Foreign Affairs CommitteeWritten evidence from Alina Rocha Menocal, Overseas Development Institute
The important Commonwealth mandate of public sector development and its work on the political-administrative interface is often overlooked.
Commonwealth countries tend to outperform and be more stable than other countries, in part because of shared traditions of democracy, common law and public administration. As a result there is much to offer in the field of international development.
The Commonwealth Secretariat has several characteristics that distinguish it from other donors such as highest level access, trust and confidence in its relations with partner countries, as well as the perception of being devoid of a political agenda.
Alina Rocha Menocal is a Research Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in the Politics and Governance Programme. She has particular expertise on the challenges of democratisation, linkages between state and society, and state-building. At ODI, Alina has been involved in a series of projects and assignments that seek to bridge the gap between research and policy in thinking about governance issues from a political economy perspective.
1. The recent Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) published by the UK Department for International Development concluded that the Commonwealth Secretariat was one of the poorest performers. According to the MAR, while the Secretariat shows potential in a number of areas, much work is needed if its development efforts are to be effective and make a meaningful contribution.
2. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee investigation is therefore a timely and welcome initiative. Following on from the recent Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group, it provides another opportunity to reflect on the direction for Commonwealth development assistance.
3. The important Commonwealth mandate in the field of public sector development and the interface between the political and administrative arms at the centre of government is often overlooked.
4. Commonwealth countries, on average, tend to outperform and be more stable than other countries, in part because of shared traditions of democracy, common law and public administration.
5. However, in many Commonwealth countries – especially amongst less developed, fragile and/or small/island states – institutions are weak and ineffective and the quality and capacity of the public sector remains limited. In these countries, the state cannot adequately perform key functions, provide basic services, and/or respond to the needs of its citizens. As a result, there is a real danger that the state loses legitimacy in the eyes of the population, which can in turn undermine democratic institutions and feed instability.
6. The Commonwealth seems uniquely placed to make strategic contributions to the effective governance agenda to foster institution-building. These contributions can be significant, even if they remain financially small.
7. The Commonwealth Secretariat has several characteristics that distinguish it from other donors and enable it to engage in areas of work that others find difficult or shy away from because they are deemed too politically sensitive. Among other things, the Secretariat enjoys a combination of highest level access, trust and confidence in its relations with partner countries, as well as the perception of being devoid of a political agenda.
8. The work that ComSec is undertaking on the political-administrative interface in the Caribbean and Sierra Leone, as well as initiatives to foster more effective Cabinet processes (also in the Caribbean), are good examples of this.
9. To undertaken this work more effectively, the Secretariat should focus on governance and institutions as the lynchpin that links democracy and development. This kind of work also requires developing a more pragmatic and less normative approach to development, focused on “best fit” based on the realities on the ground, rather than “best practice” in idealised scenarios.
10. The Commonwealth Secretariat itself needs to undergo reform to be an organisation “fit for purpose”, as the Eminent Persons Group report suggested. The Secretariat needs to invest in building the capacity of its staff to think, act and work in a more politically aware manner. It is essential to understand the political economy context within which governance reforms take place and the challenges and opportunities this entails, and to select interventions accordingly. Choosing areas to work in where the Secretariat has a strong foothold – as in governance – is important, but it is only part of the story. ComSec needs to become more streamlined, coherent, and better linked up internally in order to deliver on its ambitions.
23 January 2011