abstracts of project studies course 7...abstracts of project studies course 7 managing global...

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Abstracts of Project Studies Course 7

Managing Global Governance (MGG)

Training and Dialogue Programme implemented jointly by the

German Development Institute /

Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) and InWEnt

© Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) and InWEnt

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Table of contents Author Title Page Comninos, Alexis 'Crowdsourcing' security information:

How the Internet and mobile phones can influence global security governance

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El-Araby, Lamees Prospects for Egypt-EU cooperation in concentrated solar power: Potential for a win-win strategy

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Elwan, Nihal Hassanx Child centered research: Fighting for the rights of children

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Gao Yang What role does China play in regional cooperation in Asia?

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Imtiaz, Shakeel Ahmed Eradicating Corruption: A Study of the German and the Pakistan Experience

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Jia Yajuan Chinese customs and China's efforts towards customs modernization and trade facilitation

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Liu Dongmin Market value, risks and regulation of Hedge Funds

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Madela, Mncedisi I. The EC-SADC EPA: A threat to regional integration and development

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Maitreyee Cross border higher education, educational hubs and the role of development countries: issues and trends

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Nicolella, Alexandre C. Impact of reducing the pre harvest burning of sugar-cane area on respiratory health in Brazil

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Nuraini, Yuanita Improving remuneration governance in Indonesia's banking sector: a comparative study

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Savira, Evi Maya Comparison of the implementation of performance management for civil servants in the EU member states (experiences of Germany and France)

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Shahzad, Shafiq Ahmad Monitoring and Evaluation of Aid for Trade: Methodological Issues, Constraints and the Way Forward

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Sharma, Harsh Green Jobs and the Decent Work Agenda: a study of the agricultural sector

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Soto Narvaez, Fabiola Assessing the Mexican international cooperation for development programme: a basic approach

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Tendenan, Vica Sakti Mantong Effective and efficient fiscal decentralization in Indonesia: Lessons learnt from European countries

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Tuteja, Rajesh Are Indian PSUs transparent, accountable and competitive?

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Villamar Nava, Zirahuén Mexico and the European Union in a Global Governance context: Towards an effective strategic partnership in the G20?

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Wang Youming EU's Global Governance versus China's Harmonious World

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Yang Yang European climate policy and its implication for China – Case studies of Carbon Border Tax Adjustments

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Abstract Alexis Comninos 'Crowdsourcing' security information: How the Internet and mobile phones can influence global security governance This paper examines new platforms for the generation, aggregation, curation and dissemination of crisis and security information that involve the Internet and other new information and communication technologies (ICTs) like mobile phones and Global Positioning System Receivers (GPSs). Political events such as the Iranian election crisis (2009) and natural disasters like the Haitian Earthquake (2010) have revealed that new tools for political action and humanitarian response have become relevant, involving the use of websites in conjunction with mobile phones. The 'crowdsourcing' of crisis information – sourcing information from an online community – is becoming increasingly important in influencing global reactions and collective response to crisis and security events, and is used by national and transnational actors involved in global security governance. Through these tools and events it is possible to identify new sites of cooperation in the fields of advocacy, political protest, conflict and crisis and humanitarian response that have emerged in online media. This paper introduces the concepts of content generation, curation and dissemination and investigates their use in conflict and crisis situations by looking at three online platforms: Twitter, Ushahidi (a tool used for crisis mapping) and SwiftRiver. These platforms differ from conventional online media and offline media because the creation, aggregation, curation and dissemination of crisis and security information can be 'crowdsourced' from the online communities that use the platforms. The author concludes that these new tools are helpful to raise awareness, but that one must also acknowledge that they are still often unrefined, hastily deployed, and present problems as well as solutions. More importantly, they are just tools, and their usage alone does not ensure their utility. For example, Twitter provided a lot of irrelevant 'noise' about the Haitian earthquake, thus its utility in providing hard data for humanitarian response is questionable and needs to be further investigated. And although the data submitted to Ushahidi usually go through a human filter, there is not much existing methodology to classify reports as reliable or unreliable. As a conclusion, if crowdsourced security information is to become reliable and effective in the future, a lot has still to be done in the area of methodological refinement in order to make sense of the torrent of information that is the content of today's internet.


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Abstract Lamees El-Araby Prospects for Egypt-EU cooperation in concentrated solar power: Potential for a win-win strategy The main purpose of this paper is to give a comprehensive outlook of the EUMENA region as regards the creation of a regional market of renewable energies. The author estimates that the region has a high potential to create such a market in the context of the Euro Mediterranean cooperation agreements, particularly in the area of concentrated solar power (CSP). A special emphasis is given to the relationship between the EU and Egypt, as the latter has a distinguished position in the CSP sector. The author starts by describing the significance of the topic: Creating a renewable energy market is considered as a prerequisite for sustainable development, for tackling climate change issues, and to avert the upcoming global energy crisis due to rising global energy demand. The second section of the paper gives a brief overview of the cooperation agreements in the EUMENA region, going back to the 70s and culminating in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP), the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM). Within this framework, the Egypt – EU association agreement (2001) forms the legal basis governing relations between Egypt and the EU. Finally, the paper analyses the prospects for Egypt-EU cooperation in solar energy by highlighting the Mediterranean solar plan (MSP) and the effectiveness of CSP. The author argues that by using renewable solar resource to generate electricity, CSP produces very low levels of greenhouse-gas emissions and thus has a strong potential to become a key technology for mitigating climate change. The EUMENA region has the potential to form a community for energy and climate security by putting deserts and technology into service for supply of clean and renewable energy. The European companies own the technology and the South Mediterranean countries deserts have the largest but least tapped sources of solar energy of the world - with an economical potential for over 100 times the demands of EUMENA. Against this background the existing EUMENA agreements could serve as fruitful basis for cooperation. The paper also shows that Egypt has a very distinguished position in CSP, thereby offering great potential for creating a common EU-Egyptian energy strategy: The installed capacity for CSP in Egypt (25 GW) is nearly equal to the sum of the capacity of all the other South Mediterranean countries, and the same is valid for Egypt's human capacity. Egypt's situation would therefore clearly benefit the EU as concerns cooperation in this area.


