. DFAT's Business Partnerships Platform works to accelerate collaboration between Australian businesses and DFAT to address development challenges in the region through example partnerships that deliver greater outcomes than individual efforts. Lessons learned include the importance of transparency, openness to new partners, and embedding shared value within DFAT.
Lori Coyner (State Medicaid Director, Oregon Health Authority), Rachel Port (Public Policy Director, Central City Concern), Leslie Neugebauer (Director of Central Oregon Coordinated Care Organization, PacificSource), Pam Hester (Health and Housing Manager, CareOregon), and Josh Balloch (VP of Government Affairs and Health Policy, AllCare) present on Health as Housing at Neighborhood Partnerships' 2016 RE:Conference
Edward J Clay (with Matthew Geddes and Luisa Natali) at IDS's Sussex Development Lecture - 10th February 2010
Full OECD Study: “Untying Aid: is it working?”
available at:
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/51/35/44375975.pdf
Sustainable Rural Development Funding: Lessons from the Field ruralxchange
This document provides an overview of sustainable rural development funding from lessons learned in the field. It discusses the context of funding challenges given the economic realities. A framework is presented for sustainable funding that emphasizes impact and sustainability through great strategy and execution. Three case studies from Appalachian Ohio, Project 17 in Kansas, and the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota illustrate different approaches. Key building blocks include developing a long-term capital plan through multiple phases from startup to scale. The potential for development endowments is also discussed.
Development planning and foreign aid aim to promote economic growth and improve living standards in developing countries. However, aid has had mixed results and its effectiveness depends on factors within recipient countries. Five-year plans in Pakistan focused on expanding education, but aid did not always achieve its objectives due to issues like weak policies, corruption, and donors pursuing strategic interests over development. For aid to be effective, recipient countries need sound economic management through policies promoting stability, trade, and self-sufficiency over aid dependence.
This document discusses how multilateral development banks can mobilize private finance to support the UN's 2030 Agenda goals. It outlines a framework where MDBs focus on addressing market failures through regulation, policy advice, and public-private partnerships to "crowd in" private sector investment. MDBs can catalyze both direct private investment in projects they finance as well as indirect investment in related areas through demonstrations of new markets and risk mitigation. The document provides examples of how MDB investment and advisory services can mobilize total financing that is several times the size of their initial investment.
- Bangladesh has a long history of dependence on foreign aid due to its structural weaknesses as a new nation formed after independence from Pakistan in 1971. It inherited debt from projects under Pakistan and had large resource gaps.
- Foreign aid has played an important role in development for many countries after World War II and became a major part of Bangladesh's economy, financing 10% of GDP and all development projects. However, some argue it has fostered anti-development attitudes and does not always benefit the poor.
- The top multilateral donors to Bangladesh are the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations agencies, while top bilateral donors include the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Arab countries. The World Bank
The document discusses DFAT's approach to partnering with the private sector to achieve development goals. It outlines two core principles of shared value, where business can deliver social impact while achieving commercial returns, and being problem-first rather than partner-focused. DFAT's Business Partnerships Platform works to accelerate collaboration between Australian businesses and DFAT to address development challenges in the region through example partnerships that deliver greater outcomes than individual efforts. Lessons learned include the importance of transparency, openness to new partners, and embedding shared value within DFAT.
Lori Coyner (State Medicaid Director, Oregon Health Authority), Rachel Port (Public Policy Director, Central City Concern), Leslie Neugebauer (Director of Central Oregon Coordinated Care Organization, PacificSource), Pam Hester (Health and Housing Manager, CareOregon), and Josh Balloch (VP of Government Affairs and Health Policy, AllCare) present on Health as Housing at Neighborhood Partnerships' 2016 RE:Conference
Edward J Clay (with Matthew Geddes and Luisa Natali) at IDS's Sussex Development Lecture - 10th February 2010
Full OECD Study: “Untying Aid: is it working?”
available at:
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/51/35/44375975.pdf
This document discusses ensuring rigor and reliability in qualitative methods for impact evaluation. It notes that while qualitative approaches are increasingly used in impact evaluations, the qualitative components are often small and superficial. Several examples are given of impact evaluations that mention collecting qualitative data but do not adequately describe the methodology or analysis. The document argues more needs to be done to ensure quality, including ethical review, data archiving, and restudies of past evaluations. Restudies can provide methodological insights and allow judging the validity of original claims by exploring how contexts have changed over time.
