Written evidence submitted by BOND
1. Bond is the UK membership body for non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) working in international development.
2. Bond was very active in the White Paper
consultation process and coordinated a joint submission reflecting
the key priorities of Bond members.[14]
We welcome that the IDC is doing this inquiry and would like to
raise some issues and questions in relation to this new White
Paper for your consideration.[15]
3. Bond welcomes the new DFID White Paper
and is pleased to see that DFID has acted to include very many
of the concerns of UK development NGOs and our partners. Many
issues which BOND raised in the consultation process have been
addressed. Yet, now the challenge is to actively include these
commitments into DFID's work and to link this new White Paper
to previous strategies.
Questions:
— How is DFID planning to implement the
commitments in the White Paper and how will it be ensured that
this White Paper is actively linked to commitments made in previous
White Papers in 1997, 2000 and 2005?
— How will the implementation of the White
Paper be monitored?
PROMOTING ECONOMIC
GROWTH
4. Bond welcomes that the White Paper explicitly
acknowledges that the Washington Consensus has failed and that
the IMF and World Bank need to move away from a one-size-fits-all
approach to growth. DFID commits to support countries to "chart
a higher and more resilient growth course" (2.87). The International
Growth Centre now needs to take this challenge forward and support
governments to build a pro poor growth agenda based on a fair
distribution of wealth.
5. The stated refocus on support for infrastructure,
agriculture and focus on food security is welcome but should not
come at expense of other sectors. Health and education and other
basic services need to remain equally important. Therefore, Bond
members appreciate the commitment to "spend half of future
UK direct support for developing countries on public services"
(p 93).
6. The White Paper also acknowledges the
key role of trade in development. It also calls for "a quick
conclusion to the Doha trade talks" (p 28). Yet, the major
concern by international civil society and developing countries
of not pushing through any harmful trade deals is not addressed.
While Bond welcomes the increased support for fair and ethical
trade in the White Paper, we would like to highlight that the
UK must also work towards negotiating a new international trade
deal that puts the poorest first. A quick conclusion to Doha will
not make the international trade system fairer.
7. Bond is encouraged that the White Paper
promotes a greener growth model, and believes that DFID should
become a stronger voice in government pushing for articulation,
coherence and commitment to a "green" economic growth
and prosperity model, building on the government's low carbon
agenda. It should push for reducing carbon dependency and environmental
degradation respecting environmental limits and valuing nature's
true importance (ie for ecosystem services, intrinsic value, cultural
value etc, not just for short-term gain).
Questions:
— How will DFID promote a more equal growth
on country level? What changes will be made to existing projects
and programmes?
— In the context of the G20 committing
to bring the Doha Round to a conclusion in 2010, what is DFID
doing to ensure a development outcome especially given the deal
on the table is not pro-poor?
— What is DFID doing to push the government
to demonstrate coherence and commitment to a "green"
economic growth and prosperity model, which builds on the government's
low carbon agenda?
TACKLING CLIMATE
CHANGE AND
PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
8. Bond welcomes that the White Paper clearly
acknowledges the threats associated with climate change and commits
to an "ambitious, comprehensive and equitable global deal
on climate change" (p 50). It also sets out a commitment
to strong domestic action, including urgent and stringent measures
to reduce emissions, and five year commitment periods for emissions
reductions. Bond stresses the utmost urgency of climate change
and the need for the UK Government to take a leading role in the
negotiations to ensure an effective deal in Copenhagen.
9. While promising to use up to 10% of UK
ODA for climate change related development projects, the White
Paper also commits the UK Government to provide new and additional
resources for climate change. Yet, it is not clearly stated where
this new money will be coming from and how it will be disbursed.
The White Paper highlights new resources for
the Environmental Transformation Fund which is mainly channelled
through the World Bank's Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) and therefore
threatens to compete with building a United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) financing architecture.
Any future role for the World Bank with regard to climate financing
should be dependent upon appropriate institutional reform, a shift
in the World Bank group investment portfolio to ensure it is supporting
low carbon development and a fit with an overall financial governance
system that ensure that all decisions on finance distribution
(nationally, regionally, sectorally) are taken under auspices
of the UNFCCC.
10. Bond acknowledges DFID has done much
to promote climate change as a development issue. DFID can play
an increasingly important role to further emphasise that climate
change is already happening, that developing countries and poor
people are disproportionately vulnerable, and that the poorest
are being impacted first and worst.
11. DFID also needs to recognise that climate
change plays out first through the natural environment and the
ecosystem's goods and services. The poorest rely first hand on
natural resources, ecosystem services and biodiversity. It is
vital that the close links and interdependence between climate
change, people, poverty reduction, biodiversity and ecosystems
are realised and integrated, using approaches that achieve mutually
supportive outcomes.
12. Bond welcomes the White Paper commitment
to "…seek new ways of raising finance to pay for forest
management and reduce deforestation and degradation" (p 58).