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Abstract Nihal Hassan Elwan Child centered research: Fighting for the rights of children This text is a report from the practice phase spent by the author at the Innocenti Research Centre (IRS) in Florence, Italy. After describing IRS as the research centre dedicated to UNICEF and contributing to the latter's strategic agenda, the author focuses on the two most important projects she has been working on during her stay. The first project is the “Child Friendly Cities” Initiative (CFCI), launched by UNICEF in 1996, and aiming at improving the well-being of children in cities around the world. A “child-friendly” city is understood as a local system of governance committed to fulfilling children's rights, and where children's opinions are taken into consideration and influence decision making processes. The CFC Secretariat supports the sharing of knowledge and experiences, and promotes research and analysis of the strategies and practices to implement children’s rights at the local level. The author's role was to conduct an exhaustive research of cities that have joined the initiative, to carefully study their respective approaches and to select cases to be included as Best Practices for the centre’s website. Examples of best practices according to the author are: The UNICEF Municipal Seal of Approval, a certification initiative for local public administrations in Brazil which monitors and awards municipalities that have significantly improved the standards of living for children and adolescents; the Calcutta City-Level Programme of Action for Street and Working Children (CLPOA), a programme coordinating a variety of efforts in favour of poor children and to promote child-rights oriented policies; and the “Child Friendly Cities Initiative“ in France, which aims at forming a network of French cities to strengthen the fulfillment of child rights and the implementation of the UNCRC. The second project the author worked on was the “Five country study on Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting”, a report analysing experiences in five African countries (Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal) fighting female genital mutilation (FGM). The author's task included reading the report, providing feedback and drafting a chapter on conclusions and recommendations for ensuring successful initiatives leading to wide-scale abandonment of FGM. According to the author, evidence from the five countries show that the following aspects will increase the probability of success of abandonment initiatives: taking into consideration the complex social dynamics of FGM; the need to tailor interventions to the local context (each practicing group needs its own pace and ways to abandon FGM); engaging „trustful sources“ in the process, i.e. religious and local leaders; reinforcing the positive aspects of local culture; engaging media to promote social change; legislative reform as part of a broader transformative process involving communities (formal sanctions may not suffice); and developing partnerships beyond national borders.


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Abstract Gao Yang What role does China play in regional cooperation in Asia? This text looks into China's role in regional cooperation in Asia by analysing the country's neighbourhood policy. The author suggests that China's role is mainly a constructive and positive one, and focuses on China's economic and security cooperation to show her point. The author rejects the often used argument that once China is developed, it will try to pursue its goal to dominate Asia's regional cooperation and to be a superpower. On the contrary, she shows that China has officially declared its objective to conduct a foreign policy of friendship and partnership, including the aim to “jointly create a peaceful, stable regional environment featuring equality, mutual trust and win-win cooperation”. This objective is strengthened by Asian countries sharing similar historical experiences (fight against colonialism, difficult path towards development). Also, the author argues that China's prosperity and security depends on the region's prosperity and security. The author then focuses on China's economic and security cooperation with other Asian countries to illustrate that China plays an active and constructive role in regional cooperation. In the area of economic cooperation, the text highlights China's role as an important export market and source of trade surplus for many Asian countries (Japan / ASEAN). Also, China's effort to fight against Asia's financial crisis and current world crisis have strengthened the regional cooperation between Asian countries. In the first case, thanks to appropriate measures and the provision of aid to other Asian countries, China succeeded in maintaining the fast economic growth, becoming the “engine” boosting the Asian economy. In both cases, regional cooperation has been consolidated and China has gradually become an important driving force for regional integration in Asia. The China-ASEAN FTA (2010) illustrates the confidence and determination of China and ASEAN countries to work together to fight against the financial crisis and advance trade and investment liberalisation. The FTA is also likely to create a sense of community amongst its members. As for security cooperation, China's “New Security Concept” initiated in the 1990s rejects the use of force for resolving conflicts and advocates for dialogues and cooperation, thus “outdating” the Cold War mentality of competing and antagonistic blocks. In this context, China has taken an active part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the ASIAN Regional Forum (ARF). Especially the SCO includes confidence building measures that have helped to resolve historical border disputes through friendly consultation between the members of the organisation. In recent years, the organisation has been including more fields of activity and has become a platform not only of security cooperation, but also for economic and cultural interaction. These many examples show that China is very likely to be dedicated to peaceful regional integration in the future.