The document discusses trends in development cooperation over six phases from colonial administration to the current "bipolar" architecture since 2008. It outlines both positive "dreams" including recognition of common challenges, emerging rights frameworks, and country-level innovations as well as negative "nightmares" such as increasing poverty, exclusion, and new forms of colonialism by middle-income countries. It calls for a bold vision of universal human rights and social justice to guide international development cooperation.
The document discusses decentralization in Bolivia and analyzes how responsive local governments are to local needs. It finds that in some municipalities, local government was unresponsive and corrupt due to factors like a dominant political party and weak civil society. However, other municipalities saw participative and responsive local government where civil society organizations were strong and politics was competitive. A quantitative analysis found that the interaction between private firms and civic groups was the main determinant of responsiveness, with local investment increasing where these interactions were densest.
The document summarizes the case for and against a financial transaction tax (FTT). It discusses whether an FTT would reduce market volatility, if it is feasible to implement, how much revenue it could raise, and who would bear the cost. While an FTT aims to increase stability, the evidence that it would reduce short-term volatility is weak. Implementing global coordination poses challenges but is not impossible. Estimates find it could raise significant funds, though much would likely be passed to capital owners. A panel discussion further debated the feasibility and impacts of an FTT.
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive function. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
1) Violence undermines citizenship by fracturing peoples' sense of identity and access to basic services, weakening the state's authority.
2) Citizens can build democracy by contributing to more effective states through increasing legitimacy, responsiveness, capability, and accountability of institutions.
3) Participatory communication in contexts of violence can both constructively increase interaction and understanding, but also destructively exacerbate divisions and power imbalances if not approached carefully.
So what difference does it make? Assessing the impact of participation, transparency and accountability
IDS Research Fellow, John Gaventa
World Bank Institute Seminar November 22, 2010
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive functioning. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help boost feelings of calmness, happiness and focus.
This document discusses building the global health workforce to scale up nutrition efforts. It notes challenges like the multiple burdens of disease in Africa from poverty, food insecurity, and preventable illnesses and their links to chronic diseases. Global health statistics are presented showing trends in causes of death and disease burden. The roles of nutrition deficiencies, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases in mortality are depicted. Opportunities and challenges for scaling up nutrition through partnerships under the Sustainable Development Goals are explored. Training needs for the health workforce to address nutritional issues are also addressed.
The document discusses developing a research agenda for impact evaluation of development programs. It proposes that the agenda should:
1) Cover different types and purposes of evaluations, questions addressed, users, and those conducting evaluations.
2) Be developed through consultation with various stakeholders and review of existing documentation and examples.
3) Include different types of research like documenting current practices, trials of methods, and longitudinal studies of impact evaluations.
4) Address important questions like how to involve communities and accommodate different views of evidence, and how to represent complex interventions and identify unintended impacts. Support is needed to develop the agenda through legitimate processes and interdisciplinary cooperation.
The document discusses efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. It outlines challenges like climate change and the need to increase financing. An equity-focused approach is needed to reach all groups, especially the most vulnerable and deprived children.
The document discusses applying an integrated assessment approach to analyze the impacts of climate change on development projects in China's water sector. It describes a 4-phase framework to 1) identify climate-sensitive components, 2) analyze impacts semi-quantitatively, 3) quantify adaptation options, and 4) use multiple criteria analysis to evaluate options. The approach was tested on 4 case studies of water management projects. Results showed adaptation could help projects cope with climate stresses and highlighted opportunities to mainstream climate risks into existing management systems.
