@karin_vazquez
The six experiences analyzed
in the study "Enhancing Management Practices in South-South and Triangular Cooperation" provide lessons to countries
interested in how to develop, expand or enhance their capacity in SSC/TrC
management. These lessons convey both
the successes and the challenges that these countries have faced when
introducing enhanced management practices.
Developing countries are actively sharing their experiences and engaging in development cooperation initiatives with their peers. Capacity constraints have not stymied the resourcefulness of these countries in producing relevant contributions to South-South and triangular cooperation and creating innovative management mechanisms. The examples of the ‘Partners in South-South Cooperation Program’ (Benin,
Bhutan and Costa Rica) and the ‘Japan-Brazil Partnership Program’ demonstrate
that partners spent many years strengthening the relationship and developing
the necessary managerial infrastructure to run joint programs, projects and
other SSC/TrC initiatives.
Organizations in charge of SSC/TrC benefit from
leadership with clear and strong institutional mandates.
The domestic development challenges that South-South cooperation providers still face coupled with growing pressure on domestic resources pose difficulties for the governments in these countries to communicate the rationale for SSC/TrC and justify such initiatives to their Parliaments and society. Leadership can catalyze political and public support in favor of such initiatives. In the Chilean case, the mandate of AGCI’s Director and his accountability line to AGCI’s Council and the Presidency were clearly defined by Law, helping mainstream SSC/TrC within the different Ministries and other public sector institutions involved in Chilean development cooperation. In the Mexican case, leadership prompted public support for innovative modalities of SSC/TrC and the scale-up of government’s initiatives, even in the absence of a specific legal framework for international PPPs.
The domestic development challenges that South-South cooperation providers still face coupled with growing pressure on domestic resources pose difficulties for the governments in these countries to communicate the rationale for SSC/TrC and justify such initiatives to their Parliaments and society. Leadership can catalyze political and public support in favor of such initiatives. In the Chilean case, the mandate of AGCI’s Director and his accountability line to AGCI’s Council and the Presidency were clearly defined by Law, helping mainstream SSC/TrC within the different Ministries and other public sector institutions involved in Chilean development cooperation. In the Mexican case, leadership prompted public support for innovative modalities of SSC/TrC and the scale-up of government’s initiatives, even in the absence of a specific legal framework for international PPPs.
Light, autonomous, and decentralized institutional
arrangements facilitate the rapid implementation of SSC/TrC initiatives
tailored to partner countries’ needs.
Development cooperation agencies have a central role in linking the expertise available across the government with the demand for cooperation in the partner country. The Chilean experience showed that the establishment of a dedicated unit for South-South Cooperation in the country’s development cooperation agency and the use of Chilean embassies network allowed for such connections to be made and maintained with relatively little human and financial resources. This basic structure is complemented by a dedicated unit for partnership development with multilaterals responsible for joining up efforts and coupling national funding for horizontal initiatives with foreign resources.
Development cooperation agencies have a central role in linking the expertise available across the government with the demand for cooperation in the partner country. The Chilean experience showed that the establishment of a dedicated unit for South-South Cooperation in the country’s development cooperation agency and the use of Chilean embassies network allowed for such connections to be made and maintained with relatively little human and financial resources. This basic structure is complemented by a dedicated unit for partnership development with multilaterals responsible for joining up efforts and coupling national funding for horizontal initiatives with foreign resources.
Integrated coordination mechanisms facilitate the
delivery of the SSC/TrC expected results.
South-South cooperation providers often face coordination challenges, as often multiple ministries and actors are involved in delivering development cooperation. Likewise, ensuring policies from different areas of government do not undercut or contradict one another is a key factor for the successful delivery of development cooperation. In a highly decentralized institutional setting, coordination mechanisms are critical to ensure the consistency and coherence of SSC/TrC initiatives. The Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica as well as the Mexican cases provided good examples of how coordination at the working level can support SSC/TrC initiatives. The cases further demonstrated how working-level coordination integrates with higher-level governance mechanisms, and creates upstream linkages with policy making.
South-South cooperation providers often face coordination challenges, as often multiple ministries and actors are involved in delivering development cooperation. Likewise, ensuring policies from different areas of government do not undercut or contradict one another is a key factor for the successful delivery of development cooperation. In a highly decentralized institutional setting, coordination mechanisms are critical to ensure the consistency and coherence of SSC/TrC initiatives. The Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica as well as the Mexican cases provided good examples of how coordination at the working level can support SSC/TrC initiatives. The cases further demonstrated how working-level coordination integrates with higher-level governance mechanisms, and creates upstream linkages with policy making.
Coordination mechanisms in the partner country’s
development planning process can further help deliver the SSC/TrC expected
results.
One of the key challenges concerning effective coordination of development cooperation is that SSC/TrC is often led and dealt by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, while other forms of development cooperation (i.e. development finance) are usually dealt and managed by the Ministries of Finance and/or Planning. In many cases this has prompted some confusion in the development planning process in partner countries with regards to the coordination of development projects and their alignment with national strategies and priorities. In the Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica case, high-level representatives from each of the three partners ensured that the PSSC was adopted into the foreign policy and national plans of their respective countries. This set the stage for governments to incorporate SSC/TrC into their international relations agendas.
One of the key challenges concerning effective coordination of development cooperation is that SSC/TrC is often led and dealt by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, while other forms of development cooperation (i.e. development finance) are usually dealt and managed by the Ministries of Finance and/or Planning. In many cases this has prompted some confusion in the development planning process in partner countries with regards to the coordination of development projects and their alignment with national strategies and priorities. In the Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica case, high-level representatives from each of the three partners ensured that the PSSC was adopted into the foreign policy and national plans of their respective countries. This set the stage for governments to incorporate SSC/TrC into their international relations agendas.
