The first blog discussed what donors could be looking for at tender, to ensure bidders can actually ‘do TWP’ in practice. This blog looks at what it takes for donors to incentivise TWP once implementation has begun. Drawing on our experiences mobilizing and managing three big facilities in Indonesia, Timor Leste and PNG, here’s what I …
Category: Opinion
Getting Past the Rhetoric #1 : Tendering for ‘Thinking and Working Politically’ in Large Facilities
It is commonplace to now find tenders littered with references to ‘thinking and working politically’ (TWP). This leadership from donors is a good thing, but it also poses new challenges. Specifically: When the bids roll in, how might donors discern who has the operational and programmatic capabilities to actually ‘do TWP’ in practice? And; What …
Reading between the lines of the Bangladesh-Myanmar MOU
By Jim Della-Giacoma* In signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bangladesh on the return of Rohingya refugees, Myanmar portrayed the agreement as “a win-win situation for both countries” and a victory for neighbours resolving their differences without the interference of outsiders. But the deal may also reveal that wider conflicts are brewing. Myanmar is …
Continue reading Reading between the lines of the Bangladesh-Myanmar MOU
Facilities deserve a place in development
By Jacqui de Lacy *This blog was also published simultaneously by Devpolicy on 13 November 2017. There are many ways to build a house. One way is to choose your own architect, surveyor, plumber, electrician, carpenter…. You will get your family a great house, but it will take lots of your time, progress may be …
Myanmar Rohingya crisis: Australia needs to stand up and help as the situation worsens
By John Blaxland and Elaine Pearson [Original article posted on ABC News 16 September 2017] The world seems to be sitting on its hands as the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar descends into what the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has described as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing". In just three weeks, more than …
Deep and Wide? Or Wide and Shallow?
Deep and Wide? Or Wide and Shallow? At Sunday school sometime in the last century I remember singing with great gusto a chorus that included the lines “deep and wide, deep and wide, there’s a fountain flowing deep and wide…” Even today I can hum the tune (but not out loud as laryngectomees cannot sing. …
Aid, deep thinking, and national security
Written by Jacqui De Lacy Prior to coming in to Government Julie Bishop, possibly softening us up for future budget cuts, often said that quality matters over quantity when it comes to aid expenditure. It is hard to argue with this logic. It seems clear that the Government has comprehensively delivered on its commitment to reduce …
Governance, Foreign Policy and Populism – All the Fun things
From Australia and Canada’s decision to integrate their development agencies, to the resurgence of nationalism in the UK and US and the flat-lining of public support for aid (see below graph from IDS) – major bilateral donors are increasingly bringing aid closer to the heart of government operations. As a result, the ‘old’ aid policy …
Continue reading Governance, Foreign Policy and Populism – All the Fun things
‘Good’ Governance – Remembering the Role of Values and Beliefs: A Recipient Nation’s Perspective
By Anar Ulikpan This blog is a response to the post entitled "What is this Governance Thing Anyway?" In very simple and broad terms, governance is a process through which public/community goods and services are coordinated to serve its peoples’ best interests in an equitable and fair manner. Countries with ‘good’ governance are expected to have …
Our 5 component orthodoxy. Debate.
So, here’s our take – but what’s your view? What is this ‘governance’ thing anyway and what does it mean to you?
What is this ‘Governance’ thing anyway?
The first blog post will tackle the complex question of ‘what is this governance thing anyway?’ I remain surprised how many times I am asked this question. I suppose it’s like most things; if you know which English King was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, then question is pretty easy. If you don’t it’s tricky.
Governance and Development Soapbox 