VSO calls for commitment to democratic ownership of aid in response to Forum on Aid Effectiveness
02/12/2011 11:51:00
The international community must translate promises of broad-based, democratic ownership of aid into concrete commitment and action, says development charity VSO in response to the agreements reached at the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, South Korea yesterday (1 December).
For aid to be effective, people need to be able to participate fully and meaningfully in development. The individuals and groups that are affected by poverty and inequality need to be able to control and shape aid flows and development policies that are intended to help them. The Busan agreement goes much further than previous aid effectiveness commitments in recognising this, placing more emphasis on democratic ownership of development and accountability to aid beneficiaries.
However, VSO is concerned about new text inserted into the agreement during final negotiations to ensure that new and emerging donor countries are not held to the same standards as established donors from the global north. The text is explicit that emerging donors accept the principles and commitments in the agreement on a purely voluntary rather than binding basis.
VSO is also concerned about the Busan agreement’s failure to balance the new focus on the private sector's role in development with recognition of potential negative impacts and necessary safeguards.
Lisa Horner, Policy Manager at VSO UK said, “It is positive that new donors have demonstrated political will to coordinate development cooperation based on shared goals and understandings. However, it is crucial that the caveats in the agreement do not open the door for an erosion of standards of aid administration and delivery agreed at previous Forums in Paris and Accra, or for a diversion of focus away from eradicating poverty and advancing human development”.
“The private sector has a critical role to play in development, particularly in terms of creating decent work and driving inclusive growth. However, the agreement frames companies as being on an equal footing to citizens in terms of their right to participate in development policy design and implementation. If the international community is serious about development impact, private sector development must be viewed as a means towards poverty reduction, not an end or beneficiary in itself.”
The new agreement commits signatories to establishing new frameworks, targets and indicators over the course of 2012. It is essential that this implementation process translates the spirit of citizen ownership and accountability that was present in Busan into concrete and meaningful changes in development policy and practice.
Editor's notes
VSO is different from most organisations that fight poverty. Instead of sending money or food, we bring people together to share skills and knowledge. In doing so, we create lasting change. VSO volunteers work in whatever fields are necessary to address the forces that keep people in poverty – from education and health through helping people learn the skills they need to make a living. In doing so they invest in local people, so the impact they have endures long after their placement ends. Visit www.vso.org.uk for more information.
For more information contact: Susannah Taw, VSO Media officer, +44 (0)20 8780 7621 or the Media mobile , +44 (0)7500 918478