The document discusses issues with impact evaluation methods and replication in development research. It notes that while methods like randomized controlled trials and econometric analyses assert their scientific status through quantification, they often lack replication. Replication is important but rarely done in practice due to barriers like limited data access and publication bias. The document examines examples of replication studies that found more modest or even negative results compared to original studies. It concludes that most published research findings are likely false and that greater transparency is needed to improve replication and ethical practices in development evaluation.
Benchmarks for an effective and accountable australian aid program january2014Dr Lendy Spires
The document discusses proposed benchmarks for an effective and accountable Australian aid program. It recommends 8 benchmarks: 1) Aid is guided by a comprehensive policy statement. 2) Aid is targeted at inclusive growth for the poorest populations. 3) Aid promotes peace, security and governance. 4) Aid ensures environmental sustainability. 5) Aid delivers effective partnerships. 6) Aid supports civil society and people-to-people links. 7) Aid has predictability, transparency and accountability. 8) Aid utilizes expertise, evidence and innovation. The document argues that benchmarks should reflect best practices and internationally agreed standards to create a high quality, results-oriented aid program.
Policy objectives and international commitmentsDr Lendy Spires
This chapter discusses the policy objectives of Australia's aid program and its international commitments to overseas development assistance. It examines how the objectives have been stated in various policy documents over time, with a focus on poverty reduction and aligning with Australia's national interests. There is debate around further clarifying the current objectives under the new government and how they fit within Australia's broader foreign policy goals. The chapter also explores issues like the role of economic growth and aid for trade within the objectives.
- Poverty means lacking basic living standards and conditions like adequate food, shelter, education and healthcare. Over 1 billion people live on less than $1.25 a day.
- In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals to improve prosperity and sustainability by 2030 through initiatives targeting issues like poverty, hunger, health, education, water and sanitation.
- Foreign aid involves the transfer of resources like money, food, healthcare and education from wealthier to poorer nations. Australia provides about $4 billion annually in foreign aid, with over 70% going to countries in the Asia-Pacific region focused on issues like health, education, economic development and governance.
This document outlines a presentation on strategically advancing social protection policies in Africa. It discusses the current context of economic growth and rising inequality in many African countries. It then reviews existing evidence and knowledge on social protection programs in Africa, which still only reach a small portion of those in need. The presentation argues for turning research into policy action through a dedicated forum or "Utafiti Sera" that brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Its expected outcomes include legislation to strengthen social protection systems and universalize certain cash transfer programs in Kenya.
What should the new government’s top 3 priorities be for the Australian aid p...Devex
We asked the CEOs and directors of some of Australia’s leading development NGOs about what they think the new government’s aid priorities should be. Here are their answers.
The document summarizes the history and changing perceptions of Australian aid over recent decades. It describes how aid was not a priority under the Howard government in the late 1990s-2000s and had low funding levels. Aid rose in importance in the mid-2000s due to campaigns and the 2004 tsunami, but cuts have reduced funding levels since 2012 despite earlier bipartisan commitments. The document argues future aid communication should focus on intrinsic values like fairness rather than extrinsic values to build long-term support and understanding of aid's role in supporting people's potential.
This document discusses ensuring rigor and reliability in qualitative methods for impact evaluation. It notes that while qualitative approaches are increasingly used in impact evaluations, the qualitative components are often small and superficial. Several examples are given of impact evaluations that mention collecting qualitative data but do not adequately describe the methodology or analysis. The document argues more needs to be done to ensure quality, including ethical review, data archiving, and restudies of past evaluations. Restudies can provide methodological insights and allow judging the validity of original claims by exploring how contexts have changed over time.
The document discusses trends in development cooperation over six phases from colonial administration to the current "bipolar" architecture since 2008. It outlines both positive "dreams" including recognition of common challenges, emerging rights frameworks, and country-level innovations as well as negative "nightmares" such as increasing poverty, exclusion, and new forms of colonialism by middle-income countries. It calls for a bold vision of universal human rights and social justice to guide international development cooperation.
The document discusses decentralization in Bolivia and analyzes how responsive local governments are to local needs. It finds that in some municipalities, local government was unresponsive and corrupt due to factors like a dominant political party and weak civil society. However, other municipalities saw participative and responsive local government where civil society organizations were strong and politics was competitive. A quantitative analysis found that the interaction between private firms and civic groups was the main determinant of responsiveness, with local investment increasing where these interactions were densest.
