Comments

Thanks Grant for your blog. Most of us who have worked for a significant time around civil society in the developing world, and donor attempts to sponsor civil society, become aware of the inherent contradictions, and your exploration of the different theoretical approaches to civil society – e.g. Gramsci v. De Tocqueville, give us useful food for thought around these issues. To me, the ‘non-partisanship’ of groups like Transparency International was always an expedient operational approach and a useful guide to practice, rather than a deep-seated philosophical position. Of course, nothing upsets the existing balance of power within a given society than ‘fighting corruption’, unless the fight is completely ineffectual, and thus it is an essentially ‘political’ fight in the ‘big P’ sense, and not the petty grasp for power by individuals in the ‘small p’ sense. In my view, TI is clearly trying to expressly distance itself from the latter, whilst quietly associating itself with the former. TI also tries to avoid the most heated partisan fights by trying to take the long-view (no naming and shaming!), and thus keeping their hands relatively clean. I don’t think this renders either the work of TI or donor support of TI fundamentally flawed or contradictory, but it’s definitely sensitive territory and needs to be approached with context awareness and nuanced scholarly understanding – two things which are not always in plentiful supply. But there’s another connected point that I’d be interested in your views upon – that is, the alien nature of civil society in a largely non-industrial and subsistence-based society. As we know, part of the under-performance problem of civil society in a country like PNG is that the civil society groups that look most like de Tocqueville’s version are mostly urban-based, donor-sponsored and struggle to connect to the rural masses, and most scholars would agree that without the complexity and scale that comes with mass industrial society, civil society as we know it isn’t possible. To get to the point, do you think civil society exists in the rural villages of Papua New Guinea? Or is it a social phenomenon that can only exist within large-scale, inter-connected, industrialized, urban societies?

Hi Bryant, Thank you for bringing up this discussion on the ANU Policy Blog. I do agree with you that the impact of El Nino on food production in PNG is quite worrying. I also like the analysis that you have provided on food and water shortages around PNG including the history of similar events over many decades. Compared to the response of 1997-98 drought and frost, the Government of PNG is more aware of its roles and responsibilities in this situation this time around. The print and social media have done well in highlighting the impacts to the rest of PNG and the authorities. Using this information together with assessments by various provincial authorities, the PNG National Disaster Centre was able to target its ground- based assessments. Thanks to the work of people like yourself and Mike Bourke, we are learning from the lessons of 1997-98 and putting in place better strategies to address the impacts of El Nino on the local communities. We do acknowledge that there may be gaps in the current response but at least we are more aware of what to expect and how as a responsible Government can address the situation. We have already reached out to the development partners including the Government of Australia for specific assistance but the biggest part of the response will be handled by Papua New Guinea government sectors this time around. To give a bit more insight to the Government’s response, we have already deployed an assessment team to the highlands region while the next two teams to the Momase and New Guinea Islands regions will be deployed by end of this week. Those teams comprise of trained people in health, agriculture, protection, nutrition education, logistics and WASH. NARI is represented in all the teams. So a rapid assessment of the situation is currently taking place. This is accompanied by initial relief assistance especially to areas affected by frost. Based on the assessment reports, we will be able to have a more targeted response. Detail sector assessments will be carried over the course of the El Nino period to allow the Government to monitor the situation and response accordingly. We are confident of our efforts this time but acknowledge that we still need the support of our bilateral and development partners. Every El Nino event has its own lessons and we are grateful for those of the 1997-98 event that people like yourself have documented well. In fact, I am using your publications as reference materials in supporting the Government’s efforts. Vini Talai, PNG National Disaster Centre

Very well written article, highlighting challenges in educating brickfield owners to practice producing "Green Bricks". Excellent introduction of Fly Ash bricks! I would like to add that in order to achieve "Green Bricks" status, advance design kilns and use of new materials for bricks must also use "Green Coal" with high heat value, low ash and low sulfur. You can find a write up on RCI GREEN AND CLEAN COAL <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rci-green-clean-coal-wilson-chin?trk=mp-reader-card" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

