Country

Engagement
for
Aid and Development
Effectiveness

NEWSLETTER
Issue 1  July 2010

Inside Facilitating country

processes on aid
Country Outreach in
Bishkek 2 effectiveness
in Latin America
Lead Organisations for
Completed Country Plans 5 From mid-March to the last week of April, consultations were made
with several civil society organizations (CSOs) in Central and South
Latin American countries on the Reality of Aid (RoA) country
Contact Details of
outreach program on the broad implementation of the Accra Agenda
Outreach Officers 8
for Action (AAA). The objectives of each of these consultations was
to: (a) introduce/orient country CSOs on the RoA Better Aid
program, country CSO processes, and country research to engage
AAA implementation, and (b) agree on next steps (activities,
schedules) for country activities.

Colombia. On 22 March, several Latin American CSOs from

IBON Colombia and Ecuador that participated in the High Level Event on
South-South Cooperation in Bogota came to a side meeting where
International discussion on country outreach was initiated. These organizations
included the Corporacion Region, CIASE, CCONG and La Alianza
from Colombia, and the Observatorio de la Cooperacion al
Desarollo from Ecuador.
Continue to page 3
Country Outreach Newsletter Issue 1  July 2010

Country Outreach
in Bishkek, Kyrgystan
On April 6, seven members of the Kyrgyz
Working Group on Aid Effectiveness attended a
meeting chaired by Nurgul Djanaeva of the
Forum of Women’s NGOs of Krygyzstan and
discussed proposed Kyrgyz CSO initiatives on aid
effectiveness for 2010.

The meeting started with a background on CSO initiatives

in aid effectiveness and the Central Asia regional CSO
Observations on the
workshop and multi-stakeholder consultation on AAA in
Bishkek Peoples Revolt
2008. This was followed by a brief discussion on the AAA
There were no indications of any country outreach programme. The working group
forthcoming political upheaval during
reviewed its initial indicative plan submitted earlier to the
the consultation. In fact, a member of
the Parliament officiated the opening RoA country outreach secretariat. Agreements were made
of the multi-stakeholder consultation regarding changes in the schedules of the country
and government representatives, consultations. In addition, other activities were proposed
including an officer from the
President’s office, attended the said such as provincial CSO consultations on aid effectiveness
consultation. and development. Funding will be raised separately by
members of the working group.
The people’s revolt was a spontaneous
response to the arrest of several
opposition leaders in the afternoon of Another discussion focused on the country researches. The
April 6. Apparently, the CSO working working group has signified its intent to conduct a country
group either has neither the
research on the impact of CSO involvement in the PD and
knowledge of the arrest nor of the
growing unrest in the two provinces or AAA monitoring. Likewise, there were suggestions for the
did not find the issues very important members of the working group to submit relevant articles
while in the thick of discussing their
and information on CSO initiatives in aid effectiveness and
aid effectiveness plan.
have these uploaded to the RoA website.
Our CSO partner stated that her
group has no involvement in the mass
During the people’s revolt, two members of the working
protest and would come out with a
statement addressed to the group expressed possible changes in the CSO country
interim/caretaker government on plan, particularly schedules of the CSO-government
issues such as poverty, human rights, consultations and the multi-stakeholder consultations
and good governance.
2 given the current political instability in the country.
Country Outreach Newsletter Issue 1  July 2010

Continued from page 1

There was general interest in the country level AAA implementation, which
the participants deemed important but challenged by many events. In
Colombia, there would be the presidential elections and the Open Forum
national consultations, among other ongoing national and regional
activities. In Ecuador, CSOs and the government are engaged in discussions
on an emerging development model called “buen vivir” or “vivir bien”. In
other countries, CSOs were concerned about the need for a CSO platform
that will carry the aid effectiveness advocacy to a more sustained mode.
Upcoming
In another meeting organized by the RoA in Latin America and the
Caribbean, participants discussed observatories on international
Activities in
cooperation, primarily based on the experience of La Alianza – Bangladesh
Observatorio a la Cooperacion Internacional. Discussion points included
the history and rationale of the observatorio, the elements/parts of the Capacity Building for CSOs
system, and the issues that challenge the project. (Monitoring Foreign Funded
Projects)
What ensued in the following weeks were consultation meetings with CSOs
August 10-11
in five other Latin American countries, namely, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala,
CSO Consultation
Honduras, and Bolivia.
on Aid Effectiveness
August 21
Perú. In Perú, a meeting on the RoA country outreach program was held
with representatives of ANC and CONADES last 30 March. To Multi Stakeholder
contextualize the discussion, they shared a broad description of the Consultation on PD and AAA
national aid situation in Perú and in the Latin American region: August 25

1. Downward trend of official development aid (ODA) to Latin Contact

America and Peru. Ahmed Swapan Mahmud
2. Redirection of aid to Africa and poor countries in Asia and Latin of VOICE for more details at
America. ahmed.swapan@gmail.com or
3. Peru has lost importance as a destination for international aid +8801711881919
compared to other countries in the region. However, in spite of
being a middle-income country, Peru still maintains a significant
position.
4. Concentration of European aid in 10 countries in the region: El
Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua Honduras, Perú, Bolivia,
Colombia, Brazil, Haití, and Cuba.
5. In total, aid from European private agencies is concentrated in
Perú, Bolivia, Brazil, and Nicaragua.
6. Tendency of donors to work with fewer NGOs that are larger and
more specialized.
7. Some Latin American countries emerging as donors.