The document summarizes the case for and against a financial transaction tax (FTT). It discusses whether an FTT would reduce market volatility, if it is feasible to implement, how much revenue it could raise, and who would bear the cost. While an FTT aims to increase stability, the evidence that it would reduce short-term volatility is weak. Implementing global coordination poses challenges but is not impossible. Estimates find it could raise significant funds, though much would likely be passed to capital owners. A panel discussion further debated the feasibility and impacts of an FTT.
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive function. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
1) Violence undermines citizenship by fracturing peoples' sense of identity and access to basic services, weakening the state's authority.
2) Citizens can build democracy by contributing to more effective states through increasing legitimacy, responsiveness, capability, and accountability of institutions.
3) Participatory communication in contexts of violence can both constructively increase interaction and understanding, but also destructively exacerbate divisions and power imbalances if not approached carefully.
So what difference does it make? Assessing the impact of participation, transparency and accountability
IDS Research Fellow, John Gaventa
World Bank Institute Seminar November 22, 2010
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive functioning. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help boost feelings of calmness, happiness and focus.
This document discusses building the global health workforce to scale up nutrition efforts. It notes challenges like the multiple burdens of disease in Africa from poverty, food insecurity, and preventable illnesses and their links to chronic diseases. Global health statistics are presented showing trends in causes of death and disease burden. The roles of nutrition deficiencies, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases in mortality are depicted. Opportunities and challenges for scaling up nutrition through partnerships under the Sustainable Development Goals are explored. Training needs for the health workforce to address nutritional issues are also addressed.
The document discusses developing a research agenda for impact evaluation of development programs. It proposes that the agenda should:
1) Cover different types and purposes of evaluations, questions addressed, users, and those conducting evaluations.
2) Be developed through consultation with various stakeholders and review of existing documentation and examples.
3) Include different types of research like documenting current practices, trials of methods, and longitudinal studies of impact evaluations.
4) Address important questions like how to involve communities and accommodate different views of evidence, and how to represent complex interventions and identify unintended impacts. Support is needed to develop the agenda through legitimate processes and interdisciplinary cooperation.
The document discusses efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. It outlines challenges like climate change and the need to increase financing. An equity-focused approach is needed to reach all groups, especially the most vulnerable and deprived children.
The document discusses applying an integrated assessment approach to analyze the impacts of climate change on development projects in China's water sector. It describes a 4-phase framework to 1) identify climate-sensitive components, 2) analyze impacts semi-quantitatively, 3) quantify adaptation options, and 4) use multiple criteria analysis to evaluate options. The approach was tested on 4 case studies of water management projects. Results showed adaptation could help projects cope with climate stresses and highlighted opportunities to mainstream climate risks into existing management systems.
The document discusses issues with impact evaluation methods and replication in development research. It notes that while methods like randomized controlled trials and econometric analyses assert their scientific status through quantification, they often lack replication. Replication is important but rarely done in practice due to barriers like limited data access and publication bias. The document examines examples of replication studies that found more modest or even negative results compared to original studies. It concludes that most published research findings are likely false and that greater transparency is needed to improve replication and ethical practices in development evaluation.
Benchmarks for an effective and accountable australian aid program january2014Dr Lendy Spires
The document discusses proposed benchmarks for an effective and accountable Australian aid program. It recommends 8 benchmarks: 1) Aid is guided by a comprehensive policy statement. 2) Aid is targeted at inclusive growth for the poorest populations. 3) Aid promotes peace, security and governance. 4) Aid ensures environmental sustainability. 5) Aid delivers effective partnerships. 6) Aid supports civil society and people-to-people links. 7) Aid has predictability, transparency and accountability. 8) Aid utilizes expertise, evidence and innovation. The document argues that benchmarks should reflect best practices and internationally agreed standards to create a high quality, results-oriented aid program.