I have reviewed the blog comments on my presentation on capacity building and have a range of reactions and further comments. Steve Pollard makes the valid point that I focused largely on supply side changes. I agree fully donors need to do a better job of listening to borrower interests and priorities. He also notes some solid work that ADB has done on capacity building. Richard Tate takes me to task for what he sees as my bias in favor of the private sector. He lists a number of the major failures of the private sector in the Pacific and was clearly of the view that the private sector cannot play the positive role suggested in my talk. I have two reactions to this in terms of bringing about broad development progress in the Pacific. First, I do believe a vibrant and dynamic private sector is central to broad development progress in the Pacific. In my view only the private sector has the capacity to mobilize the resources and generate the employment opportunities that are key to progress there. Second, while I fully recognize there can be private sector failures, I would argue that the strengthening of government institutions and capacity, the central focus of my talk, is precisely how these failures can be best addressed and, over time, avoided. Effective and efficient governments are also key to progress in the Pacific. Finally, Jo Spratt correctly points out that practice seems to lag behind the knowledge that has been generated and makes the key point that capacity development cannot be limited to a review of TA and training. A useful list of areas for further work is also suggested.

I have reviewed the blog comments on my presentation on capacity building and have a range of reactions and further comments. First, the general support from Rod Reeve and Max Walsh is clearly appreciated. Second, I fully support Luc Lapointe's point on the potential importance of engaging the private sector in capacity building. His emphasis on ensuring that we measure results consistently is also sensible. Third, Deborah Rhodes cites some recent work on the area, including work she has completed on the Pacific. Her point on the need to take in to account cultural values is one I have considerable sympathy with. I also make a range of critical points on present donor performance. Specifically, I fully agree that there has been too much innovation driven by donors without proper analysis of the likely local response. Having said this, I don't agree with her suggestion that my analysis is based on a foundation of "western values". No where do I suggest "individualist values" should drive capacity development and I certainly wouldn't argue that action plans which divide communities are sensible. At the same time I am not reluctant to argue for policy changes and program changes when existing institutions are not delivering adequate services. I would support this by noting that, in my experience, parents in both Africa and the Pacific recognize all to well the failures of the education and health systems they presently live with and will actively support efforts that they believe can lead to meaningful improvements. Fourth, Phil Dowton expresses a number of important frustrations with discussion of capacity building which I think deserve comment. First, while I agree with his point that capacity is not a panacea, I do see capacity as a necessary condition for broad improvements in government performance, The simple fact is that countries that have improved their policy and operational performance in key areas have shown remarkable improvements in poverty reduction and service delivery. Second, while I fully agree with his point that governance is also key, I don't know any cases where governance has improved in the absence of improvements in capacity. Finally, I fully agree with his message that capacity building cannot be an end in itself. Fifth, my response to Elie Shumbusho's request for success stories in Africa is regretfully modest. I don't think any African country has had broad success across sectors in institution building. In my speech I noted the general progress made across the continent in strengthening central banks; I am also a big fan of the improvements in economic policy that have been supported by the African Economic Research Consortium. One can also note specific cases of infrastructure improvements - the energy sector in Kenya and the urban water sector in Uganda are cases that come to mind, However, and most disappointing to me, I can't really cite an example of best practice in either education and health.

Thanks Matt for this contribution which I think is a very cogent analysis. I think that there is a particular point to be made about Goal 16, which specifically addresses issues relating to governance, an aspect of development that was noticeably absent from the MDGs. In the context of Pacific development challenges, it is good to see it here. I agree that the importance of these goals in the Pacific is largely one of normative symbolism and certainly they are highly unlikely to feature in national political discourse, or at least that part of it that is intended for domestic audiences. However, I am a little less sanguine about the impact on policy makers in the region. No doubt discussions with development partners (or the OECD-DAC ones anyway) will be expected to be peppered with appropriate references to goals/targets/outputs, etc as will proposals for projects, programmes and so on. Mastering the language and figuring out how to 'play the game' will be time consuming and possibly frustrating. PS - I suppose you could have entitled your post 'Islands in the Stream' but overall I'm very glad you didn't

This debate is over simplified. Those who work in the field will acknowledge that in practice "advising" and being "in line" are not so different. Out of respect for national sovereignty, "advisers" have until recently been encouraged to defer ultimate decision making to their national counterparts: it does not mean that advisers don't get their "hands dirty". To be "in line" may bring with it more formal authority but the authority can be undermined if a foreigner is unable to maintain the respect of colleagues or makes too many unpopular decisions. Personally I have worked in both capacities and have found that "in line" my authority could be subverted just as easily as my powers of persuasion as an adviser. Also, donors expect the people that they pay to show them loyalty: this potentially creates a conflict of interest because contractually an "in line" foreigner has a primary duty towards the Government of PNG. I'm not arguing against "in line" - just trying to dispel yet another "silver bullet" moment in aid policy.

