European Parliament, Development Committee, 18 December 2013 Geert Laporte, Deputy Director, European Centre for Development Policy Management

1. Sharing EU experiences
in the management of
transition processes
European Parliament, Development
Committee, 18 December 2013
Geert Laporte, Deputy Director, European Centre for
Development Policy Management

2. Structure of presentation
1. What is ECDPM?
2. The new Post 2015 global
development agenda
3. Risk of one sided perspective on
structural transformation
4. EU building blocks in support of
transition processes
5. Implementation challenges
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3. ECDPM
1. Independent “think and do tank” on
European international cooperation with
particular focus on EU-Africa and EUACP
2. Non-partisan facilitation of dialogue
3. Practical and policy relevant analysis
4. Strong networks of expertise and
partnerships
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4. Post MDG/2015 Global
Development Agenda
•Focus on “structural transformation”
•Country-led reforms largely based on
mobilising domestic resources (“beyond
aid”)
•“Inclusive growth” and “inclusive
development” as new buzz words in
development jargon
•A more political approach to development
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5. Risk of one-sided interpretation
of structural transformation
• In many African formal declarations:
exclusive focus on economic growth
• Assumption that growth will
automatically lead to redistribution of
wealth and development while
inequality is growing
• Showcases of “developmental states”
with strong economic growth but with
authoritarian political regimes
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6. Is democratisation part of the
structural transformation
agenda?
•
•
•
•
Democratisation= EU core value in its external
action…
…but… democratic transition does not
automatically lead to democratic consolidation
Many developing countries adopt the formal
attributes of democracy (elections, some
political space for opposition, etc) but …
…with major democratic deficits (low levels of
political participation, abuse of the law, etc)
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7. The political nature of inclusive
development & transition
•
•
•
Christine Lagarde (IMF): “A more equal
distribution of income allows for more economic
stability, more sustained economic growth and
healthier societies with stronger bonds of cohesion
and trust.”
World Economic Forum: “Economic disparity is a
major global risk for the next years”
Inclusive development/structural transformation/
transition IS NOT A TECHNOCRATIC EXERCISE
BUT HIGHLY POLITICAL!
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8. Can the EU play a useful role in
transition processes in
developing countries?
• Wealth of transition experiences of
(Eastern) European countries
• October 2012 Communication on
EU support for sustainable change
in transition countries
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9. EU building blocks in support of
transition processes
1)Transformation must be country led
2)EU transition focus= inclusiveness, governance,
institution building, rule of law, economic and social
development, conflict prevention, peace building
and security etc
3)Responding to the needs of partner societies:
involvement of all relevant stakeholders, knowledge
sharing, coordination, etc
Sophisticated policies but major
implementation challenges!
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10. Implementation challenges (1)
Start from specific country
realities
1)Transition is a domestic process: need to embed
support in local realities and dynamics of change
2)Avoid normative approaches: focus on what is
desirable and feasible instead of dreaming up “ideal
world”
3)Avoid supply driven approaches (“copying” of
European models)
4)Look beyond the formal expressions of transition
and reforms (eg Mali as “donor darling”)
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11. Implementation challenges (2)
Look for smart incentives
1)Reforms cannot be bought by external
agencies with development aid!
2)Systematically assess the political
economy of the reform processes
(interests, power relations, and incentives of
the various domestic actors to change…)
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12. Implementation challenge (3)
Innovate ways to exchange
knowledge
1)EU and member states can share a
wealth of lessons of experience with
transition
2)Translate interesting EU reform
experiences into developing countries
realities
3)Further refine EU’s “comparative
advantage” as social inclusiveness
(attractive to developing countries)
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13. Thank you!
www.ecdpm.org
gl@ecdpm.org
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