The European Union is committed to promote democracy, good governance and human rights while furthering sustainable development and poverty eradication. This requires specific interventions and making this agenda an essential part every project and programme, and in political dialogue.

Research from One World Action, a non-government organisation in the UK, analyses European Community (EC) aid projects in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Guatemala, Morocco, Mozambique, Peru and Rwanda. (European Community refers to development co-operation managed by the European Commission). All these countries are said to have difficult environments, weak government capacity and under-developed state institutions.

The European Union (EU) has put together a set of strong policies on development, governance, democracy and human rights. Promoting these values in a sensitive and respectful way is difficult, particularly with new commitments to partner country ownership. Also, wider EU interests such as political strategy or trade can compromise policy coherence.

Although many valuable programmes and projects are being supported, they do not yet comprise systematic action on governance, democracy and human rights. Supporting the various improvements and changes needs long-term interventions that go beyond development projects. It requires that donors support change not just through aid but also through their policies in other areas, such as trade and foreign affairs.

Despite its stated commitment to governance, democracy and human rights, the EC's visibility as a key player on this agenda is low. The researchers find that:

• there is little EC support to programmes aiming to empower local governance systems
• support for human rights, election monitoring and strengthening local democracy, receives very little funding although it is less costly than support for infrastructure or agriculture
• a lack of understanding on how to make their agenda a key component of the programmes; insufficient donor co-ordination and management; and institutional constraints are significantly slowing down any change or improvements
• direct budget support can strengthen dialogue between EU and the governments on policy and public spending choices, and can help to build state capacity and greater accountability
• technical assistance is being used increasingly to support socio-economic and political reform processes: donors do not seem to differentiate much between strengthening government institutions and influencing by providing technical assistance.

Strengthening governance and democratisation at the local level is important. Good governance relies not just on ownership by governments but also on media and public scrutiny; and transparency and accountability.

Key recommendations include:

• The EC should have a systematic information strategy to publicise its goals, values and examples of good practice.
• The EC could expand its role in improving relations between the government and civil society: these are decisive factors in determining civil society's scope for awareness raising, advocacy and service delivery.
• Support to local governments to strengthen their ability to participate better in policymaking would be valuable to national level governance systems.
• Donor co-ordination has to improve if aid has to be effective.

Source(s):
'Talking about Governance, European Community Aid: Policy and Practice on Governance and Democracy', One World Action: London, by Helen O'Connell, 2006 (PDF)

Funded by: UK Department for International Development

id21 Research Highlight: 13 July 2007

Further Information:
Helen O'Connell
One World Action
Bradleys Close
White Lion Street
London N1 9PF
UK

Tel: + 44 (0)20 78334075
Fax: + 44 (0)20 78334102
Contact the contributor: hoconnell@oneworldaction.org

One World Action, UK

Other related links:
"Donors can lead in the practice of good governance"

"Making European aid democratic"

"Democracy and development: time to put politics back into poverty eradication?"

PROGRESSIVE REALISM: IMPROVING GOVERNANCE IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH, IDS Working Paper, UK

Promises to the Poor: the Record of European Development Agencies: Briefing Paper from Overseas Develoment Institute, UK

Reforming European Union Development Cooperation: Good Governance, Political Conditionality and the Convention of Contonou: Working Paper from the American Consortium on European Union Studies (PDF)

Europe’s role in making poverty history: Manifesto from British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND), UK (PDF)