In this context and with the theme of international cooperation, the

3
Country Outreach Newsletter
About Accra
Agenda for Action
(AAA)
The third High Level Forum in
Accra in 2008 established a
foundation for moving towards
development effectiveness and more
equitable international aid
architecture. The Accra Agenda for
Action (AAA) broadened the
definition of country ownership to
include civil society organisations
(CSOs) and parliamentarians, and
recognised that aid will be effective
if it demonstrates development
impact. The AAA likewise made
advances in “bringing CSOs into
the tent”by deepening engagement
with CSOs as independent
development actors in their own
right whose efforts complement
those of governments and the
private sector. AAA further
commits that donors and
governments “will work with CSOs
to provide an enabling environment
that maximizes their contributions
to development” [§20c]
However, One of the major concerns of
CSOs- regarding the AAA is the lack of
time-bound commitments and
indicators to monitor progress. This
makes it imperative to ensure effective
implementation at country level.
Further, CSOs need to build upon the
AAA with more far-reaching reforms
and commitments in a new agreement
that replaces the Paris Declaration
(PD).
Issue 1  July 2010
activities of ANC and CONADES, together with other Peruvian
CSOs, have included country researches, conduct of CSO forums at
national and sub-national levels, and coordination with regional
civil society networks. A national forum on CSO development
effectiveness was also planned for May as a country level expression
of the parallel process on CSO development effectiveness and
organized through the cooperation of ANC, ALOP, Latindadd, and
Mesa de Articulacion. Peruvian CSOs’ advocacy work included
engagement with the Agencia Peruana de Cooperacion
Internacional (APCI).
Mr. Romulo Torres, representing Latindadd as Coordinator, shared
that the regional network is concerned with the development of
indicators on human rights and democracy in the face of poverty in
a middle-income country. Latindadd was also preparing for a
meeting in July in Nicaragua.
Integrated into the conversation was the relevance of CSO advocacy
work on aid effectiveness, which ANC suggested could be a topic
for discussion during the national workshop on CSO development
effectiveness. The RoA call for country researches was also
introduced.
Ecuador. Meetings among CSOs based in Quito were convened by
the Observatorio de la Cooperación al Desarrollo en Ecuador. The
agenda in the meeting of 8 April included discussion on the
workshop on CSO development effectiveness scheduled in June and
a brief introduction of the RoA program for CSOs on engaging the
implementation of AAA at country level. Facilitated by Ms.
Gabriela Weber and Mr. Camilo Molina of Centro de
Investigaciones CIUDAD (Coordinator of Observatorio), the meeting
was attended by 23 CSO representatives.
There were also points presented on the issue of development
effectiveness, particularly three thematic blocks that may help
define the effectiveness of various CSOs. These were:
1. El buen vivir – possibly a new, more effective development
model of good living and development as a right. Principles
integral to the model include plurinationality, law of nature,
economic solidarity, and social equity. The plan around
this model may be a tool to improve the effectiveness of
CSOs.
2. Public policy and the new role of CSOs – This was
discussed in the light of a new national policy framework
4
Country Outreach Newsletter Issue 1  July 2010

(i.e., Decree 982) for relations between the state and CSOs, covering
the areas of public participation, legality and legitimacy, financing
structures, accountability mechanisms, and CSO effectiveness.
3. Relations between Northern and Southern NGOs, national and
international South-South networks, and relations between donors
and governments.

In the open discussion that ensued, the CSO participants commented that the
buen vivir concept was not so new and needed concrete application to make
it meaningful. They also raised a few principles that should guide civil society
action, one of which is ensuring that international cooperation is based on
international social justice. This would also relate to the principles of
plurinationality and linking national actions to international processes.
Emphasis was also placed on the imperatives of transparency and
accountability among CSOs.

