The Advisory Group on Civil Society & Aid Effectiveness and the Africa-Canada Forum

Réal Lavergne

Oct. 4, 2007

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Situating the work of the Africa Canada Forum in the AG process

Origins and objectives of the AG processContributions to expect from the Africa-Canada ForumNext steps

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Canadian dialogue on CS–AEDialogue goes back to 2002 (CIDA SAE Policy)CSO support for AE agenda, combined with a certain justifiable defensiveness Renewed CIDA interest beginning in 2006 focused initially on “partnership programming”May 2006 CCIC AGM: AE perspective established as basis for dialogue

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In the meantime… Paris Declaration / Road to Accra creating an opportunity to discuss important issues at an international level A desire to ensure the involvement of CSOs in discusssions of aid effectiveness:

Because CSOs have something valuable to sayBecause CSOS are part of the international aid architecture – what they do also has to be effective, and that is an important issue in its own right

Belief that engagement in a multistakeholder, multinational process could help to generate increased momentum and attentionAn opportunity

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The Advisory GroupCanadian decision to lead internationallyAG set up as a multistakeholder working groupSet up by the WP-EFF in Jan. 2007 to advise the OECD-DAC and the Steering Committee for the Accra HLF3 on civil society and aid effectiveness The chair of the AG sits as an ex officio member of the HLF3 SC.

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Stepping back - important distinctionsAid Effectiveness – a shared objective – level of success in using aid resources to generate developmentAE principles (lessons of experience)International aid effectiveness agenda (consensus on what to do)Aid effectiveness vs development effectiveness? (AE not just about delivery processes and relationships) In terms of Accra – about AE, but is all about development

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What we seek to achieve: 3 outcomes

1. Better understanding and recognition of the roles of CSOs as development actors and as part of the international aid architecture, and engagement of CSOs in general discussions of aid effectiveness (recognition and voice)

2. Improved understanding of the applicability and limitations of the Paris Declaration for addressing issues of aid effectiveness of importance to CSOs, including how CSOs can better contribute to aid effectiveness (applying and enriching the international aid effectiveness agenda)

3. Improved understanding of good practice relating to civil society and aid effectiveness by CSOs themselves, by donors and by developing country governments (lessons of good practice).

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Seven ThemesRecognition and VoiceApplying and enriching the Paris DeclarationFive relationship sets

Between CSOs and their primary constituentsBetween and among CSOs at country level and beyondBetween Northern and Southern CSOsBetween CSOs and developing-country governmentsBetween donors and CSOs

See Consultation and Reporting Guidelines

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What we have so far

Good understanding of CSO roles in development, as part of the aid architecture (Concept Paper part III)Good sense of the strengths and weaknesses of the Paris Declaration (Concept Paper part IV)Good sense of the issues (Issues Paper)Need to go beyond teasing out the issues

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Consultations and case workConsultations: national, regional and int.Case work: Africa-Canada Forum, Nordic +, CIDA work on Governance and Health in Cameroon, Mali and Nigeria, Global Donor Platform on Rural DevelopmentBuilding consensus important, but need forward momentum – cannot afford to reinvent the wheel with each consultationBringing it together a huge challenge – requires discipline (see reporting guidelines)

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From analysis to principles to an action agenda

How the DAC works – from experience and lessons of experience to principles to an action agendaWhere are we, and what can we expect from Accra?Three parts of Accra: Marketplace, Roundtable, Accra Agenda for ActionAccra and beyond

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Next steps – working together

Target = a Good Practice Paper, recognition and agreement to work towards an agendaExploratory Paper and Case Book by January or February (!)Cases to illustrate good practice in terms of AEConsultations and analysis to identify examples of consensus principlesSharing – http://web.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cs