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Abstract Shakeel Ahmed Imtiaz Eradicating Corruption: A Study of the German and the Pakistan Experience This article focuses on the phenomenon of corruption in police. Its main objective is to gain an in-depth understanding of anti-corruption measures in the public administration in Pakistan and Germany. Additionally, the study also examines preventive measures in both countries in terms of mitigating police corruption. In Germany prevention of corruption is dealt with by the federal States; important reports about corruption are sent to the Federal Criminal office, which acts as a central body for police information and intelligence. In order to strengthen anti-corruption regime in Germany, key actions were undertaken in recent years including legislative, law enforcement, organisation of administrative action and awareness/training of public administration professionals. The public debate in Germany regarding corruption is that the country is ‘clean’. The field studies carried out by the author in Berlin and North Rhine Westphalia show that police corruption is very low in Germany. However, the majority of the police corruption cases are not reported to the anti-corruption authorities. Generally speaking, various factors contribute to controlling police corruption, including a strong internal audit system, training and awareness of police on corruption prevention along with regular dissemination of the convicted policemen cases to all police stations, etc. The German public can also report cases of corruption in police to the police stations, public prosecutor, state criminal office and the parliament. In Pakistan, the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2002) provides an elaborate plan to tackle corruption. However, despite the presence of anti-corruption agencies, corruption is rampant in Pakistan. Accountability still largely remains unimplemented, as it is seen as a direct interference in the functioning of the police. According to the National Corruption Perception Survey 2010 of Transparency International Pakistan, the police is the most corrupt public sector in Pakistan. Various causes contribute to police corruption in Pakistan including the absence of sound internal and external checks, an inadequate working environment, the absence of modern documentation, lack of governance, etc. The study recommends that Pakistan should strengthen the internal and external accountability system in the public sector especially in the police department to curb corruption. As for Germany, a huge number of police corruption cases goes unreported, which should be brought into the main anti-corruption domain through an intensive public awareness and media campaign. At the institutional level corruption in police can be effectively tackled through the provision of a sound work environment, as well as training and able leadership, as National Highway & Motorway Police (NH&MP) has shown in Pakistan.


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Abstract Jia Yajuan Chinese Customs and China's Efforts towards Customs Modernization and Trade Facilitation In recent years, thanks to the successive rounds of multilateral, bilateral and regional trade negotiations, the tariffs and quotas for international trade have been greatly reduced. Consequently, the complexity and volume of international trade increased. Inefficient, unpredictable and outdated border clearance procedures and practices cause unnecessary financial costs and delays and also pose a challenge to the further development of international trade. This situation requires all trading nations to find ways to make the whole customs process of trading simpler, smoother and more efficient in order to increase trade and promote global income growth. This study presents an overview of Chinese customs from both a historical and a contemporary perspective and analyses China's current efforts towards customs modernisation and trade facilitation. With China's access to WTO and gradual integration into the global economy, the traditional customs management has become outdated in this country. Chinese customs is challenged by increasing demands for speedier processing from both domestic and foreign traders. In this context, trade facilitations goes beyond the modernisation of customs procedures and includes port logistics, standards harmonisation, business mobility, trade information and e-business facilities. The author describes the efforts towards customs modernisation undertaken by China since 1994 in order to be in line with the international practices. These efforts are not yet concluded, but evidence shows that the reform projects for building a modern customs regime have been carried out smoothly until now, based on the following principles: Compliances and Facilitation (enterprises with “good reputation” have the priority in terms of declaration, inspection and clearance); Strict supervision and Fast clearance (intensive document examination nationwide with standardised procedures; e-customs); Trade Security and Facilitation; International Communication and Cooperation (basically through the World Customs Organisation / WCO). The study concludes that great efforts are being made by China towards a customs modernisation and trade facilitation. However, Chinese customs still have a long way to go, especially in terms of general management (capacity building of customs officers), international cooperation and cooperation with enterprises (demand-driven services) and operational and technical aspects. The author also recommends more political will and support, as well as a clear strategic plan for further supporting the trade facilitation process.


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Abstract Liu Dongmin Market Value, Risks and Regulation of Hedge Funds Hedge funds have known a rapid development in the 21st century. Governments and academic circles in developed countries gradually recognise the positive market value of hedge funds. However, the financial crisis has again spurred arguments about the relationship between hedge funds and financial stability. A comprehensive and objective evaluation of the market value and risks attached to hedge funds is therefore crucial for policy makers to decide how to regulate them. This study wants to contribute to this general understanding. After giving an overview over the historical and current situation of hedge funds, the author focuses on the market value of hedge funds, arguing that they do not only create higher returns for investors, but that they also relatively safe investment instruments. The author then goes on describing the risks of hedge funds and dedicates one sub-chapter to their regulation (such as the registration of hedge fund managers, the registration of large scale hedge funds and the restraint of the use of leverage). The study concludes that hedge funds at large play a positive role in the financial markets. There are potential hazards on the markets (information opacity can lead to fraud; over use of high leverage by a few hedge funds), but they are seriously overstated by public opinion. Compared to other investment vehicles such as mutual funds and pension funds (both having a much larger scale than hedge funds), hedge funds have a higher rate of return and lower risks both in the long term as in the specific case of the financial crisis. More and more traditional institution investors such as pension and endowment funds put an increasing amount of money into hedge funds to improve their performance, a trend which will most likely persist. The author argues that the advantages of hedge funds lies in their alternative character and diversity. The alternative character refers to the uniqueness of their investment pattern which help them achieve high rates of return and a low correlation with the market index. The diversity guarantees the low correlation within the hedge funds, so that the hedge fund industry as a whole is characterised by a relatively low volatility even during severe crisis. In conclusion, the author argues that hedge funds provide investors with an effective tool against systemic risks. Regulation of hedge funds is necessary but should not be too rigid, in order to keep a balance between financial stability and economic efficiency.


