Development Operators from the New EU
Member States:
Experiences, Trends and Challenges
Ljubljana, 3-4 June, 2008
Development Operators from the New EU Member
States: Experiences, Trends and Challenges
“Challenges and Opportunities for
development partners from NMS”
A view by Franz Kaps, Senior Partnership Advisor
(consultant), Europe and Central Asia Region, World
Bank
[email protected]
May 1, 2004 and January 1, 2007
• New EU Member States (NMS) and, thus,
New Donors emerged
• (Acquis Communautaire: Chapter 26 “External
Relations” also refers to EU member countries’
development cooperation obligations)
• Few NMS governments and negotiators took note of this
membership requirement at time of negotiations
2002 Monterrey Conference : ODA
pledge by the EU
• By 2006, increase the EU’s average ODA/GDP ratio to 0.39%
• EC colleagues will probably produce tentative numbers, both for old
and new member states
• As regards NMS, the numbers may not be entirely accurate as
comparator ODA data prior to EU accession probably incomplete or
sometimes inaccurate
• Numbers may not reflect aid programs administered by “technical”
ministries
• Numbers may not reflect important support by number of NMS
NGOs in LDC, such as missionaries, in schooling, health and other
social services
• Thus, NMS likely not to match old member states’ ODA targets any
time soon
Some NMS show true development
cooperation (DC) commitment
• Started to prepare early on national DC
policies/strategies
• Secured legal DC conditions
• Set up national DC agencies, primarily at MoFA
• Started to create/enhance DC implementation
mechanisms
• Launched public DC awareness campaigns
Some NMS may wish to attach greater
priority and come up with new DC ideas
• Like in some old MS, DC does not hold much priority at
government level in a number of NMS
• By contrast a number of NMS NGOs would like to
engage in DC
• However, they need government endorsement and
(financial) support. There are targeted EU programs for
NGO DC
• Also, old MS can help: Austria started to establish
strategic alliances with NMS: approached Hungary,
Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland to launch joint
programs in Western Balkans and CIS
NMS DC challenges
• Important that NMS show selectivity in terms of
“countries and sectors of concentration”: start
with few recipient partner countries and engage
in few sectors where NMS have comparative
advantage
• Given limited human and budget resources,
important that NMS “go slow” in setting up aid
agencies
• Important that there is only “one” national DC
policy and avoid situation where some
“technical” ministries run their own DC programs
NMS DC challenges (continued)
1. Strengthen Institutional and Human
Capacity
•
•
•
MoFA (mostly) in charge of developing country specific
DC policies, program/project design and supervision,
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) procedures
Need to establish DC coordination procedures
between MoFA (lead ministry?) and technical
ministries
Establish an institutionalized mechanism for
cooperation between government and national NGO
DC structures
NMS DC challenges (continued)
2. DC Public Awareness Campaigns
• Like in “old” MS, DC may not be popular in NMS. Need
to launch public awareness campaigns. Engagement of
NGOs essential, especially by those already engaged
and experienced in humanitarian programs
3. Engage Business Community
• Business community can be DC partner and beneficiary.
Useful to organize seminars explaining to NMS business
national DC programs and how to participate in EU and
IFI tendering; should help raise NMS’ share in DC
financing by EU and IFIs
NMS DC challenges: Regional DC approach
DC cooperation normally bilateral effort between
individual NMS and concerned recipient country.
However, given only recently emerging NMS DC
policies and programs and overall DC budget
constraints, it may be advantageous to consider
regional DC programs and efforts, involving one
or more NMS, recipient country(ies) and IFI(s)
NMS DC challenges: Regional DC approach
NMS may wish to consider joining forces, for
instance together with World Bank, to
establish tri-partite DC approach with third
countries:
• Share transition experience towards
functioning market economies with
countries such as Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia and/or African focus countries
NMS DC challenges: Regional DC approach
DC in the Western Balkans, in particular, might offer
such opportunities, especially when linked to assist
Western Balkan countries in their EU accession efforts in
framework of Stabilization and Association Process
(SAP):
• Slovenia Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF) prime example for
applying such approach in areas of is competence
• World Bank Center for Financial Reporting Reform (CFRR), based
in Vienna, does the same
• Regional Cooperation Council for Southeast Europe (RCC), based
in Sarajevo which is successor organization to Stability Pact for
Southeast Europe (SP) should be key interlocutor for such regional
approach
NMS DC challenges: Regional DC approach
Sweden and Poland just came up with
“Eastern Partnership” idea:
• assist in particular Eastern European
Neighborhood Policy (ENP) countries in
areas such as democracy and rule of law,
migration, trade, transport, environment,
tourism and similar programs
• here again, NMS’ EU integration
experience of great relevance
NMS DC challenges: The role of
national parliaments
National parliaments play a key role:
• They are in charge of approving the national
budget, including the one for DC
• Should be made aware of DC as a tool of
national and EU foreign policy as well as of
humanitarian aid (Recent Myamar cylone and
China earthquake)
NMS DC challenges: The role of
national parliaments (ctd)
• NMS national parliaments, who have not already done so, may want
to link up with Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB) –
www.pnowb.org – which provides forum for exchange among
Parliamentarians from around the globe. Next PNoWB meeting
takes place on June 3 and 4 in Tirana
• Aside from EU integration issues, conference will be opportunity for
an exchange of experiences between parliamentarians from NMS
and those still aiming to join EU on what actions can be taken to
achieve closer economic ties, reduce poverty, and improve
cooperation between countries in the region
• Conference should provide opportunity for DC operators from NMS
on how to share their experience during EU integration process with
Western Balkan countries
World Bank DC Capacity building
support to NMS
• In-country meetings between World Bank
country offices and NMS DC representatives
visiting “countries of concentration” and/or
apprenticeship in World Bank country offices
• March 2008 Washington workshop on
“Strengthening the National Aid Framework –
World Bank Perspective”
• Sharing of country partnership strategies (CPS)
for “countries of concentration” selected by NMS
so as to provide NMS with relevant country
background and challenges
Examples of World Bank supported
Regional DC programs
• Slovenia Center of Excellence in Finance
(CEF)
• Hungary Central European Land
Knowledge Center (CELK)
Examples of Partners Assisting NMS in DC
efforts prior to EU accession
1. EU member countries Sponsored Training (with WB participation):
• Workshops during EU accession process (sponsored by Austria,
Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and EC) on instruments of
Development Cooperation; MDGs and PRSPs, Public Expenditure
Programs; importance of Public Awareness Campaigns; etc.
2. CIDA (Canada)
• Canadian $15 million Official Development Assistance in Central
Europe (ODACE) Program
3. UNDP
• Slovak-UNDP ODA Trust Fund
4. More to come