Policy objectives and international commitmentsDr Lendy Spires
This chapter discusses the policy objectives of Australia's aid program and its international commitments to overseas development assistance. It examines how the objectives have been stated in various policy documents over time, with a focus on poverty reduction and aligning with Australia's national interests. There is debate around further clarifying the current objectives under the new government and how they fit within Australia's broader foreign policy goals. The chapter also explores issues like the role of economic growth and aid for trade within the objectives.
- Poverty means lacking basic living standards and conditions like adequate food, shelter, education and healthcare. Over 1 billion people live on less than $1.25 a day.
- In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals to improve prosperity and sustainability by 2030 through initiatives targeting issues like poverty, hunger, health, education, water and sanitation.
- Foreign aid involves the transfer of resources like money, food, healthcare and education from wealthier to poorer nations. Australia provides about $4 billion annually in foreign aid, with over 70% going to countries in the Asia-Pacific region focused on issues like health, education, economic development and governance.
This document outlines a presentation on strategically advancing social protection policies in Africa. It discusses the current context of economic growth and rising inequality in many African countries. It then reviews existing evidence and knowledge on social protection programs in Africa, which still only reach a small portion of those in need. The presentation argues for turning research into policy action through a dedicated forum or "Utafiti Sera" that brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Its expected outcomes include legislation to strengthen social protection systems and universalize certain cash transfer programs in Kenya.
What should the new government’s top 3 priorities be for the Australian aid p...Devex
We asked the CEOs and directors of some of Australia’s leading development NGOs about what they think the new government’s aid priorities should be. Here are their answers.
The document summarizes the history and changing perceptions of Australian aid over recent decades. It describes how aid was not a priority under the Howard government in the late 1990s-2000s and had low funding levels. Aid rose in importance in the mid-2000s due to campaigns and the 2004 tsunami, but cuts have reduced funding levels since 2012 despite earlier bipartisan commitments. The document argues future aid communication should focus on intrinsic values like fairness rather than extrinsic values to build long-term support and understanding of aid's role in supporting people's potential.
The Climate Institute is seeking additional funding to continue and expand its work creating a resilient zero-carbon Australia. It focuses on economic transformation, international accountability, and societal leadership. Support can be provided as unrestricted core funding through the "50 for 5 for 2050" program, by supporting specific focus areas, or by funding strategic or tactical projects. Examples of recent projects include reports on climate change attitudes in Australia and global climate leadership. The document outlines various ways individuals and organizations can support the Climate Institute's vision and invites interested parties to discuss opportunities for partnership or sponsorship.
Foreign aid can contribute to economic growth by increasing investment, imports of capital goods, and human capital development. However, aid can also fuel conflict by being stolen or appropriated by governments and militias to support warring factions. Pakistan is cited as an example - despite receiving over $100 billion in aid over decades, it has not experienced reduced conflict or improved development outcomes. The effectiveness of aid depends on factors like governance and policies in the receiving country.
Ed Strengthening Community Linkages On Poverty Reduction In Ontario E6ocasiconference
The document summarizes the work and progress of the 25 in 5 Network, a coalition working to reduce poverty in Ontario, Canada. Over the past few years, the Network has engaged decision-makers, proposed policy ideas and targets, organized constituencies, and framed poverty reduction as beneficial for the economy. While measurable progress has been made through Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy, the economic slowdown presents challenges to maintaining momentum. The Network will continue to advocate for full implementation and funding of the strategy.
Strengthening Community Linkages On Poverty Reduction In Ontariosettlementatwork
The document summarizes the work and progress of the 25 in 5 Network, a coalition working to reduce poverty in Ontario, Canada. Over the past few years, the Network has engaged decision-makers, proposed policy ideas and targets, organized constituencies, and framed poverty reduction as important for the economy. While measurable progress has been made through Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy, the economic slowdown presents challenges to maintaining momentum. The Network will focus on implementation and ensuring commitments are fulfilled during tough fiscal times.
