European Community (EC) development aid claims to be focused on poverty reduction, human rights, participation and democracy. But it is debatable how much civil society organisations influence the Country Strategy Papers that determine how this aid is distributed. 

In November 2000, the EC adopted an aid distribution process based on Country Strategy Papers. Governments were meant to draw up these strategies for national development, in partnership with local civil society.

If properly focused, the large sums of aid involved (the European Union gave 28.7 billion euros in 2002) could contribute greatly to democratic development and poverty reduction. However, while the EC talks about addressing the needs of people living in poverty, its current aid practice is often determined by security and commercial agendas, political decisions taken in Brussels and historic EC funding priorities. These issues are addressed in a paper from the British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND), UK that also reviews civil society’s role in EC development assistance in Kenya, Senegal, Bolivia and India.

Lack of accountability is reflected in the scale of EC support to large infrastructure projects and macroeconomic support of uncertain benefit to people living in poverty. Aid programmes, European Union member states and developing country governments often treat civil society organisations as little more than project implementors. Officials often assume that ‘participation’ simply means funding NGO projects.

The paper finds that:

• EC’s reluctance to promote participation reinforces the Indian government’s own top-down approach to development.
• In Bolivia, EC aid effectively endorses undemocratic economic policies imposed by the World Bank.
• The geographical split in the EC aid bureaucracy – with different Directorate Generals responsible for aid support to African, Carribean and Pacific (ACP) and Asia and Latin America (ALA) states – undermines moves towards coherent foreign, development and trade policies.
• Some EC delegations do not follow policy guidance to negotiate with governments on how to work with civil society.
• In the EC’s Brussels headquarters there are few permanent staff with expertise in human rights and democracy issues.

The researchers argue that Europe has an opportunity to promote effective and accountable aid. If Europe is to become a credible influence in development and foreign policy:

• Foreign ministers, commissioners and in-country EC delegations must convey a consistent view and prioritise the democratic accountability of Europe’s development aid.
• Participation of civil society in policy formulation, particularly of marginalised groups, must be made legally binding.
• Civil society organisations must be acknowledged for their vital roles in forming policy, designing, implementing and monitoring programmes, and raising public awareness.
• Funding for increasing the skills and resources of non-governmental organisations must be increased.
• Europe must speak up against inappropriate policies under the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers promoted by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Source(s):
‘Implementors or actors? Reviewing civil society’s role in European Community development assistance in Kenya, Senegal, Bolivia and India’, British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND), 2004 (PDF) Full document.
Further details about this research project 'Ensuring Civil Society Participation in EC Development Assistance Programmes' Full document.

Funded by: European Community’s Poverty Reduction Effectiveness Programme (EC PREP)

id21 Research Highlight: 13 January 2006

Further Information:
Mikaela Gavas
British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND)
Regent’s Wharf, 8 All Saints Street
London N1 9RL
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 78378344
Fax: +44 (0)20 78374220
Contact the contributor: mgavas@bond.org.uk  

British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND)

Other related links:
'Aid flows: are donors and NGOs working together or against each other?'

'Towards inclusive poverty reduction policies: lessons from Uganda'

'Can bilateral donors make local communities ‘own’ Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers?'

Civil society and the OECD, Policy brief from OECD

The Reality of Aid Report, 2004