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Whither EC Aid? Towards a new approach for the

assessment of development cooperation

Introduction to the process and

Key emerging issues

Gwénaëlle Corre

ECDPM

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Project background• Global agenda: from Accra meeting to

the Reform Treaty and Doha• The EC plays a crucial role in EU

development cooperation- As a sizeable donor in its own right- As a facilitator

• But it is not systematically reviewed as a one-of-a-kind donor whose performance also highly depends on MS’ decisions

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Initial Discussion NoteAudience: limited to key

stakeholders

Interviews with 30 key stakeholder

s

Literature Review of 40 sources

e-Consultationweca-ecaid.eu

European roundtables

Southerndebates & workshops

Bibliography

Key recommendations

Reactions on roundtables

& workshops

Key events calendar

Comments on

discussion note

Phase 3: Final Report

Audience: initially 500 stakeholders directly associatedMultiplying effect of the e-consultationDissemination of information by participants to the roundtables

CONSULTATIVE

PROCESSDYNAM

ICPHASE 1:Research

PHASE 2 : Consultation

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Consultation Phase• Opportunity to get views from various groups of

stakeholders in informal setting about EC performance and Aid Effectiveness

• How can Spain contribute to the discussions with other MS, the EC and other EU institutions?

• How could this process most efficiently feed and fit into the EU preparations for Accra?

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Initial Discussion Note

• Result of limited stocktaking of views

• Statements hereafter reflect (recurring) opinions of interviewees and authors – not ECDPM/Action Aid views

• A basis for discussion

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Structuring the issues

Key issues on EC aid: 5 clusters Main concepts & policy priorities Aid architecture and management support

priorities? Added value of EC aid Accountability Ownership and partnership

>> summarised under 4 topics for further discussion

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Added value and comparative advantages of EC Cooperation

• Significant differences of perspective between stakeholders

• Questions about the potential advantages and how they turn out in practice

• EC capacity under constraint: facing unrealistic or contradictory demands from stakeholders?

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Institutional architecture of EC Development Cooperation

• Finding the right balance between poverty reduction and policy mix: how can the task division amongst services, budget structure and geographic policy split further adjust?

• To what extent will setup of the Common External Service support a stronger consistency for EC Cooperation?

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Policy reform and Implementation

• Implementation of major policy developments

• Adjusting skills to the vision, the role of political interface and the meaning of partnership

• What space conceded by Member States?

• What space for partners in strategic choices?

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Accountability and monitoring for impact

• Taking into account a multi level accountability and addressing tensions emerging from diverse expectations of different stakeholders

• Moving from accountancy to accounting for impact

• Paris targets and beyond: what can help to move the system forward?

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Implications

• Lack of common understanding on concepts and priorities hampers assessment of EC aid effectiveness

• EC as a federator and catalyst of EU development cooperation – how much space given by MS?

• Reflection needed on how to enable in practice broad-based partner ownership

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Discussing arising issues

• What could/should be a common European position in Accra?

• How can the new modalities of outcome-based conditionality and forms of political dialogue improve impact?

• What is the Spanish position towards the EU code of conduct on division of labour?

• What is expected from the new set-up of RELEX, DGDEV and the External Action Service “after Lisbon”?

• and others to be brought up by the participants.• Your ideas about the follow up of the WECA process.

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To participate further:

weca-ecaid.eu

Your comments are welcome