Engaging with Non-state Actors in General Budget Support and Sector Policy Support Programmes - Training Seminar

Background

The Document “Engaging Non-State Actors in New Aid Modalities” calls for more strategic involvement of civil society in general budget support and in sector budget support operations; this approach would ensure wider country ownership, better development outcomes and improved governance and domestic accountability. The study is targeted at the EU staff, in Headquarter and in Delegations, involved in (i) macro-economic support; (ii) sector operations; (iii) governance programmes and (IV) support to non-state actors in geographic or thematic programmes. It also targets NSA organisations, involved in advocacy and policy dialogue in their respective Countries. These various forms of expertise are invited to work together in order to improve the impact and effectiveness of budget support operations while encouraging NSAs to play their legitimate roles in the development process. Though this is a relatively new field of action, the EC and its development partners have already explored multiple ways to engage more strategically with NSAs when they provide budget support or when they harmonise their efforts behind sector reform programmes. Examples of innovative practices experienced by the EU Delegations illustrate the challenges and potential of pushing for a more effective NSA participation in and beyond new aid modalities.

Objectives of the workshop

The objectives of the workshop is to discuss the ways to improve development outcomes and governance, through engaging with NSAs in general and sector budget support operations and exploring obstacles, methods and means to reach this political objective.

Participants

The seminar targets mostly the EU staff (DEVCO and EAS) in Headquarter (DEL are most welcome),  involved in the fields of (i) macro-economic support; (ii) sector operations; (iii) governance programmes and (IV) geographic and thematic programmes supporting non-state actors.

Method

The training seminar will offer different entry points; it proposes to seek to cater for the different interests while promoting joint action and multidisciplinary forms of expertise.

The Introductory session aims to present the key findings of the study, as well as concrete examples of innovative EC approaches in terms of engaging NSAs in budget support operations and SPSPs.

It will be followed by a round table gathering four complementary units, aiming to share visions and points of view of staff from different units and disciplines, concerning the relevance of the proposed approach and the key strategic and operational challenges. All the participants will be invited to contribute in the debate.

In the afternoon, ECDPM will present the operational side of the approach developed in the reference document; the presentation will be followed by small groups discussions;

At the end of the day, the participants will have a clear picture about the way one should work in a more transversal way within the Headquarter and coop with the Delegations, in order to ensure a more strategic engagement with NSAs in general budget support and in sector operations and programmes.

 AGENDA

9.30-9:45 Introduction

9.45 -11:00:            WHY focus on NSAs in Budget Support and Sector Policy Support Programmes?

• What do we stand to gain from engaging strategically with NSAs?
• What are the fundamentals of the proposed approach?
• What are the main risks?            Presentation + questions/answers

11.00 –11.15: Coffee

11.15 –11.45: Innovative practices reported by EU Delegations in India, Ghana, Morocco, South Africa etc.

• Ghana
• Piloting Social Accountability in Ethiopia
• Educiudadania - Ecuador

11.45-13.00: Round table:

How to add value of engaging with NSAs in New Aid Modalities 

13.00 –14.15: LUNCH

14:15  - 15:45: Operational guidance on engagement with NSA:

• Entry points and operational guidance on strategic engagement with NSAs
• Complementarities (including complementarity between geographic and thematic  instruments) 
• Capacity Development needs
• Challenging new  roles for the EU
• Challenging cooperation amongst  EU services           

15.45-16.00: Next steps in moving forward this agenda           

Organised by E4 and facilitated by ECDPM