However, this needs to be given the priority and urgency it deserves,
particularly the immediate need for interim financing for Reducing
Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) capacity building
ahead of any 2012 commitment. As Lord Nick Stern has shown,
conserving the remaining natural forests is one of the best ways
to limit climate change, support sustainable development, and
benefit the poor who rely on forest resources.[16]
13. DFID needs to recognise much more the
links between critical development sectors and the environment,
such as in agriculture. Food production systems and the environment
are inter-dependant and key to attaining genuine food security.
The recently published UN and World Bank sponsored IAASTD report
(International Assessment of Agricultural Science & Technology
for Development) which DFID is signatory to, has made it clear
that conventional, industrial agricultural systems have degraded
the environment to such an extent that "business as usual"
is not an option.[17]
This model of agriculture is not sustainable and should clearly
not be pushed upon developing countries
14. Bond agrees that urgent action is needed
on adaptation in vulnerable natural resource sectors and that
DFID has a vital role to play in providing this. We particularly
welcome DFID's renewed commitment to address water resource management
and trans boundary water issues. Integrated water resource management
provides a fundamental basis for providing the long-term environmental
security necessary for sustainable development and the provision
of water and sanitation required to meet the MDGs.
Questions:
— How will DFID climate change related
development projects funded through ODA be distinct from projects
funded through new and additional climate finance? How will they
be categorized?
— Is DFID planning to show financial leadership
behind the UNFCCC to build the confidence of the G77/China group
within the international negotiations and signal a strong message
to the COP?
— What percentage of DFID's climate finance
will be committed to the UNFCCC, and what percentage will be channelled
through the World Bank?
— What is DFID doing to ensure that their
emphasis on climate change is not at the expense of investments
into other critical natural resources?
CONFLICT AND
FRAGILE STATES
15. Bond welcomes the new emphasis on conflict
and fragile states in this new White Paper including the commitment
to increased spending of aid funding in fragile and conflict affected
states. Bond also welcomes the promise of better alignment and
coherence across UK Government responses to conflict. Many Bond
members have for some time been raising concerns about the danger
of diverting aid funds to serve military spending in conflict
zones. Therefore, we support but will also closely monitor the
planned UK cross government strategies for engagement in all fragile
states.
16. The White Paper does acknowledge the
complexity of the challenges in conflict and fragile states, but
implementing this strengthened approach to conflict and fragile
states will need more than extra money. As the Bond submission
to the White Paper consultation pointed out, well-trained, committed
staff in DFID remaining in post long enough to develop a thorough
understanding of the issues and local context are vital for managing
the challenges faced in fragile and conflict-affected environments.
Achieving lasting change in conflict environments
will require long-term strategies and the UK to support the development
of societal norms and values and set political change goals. And
so it will need to evaluate impact over a timeframe measured in
decades and across domestic political cycles, not only discrete
project goals or other short-term impact assessments.
Questions:
— How is DFID planning to implement its
new focus on fragile and conflict states? Will this new focus
result in structural changes within DFID and specialised training
for civil servants?
— How will DFID ensure that programmes
in fragile and conflict states have a long term focus and respond
to politically sensitive environments?
— How will be ensured that cross-governmental
strategies promote policy coherence but do not divert the purpose
of aid?
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
17. Bond welcomes DFID's commitment to strengthen
its support for multilateral institutions. A new emphasis in the
White Paper on promoting performance improvements of multilateral
institutions such as UN agencies, the World Bank and the IMF can
be very significant, but needs to be developed further. In particular,
scrutiny of the performance of the World Bank needs to be given
greater attention, as the White Paper makes UN funding conditional
on its performance but fails to do so for the World Bank.
18. The White Paper also highlights that
international institutions need to be more accountable and responsive
as we highlighted in the Bond submission. With an increasing role
for the World Bank and particularly the IMF as agreed at the London
G20 Summit, it is very important to move forward on governance
and conditionality reforms of these institutions. It is therefore
disappointing that the White Paper is not clearer about the type
of governance reforms DFID envisions for the IMF and World Bank
and the need for parity of voice and vote between developed and
developing countries.
19. DFID has called for the World Bank to
increase its "clean energy" portfolio to 60% in the
next three years. These reforms in the Bank's portfolio are welcome;
however there is a crucial need for clarity on what is considered
"clean" by both DFID and the Bank. The World Bank needs
to be greened and its role on health, social protection, gender
equality and environment reviewed to see how it could best support
development efforts of bilateral donors, civil society, the UN
and others.
Questions:
— How is DFID planning to monitor the performances
of multilateral institutions more closely?
EUROPEAN UNION
20. Bond welcomes the fact that the new
White Paper recognises the importance of the EU as a development
actor and commits to increase aid channelled through the European
Commission (EC). The commitment to ensure that good progress in
the performance of EC projects is maintained (6.26) is positive
although it is not clarify how this will be carried out.