Exploring the why, what nd how of nz official development assistance stabilityDr Lendy Spires
This document discusses creating stability in New Zealand's official development assistance (ODA) policies. It argues that stability is important for development effectiveness and efficiency. It considers two potential areas for inclusion in a stability mechanism: transparency and accountability of ODA spending; and ensuring ODA is focused solely on development outcomes for those most in need. The document examines lessons from other countries' experiences with bipartisan agreements and legislation to provide policy stability, and questions for New Zealand development advocates.
This document discusses the Principled Aid Index, which analyzes how 29 donors allocate official development assistance. The key findings are:
1) Luxembourg tops the index, followed by the UK and Sweden, while the Slovak Republic ranks last. Donors are becoming slightly more principled on average due to improved scores on needs-based allocation and global cooperation.
2) However, there is a worrying deterioration in donors' commitment to public spiritedness, as reflected by declining average scores.
3) More generous donors, with higher ODA/GNI ratios, tend to be ranked higher and thus more principled in their aid allocation.
This document presents the findings of the Principled Aid Index, which measures how 29 donors allocate official development assistance to advance their long-term national interests in a principled way. Key findings include:
1) Luxembourg tops the index, followed by the UK and Sweden, while the Slovak Republic ranks last. Donors are becoming more principled on average due to improved performance on needs-based allocation and global cooperation.
2) However, there is a worrying deterioration in donors' commitment to public spiritedness, as reflected by declining average scores.
3) More generous donors, with higher ODA/GNI ratios, tend to be ranked higher and thus more principled in their aid allocation
1) The document discusses establishing an International Development Seed Fund through a co-investment model between the Australian government and private sector partners to facilitate agricultural trade in developing countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
2) It recommends prioritizing funding for agricultural projects and trade facilitation in least developed countries through this model.
3) The seed fund would leverage private sector expertise and resources to generate both financial and social returns through sustainable agricultural development projects.
This document discusses bilateral donor coordination by the Ethiopian government. It provides context on Ethiopia's development challenges and the large number of bilateral donors providing assistance. It explains why donor coordination is important, including to avoid duplication, integrate aid with national priorities, and increase effectiveness. The document then outlines Ethiopia's experience with donor coordination led by the Ministry of Finance, including establishing coordination mechanisms and encouraging donors to align with national strategies.
Oecd dac peer review of ireland's development cooperation programmeDr Lendy Spires
The document discusses several areas for improvement in Ireland's development cooperation program based on feedback from Dóchas members. It calls on the government to: 1) ensure adequate funding and structures for Irish Aid to effectively deliver aid and engage with EU institutions; 2) strengthen policy coherence across departments and provide resources to address inconsistencies; and 3) maintain public and political support for development aid amid economic challenges through civic engagement and oversight of the aid program.
Positioning PR: An analysis of the representation of public relations in Aust...Dr. Deborah Wise
In Australia, as in many westernised democracies, each of the political parties fully understands the importance of effective public relations strategies in gaining public acceptance of their policies, with public relations specialists playing a key role in managing and shaping political debates. Nevertheless, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) Government has been repeatedly positioned by the Liberal National Party (LNP or Coalition) as using ‘spin’ and ‘PR stunts’ to promote its policies in relation to a proposed price on carbon pollution. In this study the speeches of the ALP Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and the LNP Opposition leader Tony Abbott, were examined over a three-month period using a new provisional conceptual intentional positioning framework for public relations.
This document outlines a new performance framework for the Australian aid program with the goals of enhancing accountability, effectiveness, and value for money. It establishes 10 strategic targets to assess the program, including increasing aid for trade to 20% of the budget and ensuring over 80% of investments address gender issues. It also describes implementing performance benchmarks and linking funding to results at the program and individual investment levels to better focus on outcomes.
The document discusses issues affecting U.S. territories and insular policy. It notes that while the U.S. has invested greatly in infrastructure and services, territories remain highly dependent on federal assistance. Indigenous constraints like isolation, small size, and limited resources make self-reliance difficult. There is no overarching federal development policy for territories. The document recommends establishing an interagency group to coordinate comprehensive territorial policy and address issues, as territorial leaders desire a representative focal point.
