1. CIDA and CSOs in Effective Development Nicole GESNOT Canadian delegation to the OECD May 14, 2008 - Brussels

2. 2 Overview Part 1: Civil Society and Development: The Canadian perspective Part 2: CIDA’s Three Tracks Approach on CSOs and Development  Partnership Renewal: rationale, process and results to Date (2005)  Advisory Group on CSOs and Aid Effectiveness: Mandate and Expected Outcomes (Since 2006)  A CIDA Discussion paper on Civil Society and Development (Expert Group since 2007 and on-going)  Part 3: Next Steps and other Challenges

3. 3 CIDA and CSOs in Development CIDA: a long history of collaboration and support to Canadian CSOs in development in LDCs (+40 years) CIDA’s Canadian partners: NGOs, Volunteer cooperation agencies, Colleges universities and other training institutions, private sector organizations, etc. 800+ partners from across Canada with active agreements achieving concrete results Through its main funding mechanisms, CIDA disburses between 20-25% of its ODA to CSOs. The Canadian Partnership Branch alone disbursed $260 million in Official Development Assistance in 2006-2007, roughly 10% of CIDA’s Aid Budget Disbursement.

4. 4 Track 1: Partnership Programming Renewal Process

5. 5 Partnership Renewal: Progress To date Improved Efficiencies Strengthened Accountability Improved Relationships with Canadian Partners Policy Leadership

6. 6 Track 2: Advisory Group on CSOs and Aid Effectiveness

7. 7 OECD’s Advisory Group on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness Membership: Multi-stakeholders Criticism from CSOs that Paris Declaration was donor-driven; CSO feeling excluded from the Aid Effectiveness Agenda Created by the WP-EFF (donors and recipient countries) in January 2007 In practice not just “advisory” – building understanding and consensus

8. 8 The AG’s Mandate - Two dimensions SPACE for CSO advocacy (as foreseen in the Paris Declaration) - about holding donors and governments to account for aid effectiveness and development policy CSO AID EFFECTIVENESS – how to ensure that the contribution of CSOs to development reaches is full effectiveness potential Not just about Official Development Assistance Shared interest / shared responsibility

9. 9 Advisory Group’s Expected outcomes Three outcomes: Recognition and voice Applying and enriching the international aid effectiveness agenda Lessons of good practice relating to CSOs as aid donors, recipients and partners

10. 10 Actions to date Analytical work and knowledge sharing underway (All AG documents in extranet website: http://web.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cs Extensive consultation process National (15-20 countries already, 20 more in the wings) Regional (6 to date, one in the wings) International Forum (Feb. 3-6) Work on good practice (directly and through parallel initiatives) on-going / template for case studies For Accra: Synthesis Report with recommendations, Good Practice Paper and Case Book Accra and beyond

11. 11 Track 3: CIDA Discussion Paper on CSOs and Development

12. 12 About the Discussion Paper Felt need for an official CIDA policy statement on Civil Society & Development 3 interrelated prongs: Canadian Partnership Direct support to Southern CSOs Strengthening CSOs A results-based perspective Encourage open dialogue, synergies with AG process

13. 13 Key Principles Draw on the Paris Declaration, but from a Civil Society perspective and add as required Recognition of “agency” role of CS and specificity of CS Local Ownership and Alignment Balancing short-term and long-term More comprehensive approaches Managing for results and accountability

14. 14 Policy Issues CSOs as a CIDA priority A Multi-Prong Approach Partnership Programming through Canadian CSOs including Canadian engagement Direct support to LDC CSOs Strengthening Civil Society Enhanced coordination and harmonization vs responsive funds Country and sector concentration (a differentiated response?) Dialogue and learning Accountable and Results-Based programming