It is understandable that Humanitarian assistance is not a component of development policy but its strategic importance in development policy can not be ruled out, Rebecca. The three points you have raised are very important in the process of humanitarian assistance. The Channel of Disbursement, Untapped Sources and Pre-emptive Measures to prevent/predict natural and human-made disasters. All these three steps are important in case of humanitarian assistance. Moreover, sometimes national governments are very sensitive while accepting the humanitarian assistance and its disbursement process and, thus do not allow the international assistance and its mechanisms. The human-made disasters can certainly be prevented, if the governments and systems works wisely. It is also obvious and you have rightly pointed out that needs of humanitarian assistance far exceeds the capacity of donors and therefore it is imperative to encourage involvement of local communities in order to inculcate 'resilience' in the society to face any disaster. The vulnerable sections like children and women must be paid special attention in case of any disaster. I think it is important to sensitise the ruling elite, particularly in the developing countries, to ensure the enforcement of global standards of efficient utilisation of humanitarian assistance and their dependence on developed world must be reduced through 'resilience' generating measures. Finally, should I suggest that there must be a critique and evaluation of the existing approaches and perspectives of humanitarian assistance in order to search for more innovative approach ?

Thanks Rebecca, an excellent article with very significant points. I would highlight the point you make about leakage of resources to overheads and subcontracting, which in all forms of aid delivery, means only a small proportion of funds actually reaches the ground and intended beneficiaries. Notwithstanding vested commercial interests in maintaining the status quo, there are more cost-effective and effective ways to reduce the proportion of funds going to 'middlemen'.

The future of this country depends on people with positive thinking. People who can translate simple plans into great outcomes and Sir Mekere is such a Leader this national is looking for. Frankly, the track record of our successive governments in implementing real programs for our people is terrible. We in PNG are very good at planning for development. We have an alphabet soup of agencies and committees and councils all devoted to either planning for development, because the way we have been doing development has not been working. But when it comes to actually implementing development we have completely failed and the UN report highlighted the basic issues - we have been terrible at translating economic growth into development for our people. The proof of that is in our performance in the Human Development Index in which PNG has dropped from the 91st in the world in 1990 to 156th in the world. That is the greatest drop of any country in the world. We are not implementing development. We are talking about development, but we are not implementing anything. We create giant projects for a few so the world outside is deceived into thinking we are what they see in Port Moresby, Lae and few other selected towns, but most of the country is ignored.

Beyond Gransci...... The civil society expresses itself through multiplicity of groups or collectivity attaining diverse objectives. Quite often some of them work as pressure group in the governing process. Such groups and organisations are vertically active from local to the international level and horizontally they are issue and sector specific. Whatever their nature and role may be, they important component of the structural and institutional character of the society. Grant Walton has rightly classified as GONGOs, BONGOs, BINGOs, International NGOs and other Socio-Cultural organisations. They may serve educative, advocacy and developmental purpose or motivate for political action. Certainly they are playing an important role around the world but recent trends indicate that suspicion is being raised about their character as civil society as being non-partisan and apolitical. China, Russia and India are raising suspicion particularly about the international NGOs and contemplating to impose some restrictions on their activities or even ban their operation. It may diminish the role of NGOs as civil society and impose limits on the social enterprise. It appears these countries used the civil society organisations to get connected with civil society in the developed world but now resistant when these civil society organisations started generating awareness among the masses through their educational, advocacy and developmental activities. It is likely to adversely affect the interest of the elite section and their domination may be liquidated in the highly structured society in these countries. There is sufficient evidence that the role of civil society is being diminished in these countries and there are concerted efforts to make the civil society subordinate to the State and Market. Such a trend in these countries will have global impact during next two decades. It may compel one to raise skepticism and suspicion about the realisation of SDGs by 2030.

Dear Glen, Thank you for this powerful and critically important first-hand perspective. Your account resonates with what I have heard throughout the region. There is a better model available and I do believe it would be more impactful, better value for money, and could catalyse sustainability in health education. I will be in touch. Joel