The document provides information about the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Seeds for the Future grants program. It discusses the program's goals of funding projects led by young leaders in Southeast Asia, outlines the core themes and eligibility requirements, and provides examples of funded projects. Application requirements and materials needed like budgets, team resumes, and project descriptions are also summarized. Key dates for informational webinars and the application deadline are provided.
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Faculty members involved with the "Heritage Under Threat" project, a collaboration between the IDS-led Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID) and the Universities of Mosul and Iraq are presented with awards by Prof Melissa Leach (IDS), Professor Dr Kossay Al-Ahmady (UoM) and Dr Lukman Hasan (UoD).
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This document lists several research centers and programs at the University of Sussex that focus on global issues related to health, sustainability, migration, and society. Specifically, it mentions the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme, the Centre on Cultures of Reproduction, Technologies and Health, the Centre for Global Health Policy, and the Sussex Centre for Migration Research. It also includes websites for researching the university's work on COVID-19 and the Discover Society publication co-edited by Gurminder Bhambra.
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The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) potentially offer an inclusive, integrated approach to development, centred on social justice, for all of humanity. But how are they being implemented in practice? Too often a piece-meal, sectoral approach is adopted, rooted in modernist assumptions of linear transition and control.
Ian Scoones, IDS researcher and co-director of the STEPS Centre
The project of development is very much implicated in the production of climate change, as well as how it has been managed to date. But can the development sector also help to bring about the sorts of transformations now required to prevent climate chaos?
This lecture looks at the intertwined histories of development and climate change and argues that only a very different approach to development can help to address the climate crisis we currently face.
This lecture is part of the Sussex Development Lecture series: Achieving the SDGs: Synergies and Tensions.
Speaker: Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, University of Sussex
Speaker: Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, University of Sussex
The project of development is very much implicated in the production of climate change, as well as how it has been managed to date. But can the development sector also help to bring about the sorts of transformations now required to prevent climate chaos?
This lecture looks at the intertwined histories of development and climate change and argues that only a very different approach to development can help to address the climate crisis we currently face.
This lecture is part of the Sussex Development Lecture series: Achieving the SDGs: Synergies and Tensions.
1. IDS Guest Seminar:
The Politics of Australian Aid Policy
Andrew Rosser
Visiting Fellow in the Governance team at IDS and
Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the
University of Adelaide
19 September 2012
Institute of Development Studies
2. Introduction
• Questions:
– What are the main determinants of Australian aid
policy?
– Who are the key actors involved in making Australian
aid policy?
– What have been the key political issues in Australian aid
policy in recent years and how have these been resolved?
– What will Australian aid policy look like in the future?
3. Primer on Australian Politics
Federal and state governments: aid is a federal issue
Bicameral parliamentary system: House of
Representatives plus Senate.
different voting systems
Political parties:
Major parties: Australian Labor Party and the Liberal-
National Coalition.
Minor political parties (e.g. Greens) and independents,
mainly (but not only) in the Senate.
4. Recent federal governments:
Hawke-Keating Labor (1983-1996)
Howard Coalition (1996-2007)
Rudd-Gillard Labor (2007-present)
since 2010 a minority government
Abbott Coalition (2013-onward)??
5. Main Determinants of Australian
Aid Policy
Structural
Structural power of capital has predisposed the
Australian government, regardless of whether it has
been led by the ALP or the Coalition, towards neoliberal
policies. This has extended to the area of aid policy
sector, notwithstanding the fact that it is relatively low
profile.
6. Institutional
AusAID is an ‘autonomous’ agency within the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and
there is no separate Minister for Overseas Development.
So aid policy tends to be heavily influenced by foreign policy
concerns.
7. Aid policy-making has been an executive dominated
process
It has taken the form of Ministerial Statements to parliament,
statements in budget papers, White Papers etc. rather than
laws.
So the government of the day has been able to more or less
hand-pick who writes Australian aid policy. The opposition
and the minor political parties (e.g. Greens) haven’t gotten a
look in.
8. • Foreign Policy Differences Between Major Parties
– Generally, Australian foreign policy has been
characterised by a high degree of bipartisanship.