On 9 April, there were further informal discussions with CIUDAD on CSO

Lead
advocacy and country research related to aid effectiveness. While the CSOs Organisations
were focused on preparing for and conducting the workshop on CSO
development effectiveness, CSO discourse and engagement strategies for
for Completed
policy reforms on aid effectiveness would be continued. Ideas for potential Country Plans
activities included the formation of a CSO platform and CSO workshops that
would link the CSO priority thematic blocks to the issue of aid effectiveness.
To forward this agenda, CIUDAD and other CSOs have begun communicating
Cameroon
with AGECI, the government agency for international cooperation. They also Collectif des Organisations pour la
consulted with SENPLADES, the country’s central planning secretariat, to Sécurité Alimentaire et le
promote the role of CSOs in engaging government on aid effectiveness in the Développement Rural (COSADER)
country.
Contact Person:
Christine Andela
Guatemala. It was favorable that the meeting with CSOs in Guatemala City Coordinator in Chief
was scheduled a day after a workshop with small coffee growers who andelac@yahoo.com
discussed the recent trade agreement between Central American countries
and the European Commission (EC). In this workshop sponsored by the GSM: 237 99591750
Office: 237 22 22 76 94
CONGCOOP last 12 April, representatives from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
and the International Gender and Trade Network delivered presentations on
the economic, political, cultural, and environmental situation of Guatemala Lesotho
and the impact on the coffee production industry and small producers.
A small after-dinner gathering on 13 April was held with colleagues from Economic Justice Network (EJN)
CONGCOOP, CEMAT, and ASINDES-ONG - CSOs that were active in Lesotho
development work in Guatemala. They shared the situation of CSOs in the
Contact Person:
country and the changing CSO-government relations. They were familiar with Ts’epo Letsoela
the basic advocacy on the Paris Declaration and the AAA and were interested
to work on this with RoA since they were involved in the consultation process Maseru, Moshoeshoe Road P.O. Box
on CSO development effectiveness. There was discussion on the wisdom of 0523, Maseru West 105
Office Tel No: +266 22314124
creating a new CSO platform on aid effectiveness in the face of different CSO
5
Country Outreach Newsletter
About IBON/RoA’s
Country Outreach
The IBON/Reality of Aid country
outreach program for the broad
implementation of AAA seeks to
achieve greater and more
meaningful involvement of CSOs in
bringing change in aid effectiveness
policy and practice. The strategy
towards this is capacity
development of CSOs in order for
them to initiate policy dialogue
spaces that allow for broader and
inclusive participation of various
kinds of CSOs at country and local
level, and contribute to changes in
policy and for a development
effectiveness approach.
Country outreach work will be
based on the country-level plans of
CSOs who are involved in aid
effectiveness and development
effectiveness advocacy. A broad
range of CSOs will be encouraged to
participate and work together to
engage their respective
governments, parliaments and
development partners in the
implementation and monitoring of
AAA implementation.
RoA is the partner agency of the
BetterAid in this programme.
IBON International is
implementing the outreach through
the RoA network.
Issue 1  July 2010
networks focusing on topics such as enterprises, environment,
cooperatives, human rights, and agriculture, among others.
Similar to the suggestion in Ecuador, CSO discourse and engagement
strategies for policy reforms on aid effectiveness would be continued
and integrated into the country-level process on CSO development
effectiveness.
Honduras. A short meeting last 15 April with representatives of
Tegucigalpa-based FOSDEH provided the venue for introducing the
global and country-level CSO processes on aid effectiveness. They
shared the research experience of the organization and its assessment
that the national government may be open to dialogs with CSOs
regarding the theme.
Bolivia. After the preoccupation of most CSOs in the Conferencia
Mundial de los Pueblos sobre el Cambio Climatico (CMPCC), a
conversation was set with Ms. Susana Erostegui of UNITAS last 23
April in La Paz, Bolivia. Ms Erostegui shared valuable insights on the
current government in Bolivia and its relationship with CSOs and
social movements in the country. The discussion proceeded to
include Bolivian CSO activities that ran parallel to the global
processes on CSO development effectiveness and on aid
effectiveness.
A general trend among the CSOs consulted in the six (6) countries
was the focus on completing the national workshops on CSO
development effectiveness so that by the second half of the year,
greater attention could be given to advocacy and engagement with
country governments and donors on aid effectiveness. Overall, in the
region, most CSOs in the aid effectiveness and development
effectiveness arena were planning to develop a Latin American
strategy for AAA that would be presented in the Fourth High Level
Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Korea in 2011.
Included in all the conversations was the RoA plan to compile reports
on the implementation of the AAA in each country from a CSO
perspective. The CSOs involved in the above meetings will help
produce the country reports and send these to RoA by year-end. To
assist this course of action, IBON/RoA will provide and share a
monitoring guide on AAA implementation.
6
Country Outreach Newsletter Issue 1  July 2010

Contact us
Interested in
participating in country
processes? Do you want
your country stories
disseminated? The
following members of the
Country Outreach Team
are ready to work with
you:

Country Carla Santos

Engagement Team Leader and

Outreach Officer
for for Latin America
Aid and Development csantos@realityofaid.org
Effectiveness

Ava Danlog
IBON Center Outreach Officer
114 Timog Avenue, Quezon City 1103
Philippines for Asia Pacific
adanlog@realityofaid.org
http://iboninternational.org
www.realityofaid .org
Myrna Maglahus
Outreach Officer
for Africa
mmaglahus@realityofaid.org
Aoux Santos
Communications Officer
msantos@realityofaid.org