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Abstract Mncedisi I. Madela The EC-SADC EPA: A Threat to Regional Integration and Development This study focuses on the Interim Economic Partnership Agreements (IEPAs) which the European Commission (EC) negotiates on behalf of the European Union (EU) with a group of countries under the Southern African Developing Countries (SADC) EPA configuration. The aim of the paper is to show how external pressures tend to undermine the effort of African governments to consolidate regional integration. Such pressures are a serious threat to Africa's development, the author argues, since the promotion of regional integration is one of the catalysts for economic development and ultimately contributes to eliminating poverty. The author shows that some issues within the framework of the EPAs, such as the elimination of export taxes, could constitute an obstacle to development. Also, the presence of anti-development clauses in the SADC IEPA completely contradicts the Cotonou Agreement (2000). The official argument of the EC that EPAs are a vital instrument for promoting regional integration and development co-operation is therefore flawed, the author argues. The biggest challenge is that the IEPAs include liberalisation on trade in services and “new generation issues” such as government procurement, competition policy and investment – issues that were dropped by the majority of developing countries in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for curtailing the growth of local industries, and which do not form part of the multilateral trade agenda. The author argues that the liberalisation of services from the EU will allow companies to dominate the services sector in signing countries and counter internally generated production: that African countries will be prevented from diversifying trade partners in the future; and that regional development initiatives will become difficult to implement, as countries will have different commitments with different trading partners on services. A further problem is that some countries within the SADC EPA configuration have shown interest to negotiate on these issues (Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique, also BLS-M), while others oppose them (Angola, Namibia and South Africa, also ANSA group). This ultimately creates a division among the countries of the Southern African Custom Union (SACU) and in the region at large, and raises questions about the prospects for future regional integration initiatives. The author strongly suggests that the EPAs should be approached very cautiously, mainly by putting the regional development agenda in the fore-front. Also, more efforts have to be directed towards ensuring that there is a common negotiation position among SACU member states. This would lead towards a more progressive approach when these countries engage with other future trade partners such as China, Brazil and India.


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Abstract Maitreyee Cross border higher education, educational hubs and the role of development countries: issues and trends In the context of globalisation higher education has undergone major changes. This is especially true for cross-border education which has grown in scope and scale in the last few years, with competition and commercialisation becoming critical drivers. The growing employment opportunities and increased skill requirements to compete in the global labor market are important reasons for the expansion of the sector. After introducing the concept of Cross Border Higher Education (CBHE), this paper presents the idea of considering education as trade under GATS, given that cross border higher education is growing at a tremendous rate, as shown by the increasing importance of students', teachers' and institutions' mobility. However, considering education under GATS is a controversial issue. Critics argue that education can never be treated as a tradable commodity, and that cross-border education would always have a revenue generation approach to the disadvantage of developing countries. Trade enthusiasts are convinced that the commercialisation of higher education at the global level is unavoidable in the near future and that it is up to the countries to prepare themselves to benefit from the new opportunities of the global market. The paper then goes on analysing the emergence of educational hubs as well as the efforts made by developing countries to attract foreign institutions of higher education. In India and China, for example, due to the “brain drain” problem several initiatives have been taken to attract both domestic and international students. In most developing countries there is broad acceptance that CBHE can provide the much-needed quality education in professional disciplines and emerging specialisations; and in some countries, even address the problem of access. At the same time there is a concern that CBHE, with emphasis on economic gain, can have a deleterious effect on indigenous higher education systems, encourage a new form of elitism and its operation may not be in consonance with national policies and national interests. As a conclusion, the author argues that the dominant flow of cross-border students continues to be from the developing to the developed countries. If developing countries want to become centres of excellence in the field of higher education, they will have to consider aspects such as the quality of the program and the infrastructure available for a proper educational environment. China and India are on their way to become such centres while it remains to be seen how fast they can reach their objective. The author also argues that while allowing the international players into the domestic sphere, the concerns referring to the negative impact of CBHE need to be addressed and proper regulations have to be in place to control, restrict or monitor the activities of foreign providers.