However:
• ‘The ALP has always seen itself as more open to multilateral
and ‘idealistic’ influences in foreign policy’ while the
Coalition has presented itself as more concerned with
promoting Australia’s national interests, in accordance with
realist thinking in IR (Dalrymple 2003)
9. In aid policy, this has meant:
greater willingness to deliver aid through and engage with
multilaterals (in particular the UN) under the ALP than the
Coalition
greater willingness to broaden the geographic orientation of
the aid program to countries outside Australia’s immediate
region under the ALP than the Coalition;
greater emphasis on the need for Australian aid policy to serve
the ‘national interest’ under the Coalition than the ALP; ALP
by contrast emphasises being ‘a good international citizen’.
10. International Trends in Aid Policy
Australia has tended to be a follower rather than a leader
in the production of development policy ideas
World Bank and DFID in particular have been key reference
points
Disability has been an exception
11. Geo-political/economic Context
Growing levels of affluence in Asia
end of India and China bilateral aid programs
increased concern with promoting development in middle-
income countries
Competition from new donors
12. Key Actors
• The broad parameters of Australian aid policy have
historically been mapped out during major reviews
of the aid program:
– Jackson review: 1983
– Simons review: 1996
– White Paper: 2006
– Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness: 2011
• Key actors in these reviews:
– Orthodox economists
– Representatives from the business community
– DFAT and NGOs much less involved
13. Key Issues
Objective of the aid program
The issue: the relative emphasis on ‘national interest’ vs.
poverty-related concerns.
Downer (1997): the objective of the aid program is ‘to
advance Australia’s national interest by assisting
developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve
sustainable development’.
14. – ALP (2011): ‘The fundamental purpose of Australian
aid is to help people overcome poverty. This also
serves Australia’s national interest by promoting
stability both in our region and beyond. We focus our
efforts in areas where Australia can make a difference
and where our resources can most efficiently and
effectively be deployed’
• What status do the MDGs have in Australian aid
policy?
15. Australian ODA: 1972-2007
0.6
0.5
0.4
Aid as % GNI
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004
16. Size of aid budget
There has been bipartisan commitment to increased aid.
In 2005, PM Howard announced a doubling of the Australian
aid program by 2010.
In the run-up to the 2007 election, the ALP announced that
aid would increase to 0.5 of 1% of GNI, a commitment the
Coalition subsequently matched
17. But this commitment has proven hard to keep
Looking to shore up its economic credentials, the Gillard
government announced in 2012 that it would delay
achievement of the 0.5 target by one year.
The Coalition has indicated a willingness to cut aid when it is
politically expedient.
e.g. proposal to cut Indonesian schools program following
QLD floods.
18. Geographical focus
There is bipartisan commitment to a focus on the Asia-
Pacific
But aid spending on sub-Saharan Africa has been
ramped up dramatically in recent years
also Latin America but to a much lesser extent.
But how far can this go?
The Coalition has indicated some doubt about this shift.
19. Sectoral focus
Growth vs. education and environment
Aid delivery mechanisms
20.
21. If Abbott, Then What?
Ideological orientation of aid program
unlikely to change dramatically but possibly some
scepticism towards whatever replaces the MDGs
Objective of the aid program
likely to be a reassertion of ‘national interest’ concerns
22. Size of the aid budget
The Coalition is formally committed to the 0.5 target.
But it will almost certainly be looking to make cuts to
government spending if it wins office
My guess is that, in the absence of a major economic
downturn, the Coalition will meet the 0.5 and the out
things on hold for a while. Thereafter, they’ll follow
international trends
23. Geographical orientation of the aid program
aid to Africa likely to stay because
of concerns about reputational damage if it withdraws and
growing wealth in Asia. The latter raises very difficult
questions about how Australia engages with Asia and the role
of aid in this process.
This issue has already been discussed at the Shadow cabinet
table
but.......
24. Institutional
Current coalition policy is to create new Ministerial
appointment in Overseas Aid (not clear if senior or
junior) but not upgrade AusAID to department status
Sectoral focus
Reassertion of economic growth