Domestic experiences can be adapted to international
cooperation for development and different cooperation modalities can be
combined, innovating SSC/TrC.
The legal framework that governs development cooperation can create an enabling environment for innovative SSC/TrC management. The Mexican case showed that PPPs allow for more flexible development cooperation spending, cost sharing among partners, and better use of each actor’s comparative advantage. The cases further pointed to the need for legal frameworks that allow for the combination of different SSC modalities, thus offering more options to the management of SSC/TrC and to the delivery of the expected results.
The legal framework that governs development cooperation can create an enabling environment for innovative SSC/TrC management. The Mexican case showed that PPPs allow for more flexible development cooperation spending, cost sharing among partners, and better use of each actor’s comparative advantage. The cases further pointed to the need for legal frameworks that allow for the combination of different SSC modalities, thus offering more options to the management of SSC/TrC and to the delivery of the expected results.
Non-state actors can be a resource, not just in their
capacity as deliverers of SSC/TrC but also as development actors in their own
right.
The involvement of organizations beyond central governments in the management of SSC/TrC varies considerably in the case studies. The involvement of the civil society in PPP models (Mexico) further demonstrated how the capacity to respond to a demand for SSC/TrC can be considerably expanded and enhanced to deliver cooperation in fairly complex environments. The Chile case provided an interesting example of non-state actor involvement in SSC/TrC management through the representation of the academia in AGCI‘s institutional arrangement. The mechanisms through which AGCI relates with the larger non-government sector (e.g. through the participation of knowledge-based organizations, civil society organizations, and other non-state entities in the formulation of national development policies, and in the delivery monitoring and evaluation of AGCI’s SSC/TrC programs) were less evident in the study.
The involvement of organizations beyond central governments in the management of SSC/TrC varies considerably in the case studies. The involvement of the civil society in PPP models (Mexico) further demonstrated how the capacity to respond to a demand for SSC/TrC can be considerably expanded and enhanced to deliver cooperation in fairly complex environments. The Chile case provided an interesting example of non-state actor involvement in SSC/TrC management through the representation of the academia in AGCI‘s institutional arrangement. The mechanisms through which AGCI relates with the larger non-government sector (e.g. through the participation of knowledge-based organizations, civil society organizations, and other non-state entities in the formulation of national development policies, and in the delivery monitoring and evaluation of AGCI’s SSC/TrC programs) were less evident in the study.
Complementarity between
North-South and South-South cooperation is enhanced when partners exchange knowledge about development solutions as well as official development assistance and South-South cooperation management.
North-South and South-South Cooperation can complement and leverage each other through different mechanisms and approaches. The Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica case demonstrates how the lessons learned from the partnership with the Netherlands (in addition to funding) were key to launch the PSSC, harmonize the management practices among the three partners, and help the program reach maturity over the years. The ‘JBPP’ in turn showed how a more autonomous approach to TrC management, with fewer codified and common practices, can also help deepen and enlarge TrC. In both cases, the trust fostered among the partners throughout the years created an enabling environment for the exchange of knowledge on development solutions and management practices, regardless the approach adopted in each of the cases.
North-South and South-South Cooperation can complement and leverage each other through different mechanisms and approaches. The Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica case demonstrates how the lessons learned from the partnership with the Netherlands (in addition to funding) were key to launch the PSSC, harmonize the management practices among the three partners, and help the program reach maturity over the years. The ‘JBPP’ in turn showed how a more autonomous approach to TrC management, with fewer codified and common practices, can also help deepen and enlarge TrC. In both cases, the trust fostered among the partners throughout the years created an enabling environment for the exchange of knowledge on development solutions and management practices, regardless the approach adopted in each of the cases.
Human resources development and involvement
of professionals outside the government are vital to overcome capacity
‘ceilings’ and to the long-term sustainability of SSC/TrC initiatives.
South-South cooperation providers often face capacity constraints in relation to the availability of public sector expertise and to the management of SSC/TrC. Investments in staff training on functional aspects such as project management, coordination negotiation, M&E, in addition to mentoring programs, performance assessments and other initiatives, can help attract and retain qualified human resources for SSC/TrC engagements. The increased use of professionals from the academia, local governments, civil society organizations and the private sector, can further help overcome the time constraints (and in some cases even expertise) that many civil servants face when engaging in SSC/TrC. Thailand experience showed that through volunteer programs TICA was able to identify and deploy human resources from outside the government to SSC/TrC projects with very unique characteristics and requirements. These cases further pointed to the need for capacity development, performance appraisal, and information systems related to the volunteers to be embedded in HR policies, conferring more institutional stability over time and across changes of government.
South-South cooperation providers often face capacity constraints in relation to the availability of public sector expertise and to the management of SSC/TrC. Investments in staff training on functional aspects such as project management, coordination negotiation, M&E, in addition to mentoring programs, performance assessments and other initiatives, can help attract and retain qualified human resources for SSC/TrC engagements. The increased use of professionals from the academia, local governments, civil society organizations and the private sector, can further help overcome the time constraints (and in some cases even expertise) that many civil servants face when engaging in SSC/TrC. Thailand experience showed that through volunteer programs TICA was able to identify and deploy human resources from outside the government to SSC/TrC projects with very unique characteristics and requirements. These cases further pointed to the need for capacity development, performance appraisal, and information systems related to the volunteers to be embedded in HR policies, conferring more institutional stability over time and across changes of government.
Which examples of North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation in the implementation of the MDGs can be highlighted and increased in light of the post-2015 development agenda?
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