The Political Economy Analysis is widely seen as an essential component of the development practitioner’s toolbox, furthering understanding and contributing to better project results. But how does one put this approach into practice? We offer some pointers from colleagues who’ve already been there.
The EU delegation to Zambia last year began a process of political economy analysis and during a recent trip to Brussels to share his experience, EU staffer Alessandro Zanotta offered his advice for colleagues embarking on a similar process.
In the delegation Mr Zanotta and his colleagues formed a small working group to draft a blueprint for the delegation’s political economy analysis approach in Zambia.
“More generally my advice to staff in EU delegations and not only in delegation but all over the Commission,” said Mr Zanotta, “would be to better understand the context in which we work , to explore the drivers of change….. And also listen more to the counterpart – to their requirements, to their needs – to consider more the reality that faces our colleagues in the counterpart country.”
“Improving our operations in the country requires a lot of dialogue with local partners and attention to ownership issues,” said Mr Zanotta,” The backbone strategy seminar that was held in the delegation in March 2010 was really conducive to this approach.”
“Thanks to that seminar the delegation had time to think through the different activities and different operations and time to realise that there is need to give importance to ownership concepts and to give importance to the context of the actions.”
To hear more from Mr Zanotta, click on the image below:
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