Conflict and contestation in war and post-war development:

Reflection on role of development partners in Nepal

BishnuRaj Upreti
Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research
Kathmandu
Outline of the presentation
1. The context
2. Major contestations and conflict in post-war
development
3. Rhetoric and realities of aid in development:
reflections from actual implementation
4. Responses from the government
5. Conclusion
Major post-war development contestations
1. donors commitments and actual implementation of development
programmes
2. conceptual and theoretical understanding
3. governments policies and implementation
4. Understandings of development
5. Political parties commitments and actual delivery
6. Political ideological contestation
7. ethnic and geographical fronts
8. Others
3. Rhetoric and realities of aid in development: reflections
from actual implementation
1. Commitments (Rhetoric):
1. OECD and DAC Guidelines
2. TheParis Declaration
1. ownership-development strategy from/with parliament and
electorate
2. alignment- donors to support these strategies,
3. harmonization- work to streamline their efforts in-country
4. result- works to be directed to achieving goals and
5. mutual accountability- donors and recipients jointly
responsible for achieving these goals)
3. Accra Agenda for Action
4. Busan Partnership/Commitment in the situations of conflict and
fragility (New Deals);
2. Rhetoric's and realities of aid in development: reflection from
actual implementation-2
Realities : Some examples of serious contestations over major post-
conflict activities of donors (neutrality and impartiality)
1. UNMIN (United Nations Mission in Nepal): Written protest by the
GoN against the UNMIN report to UNSC, NA opposed, NC opposed
2. Constitution making support to interest groups: about 120 million $
40 % of time of CA members spent on donor funded activities
(international visits, workshops, meetings etc)
Numerous constitutions produced by interests groups
confusion and contradictions
3. Support for inclusion [Social Inclusion Research Fund (SRIF) by
Norwaycontestation as new form of exclusion
3. Rhetoric's and realities of aid in development: reflection from
actual implementation-2
Realities ---2
3. Janajati Empowerment Project (JEP) for National Federation of
Indigenous nationalities-Nepal (NEFIN) by DFID]
IRIN Report [26/02/2013] Dissent in Nepal over the role of ethnicity in a
post-conflict state has put donor agencies under increased scrutiny,
with politicians and analysts accusing them of meddling, taking sides
and circumventing the government to push an agenda of social
cohesion.
We got a lot of criticism from all sides. We took the brunt [from all
sections of society including marginalized groups, citizens, media and
political parties] saying we interfered or didnt do enough, said the
director of DFID, in Nepal
3. Rhetoric's and realities of aid in development: reflection from
actual implementation-2
Realities ---3
4. Politics of INGOs registering as national NGOs ActionAid Int.
Severe objection from NGO federation
Intention questioned (compete with NGOs for funding)
Ministry of Home Affairs did not allow registration
5. Donors staff recruitment practice; another form of exclusion
Increasing feeling of injustice
Interpreted by opposition as against Nepals constitution
Growing opposition
6. Formation of Caucus inside the CA and societal radicalisation from the donors
support
Severely questioned the intention of donors to fund for caucus
Role of caucus was highly contested and dominated political process
4. Responses from government
Governments new policy in dealing with development cooperation :
Vikas Sahayata Niti 2071(Development Cooperation Policy 2014)
2014 April 6 14-point instructions of Chief Secretary on
increasing the effectiveness of foreign assistance mobilization and
utilization. Few experts
assistance only for medium and big projects
International consultants only for locally unavailable experts
Dont put provision for financing foreign study and visits from
foreign assistance funds.
Dont put provision of procuring expensive, luxurious vehicles,
equipments
accountability of advisors and consultants to perform their tasks
within scheduled time
5. Conclusions
Though aid is crucially needed for post-conflict development in Nepal to achieve
peace and stability, it can introduce enormous challenges and complications if not
handled properly
Donors in Nepal are using a framework of convenience instead of abiding by the
internal commitment to aid effectiveness (Paris Principles of aid effectiveness,
Accra Plan of Action and Busan Commitments have yet to translate into reality)
Donors in Nepal are sharply criticised for their alleged engagement in political
activities, lack of transparency and accountability and biases towards certain
groups and against other groups
Weak state and poor governance are the factors contributing to existing structures
of donor engagement in Nepal
Introspection and self-reflection is needed by aid agencies and INGOs
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Thank you, comments and
suggestions appreciated
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