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Abstract Alexandre C. Nicolella Impact of reducing the pre harvest burning of sugar-cane area on respiratory health in Brazil Ethanol is gaining importance as a biofuel in the world energy matrix. This growth of ethanol demand has been supplied by a great increase in the area of sugar-cane production in Brazil, the principal producer being the state of São Paulo. Due to this expansion of sugar-cane and the coexistence of two different production systems (one implying previous burning), some questions arise about the health, social and environmental impact of ethanol production. This paper analyses the impact of the increase in the raw sugar-cane harvest area on the population respiratory health in Brazil. To conduct his study, the author collected data from the São Paulo state municipalities in two different periods. The first period, 2000, is before the introduction of the state law that gradually implements the diminishing of pre-burning sugar-cane area (2002 Law 11.241) and the second period is 2007. For the study panel models with robust standard error and controls for the endogeneity between health and pollution caused by the individual heterogeneity were used. The author implemented models for inpatient visits due to respiratory diseases, outpatient visits for inhalation procedure and length of stay for inpatient visits due to respiratory diseases. Four main results can be derived from this paper. Firstly, the increase in raw sugar-cane harvested area decreases the number of inpatient visits and the total fleet and industrial energy consumption increases the number of inpatient visits. Secondly, environmental factors are important to explain the inpatient visits and inhalation. The third important result is related to health goods. The numbers of health professionals decrease the number of inpatient visits and inhalation. So, more accessible health goods can improve considerably health status. Therefore, when decreasing the pollution is relatively difficult in the short term, investment in health goods can partially compensate the pollution effect. Finally, the salary decreases the number of inpatient visits and inhalation. Thus, better salaries are associated with better education and so to a better efficiency and capacity to invest in health. Therefore, the study concludes that the state law and the protocol signed in 2007 that gradually eliminate the pre-buring areas apparently had an important contribution to the improvement of the population respiratory health in the state of São Paulo. This effect is relatively large if compared with other sources of pollution. As a general conclusion, the author argues that investments in new technologies and government incentives that can increase the adoption of raw sugar-cane harvest can considerably improve the population health conditions in Brazil.


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Abstract Yuanita Nuraini Improving remuneration governance in Indonesia's banking sector: a comparative study One of the lessons learned from the financial crisis was the acknowledgement of corporate governance as an important factor of the crisis. One of the issues discussed is that remuneration in financial institution does not encourage employees to have a long term perspective and does not correlate with the risk taken by the employee. This situation results in excessive risks taken by the employee and endangers the financial institutions. For this reason the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) within the G20 has issued principles for Sound Compensation Practices. Some countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia and Germany established regulations that address remuneration in their banking systems. This paper compares four regulations issued by those countries under the FSF approach, and on this basis gives recommendations for improving remuneration governance in Indonesia's banking sector. In the first part, the author presents the three pillars suggested by the FSF to improve the remuneration scheme: 1) Effective Governance Compensation, 2) Effective alignment of compensation with prudent risk taking and 3) Effective supervisory oversight and engagements by stakeholders. She then gives a comprehensive overview over the regulations issued by the four countries according to these three pillars. In the final part of the study, the author relates the information back to the Indonesian case. She argues that as a member of the G20, Indonesia has agreed to support the FSB Sound Compensation Practice and should do so. However, some important points regarding regulation approaches should be considered on the basis of the lessons learned from the above mentioned cases. Firstly, the regulations should be introduced slowly, giving enough time to the industry, since the remuneration system is complex, and very much related to the competitiveness of the bank. A clear explanation of each principle is essential in the introduction period, as well as good communication and consultancy to the industry. A complain and explain approach may give some room and time for the banking sector to adjust to the new regime. Secondly, there should be no one size fit all approach: The more complex the bank, the more sophisticated the remuneration should be. Hence in the early phase the judgements from the supervisors are important. In general, regarding the content of the regulation, the Bank of Indonesia should cover all the principle of the FSF Sound Remuneration System as a form of commitment to the G20.


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Abstract Evi Maya Savira Comparison of the implementation of performance management for civil servants in the EU member states (experiences of Germany and France) The existence of civil services is important to support the well being of societies. Therefore, the performance of civil servants should be designed and developed in sustainable ways to reduce the potential of corruption in the public sector, to improve the quality of public service and public goods delivery as well as to improve the performance of public policy. This paper analyses the implementation of civil servants' performance management in the EU’s Member States in general, and specifically in Germany and France. The author intends to use the analysis to make policy recommendations to the Indonesian government in designing and developing performance management instruments for civil servants. The main part of the study is dedicated to the comparative description of the implementation of civil servants performance management in Germany and France. A special focus is given to these two countries' strategies, the challenges met, the instruments and policies proposed. The study analyses the philosophy of the selected countries' civil service performance management, the prior conditions needed in order to implement it, the legal framework that regulate it, the instruments that are used to manage performance and reward good performance, and the impact of civil service performance management, for instance on reducing corruption in the public sector. The author emphasises that for both countries, performance measurement in public service is said to be particularly difficult to attain, because many aspects of individual performance are hard to quantify, and because only insufficient information on the performance is available. As for the comparison between both countries, the evaluation systems are difficult to compare due to differences both in quality and quantity. Whereas Germany has introduced a system aimed basically at recognising special achievements monetarily and improving the communication between supervisors and employees, in France performance management is a holistic system based on the performance budget scheme. The author concludes that firstly, the implementation of performance management depends on cultural factors and political will. Different countries will therefore produce different achievements and styles and a specific system cannot be fully implemented to another situation without adjustment. Secondly, there is a risk that performance management will reduce the sensitivity to public needs if civil servants become more focused on achieving their target than attentive to the citizens he or she serves. And thirdly, there is no perfect performance measurement system, as measuring people is a dynamic and never ending process.


