Sustainable finance, aid effectiveness and poverty alleviation in the new global aid architecture

Realizing that achievement of the MDGs is endangered, the German Association of NGDOs, Venro, recently published two position papers for the Accra Forum on Aid Effectiveness and the 2rd World Conference on Development Finance.

While welcoming the international commitment to the successful implementation of the ‘Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness’ Venro criticises several aspects, including the:

• missing notion of pro-poor growth and adequate consideration of economic, social and cultural rights
• strong focus on governments while neglecting parliaments and non-state actors
• neglecting of the global economic framework including the development of global commodity prices and global trade policy
• ownership principle which is not balanced with political conditionality
• harmonisation which endangers the diversity of development approaches (see pdf, in German).

Regarding the “Financing for Development” Process, Venro argues that it would not be in the interest of CSOs to see the upcoming conference become a simple reviewing exercise. Directed to the German government Venro calls for a fast implementation of the UN Convention against corruption, extension of budget support in good performing partner countries, strengthened cooperation between Germany's Technical and Financial Cooperation institutions and a further discussion of the concept regarding the cancellation of illegitimate debts (see pdf, in German).

by Martin Behrens

See the Euforic newsfeed on Aid Effectiveness.

Visit our German Cooperation dossier or subscribe to the newsfeed.

See also the WECA Project of the European Center for Development Policy and Management dealing with issues of Aid Management, Ownership and Accountability.