21. Bond welcomes the commitment to push
for a single European Commissioner for development and humanitarian
aid, with a strong voice within the Council of Commissioners and
for a more efficient and coherent administrative structure dealing
with all developing countries (6.29).
22. The White Paper states that "the
UK will work to make poverty reduction a primary aim of the EU's
external policies" (6.23)—an important commitment to
effectively promote policy coherence for development. This is
a very positive statement, although it remains to be seen whether
this is matched by active pressure on EU level to make external
policies (trade, climate, peace and security) really coherent
and supporting development policies.
23. The White Paper proposes to boost the
role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) (6.27) in international
development. This is worrying if the issues around transparency
and accountability of the EIB are not tackled and it is particularly
concerning that the White Paper does not mention the need to reform
this Bank.
Questions:
— What monitoring mechanisms will DFID
use to ensure that good progress in the performance of EC projects
is maintained?
— How will DFID implement its commitment
to Policy Coherence for Development at EU level and how is it
planning to tackle controversial issues such as trade policies,
climate policies, taxation where we can see several examples of
incoherence?
— How will DFID promote much needed reforms
of the European Investment Bank towards more accountability and
transparency?
IMPROVING PERFORMANCE
AND AID
EFFECTIVENESS[18]
24. The White Paper places a strong focus
on aid effectiveness stressing that DFID takes its own effectiveness
and the need to increase value for money seriously. Bond welcomes
that long overdue commitments to increase transparency and provide
greater support for accountability work in-country to complement
the delivery of budget support were made. However, these commitments
now need to be delivered on in the fullest possible sense.
25. The White Paper encouragingly confirmed
international commitments made in the Paris Declaration and the
Accra Agenda for Action. However, with the Paris Declaration reaching
its target year and expiring in 2010 and signatories way
behind in delivering on their promises around ownership, harmonisation
and other areas, it was hoped that the White Paper would focus
more on how the Paris targets are to be achieved and the principles
that should be at the heart of a post-2010 agenda.
Questions:
— How will ensure that it reaches its Paris
commitments by 2010 and what are DFID's plans for a successor
to the Paris declaration?
THE ROLE
AND RESOURCING
OF CIVIL
SOCIETY IN
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
26. Bond welcomes the White Paper's acknowledgement
of the role that civil society, in both North and South, plays
in development, and DFID's commitment to significant increases
in funding for both UK and Southern CSOs. This is demonstrated
strongly in the doubling of non-humanitarian central funding for
civil society to £300 million a year by 2013 (7.44),
£50 million of which will be available by April 2010 (7.49).The
recognition of CSOs' roles as both campaigners and deliverers
of development and humanitarian response (p 7) is encouraging,
as is the acknowledgement that the expectations of the partnerships
between DFID and CSOs must cut both ways (p 9), and the recognition
of the "power and value of international voice and advocacy"
(7.42). The extension of Partnership Programme Agreements (PPAs)
to include Southern CSOs is particularly welcome.
27. The White Paper commits to strengthen
existing partnerships with all facets of civil society in both
the UK and the South, as well as more clearly defining the relationship
between government and CSOs with a new "compact" (7.43).
While welcome, consideration must include the degree to which
such an approach has benefitted the UK domestic voluntary sector
as well as the innovative ideas of civil society in the UK on
this area and the leading edge practice where it exists across
the world.
28. A renewed emphasis on performance assessments
and proven impact, as well as a "clearer understanding of
rights and responsibilities between DFID and civil society organisations"
(7.47) must be practical and based on past experience of what
works.
29. Bond welcomes DFID's commitment to "help
partner governments to improve the way in which they work with
local and international civil society with support from the Charity
Commission" (7.48). Good working relationships and enabling
legislative and operational environments for a vibrant civil society
are vital to ensure effective development.
Questions:
— Given the current economic climate, how
will DFID ensure it disburses the increased funding for civil
society in a timely fashion?
— How will DFID ensure it resources civil
society's role as campaigners and advocates sufficiently so that
the voices of marginalised Southern communities are heard?
— How will DFID define its relationship
with civil society in a new "compact" and how will it
consult with key stakeholders on the parameters of this?
— How will DFID work together with civil
society to ensure performance management demands take into account
past learning and do not carry high costs for NGOs?
— How does DFID propose to work with partner
governments in the South which restrict civil society's ability
to operate independently and freely?
5 October 2009
14 The Bond White Paper submission can be found at:
http://www.bond.org.uk/data/files/bond_submission_for_2009_dfid_white_paper_27_05_2009.pdf
Back
15
This submission highlights key points from a summary and analysis
of the White Paper which is published on the Bond website: http://www.bond.org.uk/pages/white-paper-2009.html Back
16
Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change (2006).
See the full Stern Review Report at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/stern_review_report.htm. Back
17
The report can be found at http://www.agassessment.org/ . Back
18
More specific issues on aid effectiveness are raised in the submission
to the IDC by the UK Aid Network. Back
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