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Abstract Shafiq Ahmad Shahzad Monitoring and Evaluation of Aid for Trade: Methodological Issues, Constraints and the Way Forward Over the past few years, the idea of “Aid for Trade” (AfT) has attained greater significance as part of the Development Agenda. It has been widely acknowledged at various international forums that developing countries need support to cope with the challenges of globalisation. Resultantly, current aid for trade initiatives seems unprecedented in terms of budgetary allocations, geographical spread and thematic coverage. The subject has not only been covered under the overarching framework of the Doha Development Agenda but also being addressed in the context of regional and bilateral Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). The donor agencies have currently scaled up their aid programs including aid for trade in the developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve Millennium Development Goals thorough improved trade competitiveness. As a result, there has been a growing concern to asses whether the initiatives under AfT have produced the intended results in the partner countries. The increasing demand for greater accountability and transparency requires result based monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of aid programs and projects. The M&E is considered as an effective public management tool that aids governments and international organisations to monitor progress of the projects and measure the results achieved so far. Over the years, there has been a transformation in the area of M&E from a traditional implementation based approach to a modern result based approach. This approach helps governments and international organisations answer the key question as to what extent the particular program or intervention has achieved intended results and whether the objectives of the program were achieved. In exploring these issues, this paper outlines the rationale of Aid for Trade programs for developing countries and summarises the significance of an effective monitoring and evaluation for such programs. It then explains the scope, coverage and nature of monitoring and evaluation approaches and reviews the existing methodologies. Furthermore, the paper highlights the major issues and constraints which policy makers are facing with regard to their applicability on Aid for Trade initiatives. Finally, on the basis of available generic guidelines, this paper attempts to suggest a way forward. While acknowledging the complexities involved in this field, this paper argues that since aid for trade has attained priority in the global development agenda, the initiatives need to be effectively monitored and evaluated to guarantee the desired outcomes. The author suggests a monitoring and evaluation framework for aid for trade based on “Program Logic” that would establish a causal sequence of intervention starting from inputs to set of activities, outputs and finally leads up to outcomes and impacts. An effective and careful planning from the outset of the programme is crucial for the whole exercise of evaluation. Finally the author also suggests a mix of quantitative and qualitative instruments, and emphasises the need to involve the partners more effectively in the evaluation.


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Abstract Harsh Sharma Green Jobs and the Decent Work Agenda: a study of the agricultural sector This paper seeks to examine the relationship between decent and green jobs in the context of the agricultural sector in developing countries, with a special focus on India. Climate change concerns are gradually shifting to the centre of developmental debate in emerging and developing countries. The main concern of developing countries is the probable impact of climate adaptation and mitigation measures on their economic growth and social development. In this context a lot of attention is being given to the nature and quantity of jobs produced and destroyed by these measures. Another question related to these new jobs concerns the working conditions, wages and other decent work parameters. The author argues that not all “green jobs” are decent jobs, and there is also an uncertainty about the number of jobs so created vis-à-vis the number of jobs destroyed in the traditional fossil fuel based economy. Agriculture is one of the biggest employers of workforce in the world. It is also one of the major emitters of greenhouse gases. To get the climate change response right, emphasis on this sector is of paramount importance. The term “Sustainable Agriculture” is now commonly used to describe agricultural practices which have no negative impact in the long term on climate or productivity. In terms of process, sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does no harm to the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports rural communities. There is a growing consensus that organic, sustainable agricultural practices can provide synergistic benefits that include mitigating climate change. This paper suggests that as the movement towards organic agriculture gets traction, it is important that the concerns of the workers and subsistence farmers are taken onboard. According to the author, there is some evidence that if a country shifted to a more labour intensive sustainable agricultural system, the demand for labour would increase, and wages would also incrase. However, comprehensive longitudinal studies are still very rare in the area. In an emerging country like India, organic farming can help to meet the twin challenges of food security and job creation. However, this requires close integration of agricultural, environmental and labour policy. In India, by definition most of the farming by subsistence farmers can be called organic. Most of these farms are small and not certified as organic. Further, policy environment is hugely leaned towards chemical farming. Labour issues especially in informal sectors like agriculture are left to market forces. There is an attempt in public works programmes to use organic farming for job creation. The author concludes that it will require long term planning, an enabling policy environment and education to farmers to build a sustainable agriculture which can support decent jobs and ensure food security.


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Abstract Fabiola Soto Narvaez Assessing the Mexican International Cooperation Development Programme: a basic approach This paper assesses the current Mexican International Cooperation Development programme by comparing it to the German and Spanish cases. Since Mexico achieved substantial economic growth, it has been gradually transforming itself from an aid recipient country to an emerging donor. In this context Mexico is aware of its responsibility towards developing countries, especially its Southern neighbours. Mexico is confronted with the challenge to find a more efficient way to address development problems inside and outside the country, and to construct a national development cooperation strategy. The country has already made some steps to reach this endeavour and a Mexican Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID) is being on the process to be implemented within the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry. The bilateral and regional approach of the International Cooperation for Development Programme will be the guideline for the implementation of a dual development policy, as a minor recipient and as an emerging donor. The paper provides a number of recommendations to optimise this approach. The author concludes that many features of Germany's and Spain's development policies should be considered by Mexico to elaborate its guidelines for the International Cooperation for Development Programme. Generally, the countries share the same fundamental principles of development cooperation, although their policies present substantial differences regarding the implementation and the organisational structure. The author suggests that Mexico should use a new scope of partner countries within its traditional bilateral approach. It should also chose a more innovative way of cooperation with the Multi-Country Association Strategy that responds to a more up to date global challenges. Recognising Mexico’s potential for triangular cooperation, this path should be chosen as well, as long as the cooperation takes place within the traditional frame used by bilateral cooperation. Regarding the sectors, the paper concludes that the topics should be of common interest to Mexico and to its partners, respect the Paris declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action and correspond to the interests of Mexican Foreign Policy. Finally, the author recalls that a formal law initiative has been presented by the Mexican government for the creation of the AMEXCID, but that most of the recommendations addressed in this paper could also be implemented within the current institutional framework. Their early implementation would certainly be an advantage for the creation of the Mexican Agency of International Cooperation for Development.


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Abstract Vica Sakti Mantong Tendenan Effective and efficient fiscal decentralization in Indonesia: Lessons learnt from European countries The big bang process of decentralisation in Indonesia in early 2000 has radically transformed Indonesia to become one of the most decentralised countries in the world. Since then, Indonesia has undergone continuous reforms to make the most of decentralisation, including improving the fiscal decentralisation system. The improvement of the fiscal decentralisation system in particular is crucial to make sure that local governments have enough financial resources to finance the decentralised public service provisions. This is done through building effective and efficient intergovernmental transfer system. The aim of this study is to draw lessons from fiscal decentralisation models in European countries, especially in designing the intergovernmental grants. European countries have different models and length of decentralisation experience, and a wide variety of degree of fiscal decentralisation. Some countries have long established and sophisticated fiscal federalism models such as Germany, the United Kingdom and France, while others have recently adopted decentralisation systems such as the transition countries in Eastern Europe. The diversity of European countries offers an extensive experiences Indonesia can learn from in order to improve its current intergovernmental transfer system. After a very substantive overview over the existing types of intergovernmental fiscal transfer in different European countries, the author describes the current transfer system in Indonesia (consisting of revenue sharing, general purpose grants (Dana Alokasi Umum-DAU), and specific-purpose grants). The study finds that the general grants formula in Indonesia can be improved by reevaluating fiscal need indicators in order to fully reflect the real needs of the local communities. In particular, the fiscal needs should be directly related to standardised public services and public expenditures. The fiscal capacity should measure the revenue potential of local governments, not the actual revenue collection in order not to “punish” local governments with high tax effort and compensate those with low tax efforts. The study also recommends fully using fiscal gap formula in the general grants in order to effectively reduce fiscal imbalances across local governments. Finally, this study suggests providing more taxing power to local governments in order to reduce their dependency on transfers from the central governments. Incentive mechanisms should also be introduced into the system to encourage local governments to fully act in the interest of their respective constituents.


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Abstract Rajesh Tuteja Are Indian PSUs transparent, accountable and competitive? Foot prints of oil plume that spread across the Gulf of Mexico or the prosecution of the Chairman and Directors of Union Carbide in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy are only few instances which show that society will not allow the business-as-usual to go on, and that policy actors will have take the concept of sustainable economy seriously. Mankind is currently exhausting the planet's limited natural resources and consequently the effects of a sustainability crisis is evolving slowly, but its impact will be deeper, wider and more costly than the global financial crisis. This paper analyses CSR reporting practices among state owned and private companies in India and gives a number of recommendations to improve the situation. Indian Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) initiated in the 1960s continue to be the drivers of economic growth. In the 12th Five Year Plan infrastructure facilities for Public Private Partnerships are improved, leaving PSUs their dominant role in carrying out their social obligations. However, when it comes to reporting on their Economic, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, their record is quite dismal when compared to state owned companies of other developed and emerging economies. In the author s view, PSUs should play the role of trend setters and adopt sustainable environmental policies. Recently, multilateral companies in India have been more transparent in reporting their various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and give more importance to non financial matters such as human rights, business ethics, environmental issues and governance. The author suggests that this has a “rub-off” effect on both PSUs and private entities, who are now starting to report on their ESC performances. CSR is becoming an increasingly prominent and accepted part of the corporate strategy agenda in India. In the present era of low trust in the corporate world the importance of the sustainability reporting cannot be undermined. This paper suggests that India has to be proactive in CSR reporting practices, as the country is still considered way behind many others in terms of transparency, reliability and communicating its ESG performance. To avoid new financial scandals, India should make ESG reporting obligatory for companies – of a certain size, listed companies, state-owned companies, or large emitters. Sustainability reporting can no longer remain the speciality of a few top 50-70 corporations. It needs to be mainstreamed and scaled up. The paper therefore concludes that India should come up with enlightened regulations and provide for minimum standards for ESG reporting by PSUs and leave enough space for voluntary disclosure and innovations, as is the practice in countries like China, Denmark, France, South Africa, Sweden and others.


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Abstract Zirahuén Villamar Nava Mexico and the European Union in a Global Governance context: Towards an effective strategic partnership in the G20? This paper analyses the European Union's (EU) and Mexico's role as global governance actors by focusing specifically on their endeavours to reform the International Financial Institutions (IFIs). To do so, the author firstly analyses both countries' perceptions of Global Governance, as well as their commitment to support it. He then looks into the countries' participation in the G20. And finally, he comments on the Strategic Partnership between the EU and Mexico, a framework of dialogue and cooperation also considering the reform of the IFIs. The main question guiding the analysis is whether the two countries' open commitment to IFI reform is a mere matter of discourse, or whether it will be useful for the implementation of global economic governance. The comparison between the EU's and Mexico's perceptions of Global Governance reveals that both countries officially support multilateral approaches. Global Governance has been adopted by the EU as a key instrument for external relations, and has been supported by the Mexican government for a long time. Nonetheless, prospect of an IFI reform supported by the EU are difficult since the priority of the member states after the crisis is to limit the damages in their own national systems rather than securing a more efficient monetary and financial international complex. As for Mexico, analysts suggest that a lack of national strategy and leadership resulting in inconsistent foreign policies obstaculises the country's active role in global governance. As regards the role of the G20 in reforming the IFIs, the author underlines that this body of nations – including Mexico and the EU – has explicitly expressed the need to reform the IFIs, with immediate and medium run actions. However, the author rises some doubts about the effectiveness of these projects, especially since the scope of interest of the G20 is very broad, and some aspects are clearly mandated to be solved in other institutionalised (and potentially more legitimate) bodies such as the WTO or the UN. Finally, one of the explicit commitments of the Strategic Partnership between the EU and Mexico relates to reforming the IFIs. Here too, however, it is clear that despite their “like-minded” discourses both countries have either divergent interests or different priorities at the moment. Up to now, the two countries have not succeeded in their endeavours to reform the IFIs within the framework of their Strategic Partnership, and will not do so in the short or medium-run. The paper concludes that, given the current economic and financial world crisis, the EU and Mexico should do everything to support a fundamental reform of the IFIs. However, the issue of reforming the IFIs seems to be at a dead end for the moment: It is not an authentic priority for the EU, nor for the United States. As for Mexico, it has not played wisely its possibilities to cooperate with other emerging economies to achieve this aim.


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Abstract Wang Youming EU's Global Governance versus China's Harmonious World Two new theories are competing to be the dominant perspectives on international relations in the new century. One is the EU's global governance concept. The other one is China's concept of harmonious world. Although these two theories come from totally different political systems and cultural backgrounds, they offer similarities. Both support multilateralism on the grounds that unilateralism can only lead to confrontations and to splitting the international community. Both support sustainable development as well. However, this paper focuses on the differences between both concepts. The author identifies three sets of differences, the first being a different perception on universal values, the second a different understanding of sovereignty, and the third a different interpretation of the function of the nation state. Regarding the first difference, the author argues that for the EU, global governance cannot be implemented without common normative foundations and universal values applying to all. On the contrary, China through its concept of harmonious world does not regard the acceptance of “so-called” universal values as the precondition for building an orderly and peaceful world. The concept emphasizes the importance of respecting diversity which features different political systems, development models, religious beliefs and cultural traditions. As for the second difference, it seems that the EU is no longer considering sovereignty as something sacred that cannot be touched. For the sake of good global governance, sovereignty should be (at least partly) transferred to international organisations. For China, however, good (global) governance does not mean that national states should weaken or give up their sovereignty. Successful global cooperation can only function if states respect each other's full sovereignty. Finally, in terms of the function of the nation state the author underlines that from a EU perspective the world is entering into a “post-Westphalian” era where the nation state is no longer the main actor. On the contrary, for China the nation state still retains the principle role in international governance. The time has not yet come for the state to retreat and act as an assistant player. The paper concludes that the similarities between both concepts allow for practical cooperation. On the other hand, divergence is not necessarily an obstacle to the coexistence of these concepts. Rather, the differences in perspective offer opportunities for mutual learning and exchange. Ultimately, both concepts have the potential to complement and promote each other.


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Abstract Yang Yang European climate policy and its implication for China – Case studies of Carbon Border Tax Adjustments This paper analyses the impacts of the EU's climate policy on China, focusing specifically on Carbon Border Tax Adjustments (BTAs). After highlighting the challenges of climate change for human society, the paper focuses on the EU climate policy. The EU has played a leading role in global environmental governance, with policies aiming at reducing emissions by 20%, boosting the share of renewable energy to 20%, and reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2020 (the so-called ’20-20-20’ package). One of the key obstacles to such policies is the fear that they may put domestic industries at a disadvantage relative to producers in countries that do not take similar actions. A policy option proposed to counteract any competitive disadvantage are BTAs, a trade measure that would try to level the playing field between domestic producers facing costly climate change measures and foreign producers facing very few. The author then explores the major issues in the current debate around BTAs: the underlying issue of competitiveness; the legal aspects of BTA use; economic effectiveness; administrative feasibility and, finally, wider geopolitical implications. His conclusions are that BTAs are probably not very effective, do not safeguard environmental integrity, and that they make international cooperation on climate change more rather than less difficult. Also, they are a violation of multilateral trade principles requiring equal treatment for equal goods, and therefore a disguised form of protectionism. Particularly developing countries are concerned that these measures would hurt their interests and trigger disputes in international trade. Interestingly, however, the author observes that China faces increasing pressure to reduce its CO2 emissions, and is beginning to understand that it must participate in the rule-making process of international trade and climate change in its own interest. In this context, China has started to learn to study the BTAs, and it is very unlikely that it will chose the confrontational way, such as anti-dumping measures, to solve the pending trade issues. Rather, the author suggests that diplomacy and negotiations will be at the centre of the relationship between China and the EU regarding climate change issues.


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