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The EU's competing strategic interests in Africa: Priorities for the next MFF
As the European Commission prepares for the design of the EU’s next long-term budget – the multiannual financial framework (MFF) – Philippe Van Damme explores the compatibility of EU interests with African priorities and examines how the EU can reconcile its objectives within the next MFF.
19 March 2025
Supporting the Italian G7 presidency
Drawing on our role as a "think and do tank" that bridges research and policy, ECDPM actively engages in providing crucial expertise and strategic support to international policy processes like the G7. This support aims to shape agendas, ensure effective policy implementation, and foster impactful outcomes on key global challenges.
19 March 2025
How ECDPM supports EU council presidencies
ECDPM plays a crucial role in providing expertise and support to the rotating presidencies of the European Union: supporting 16 presidencies in the past two decades. This work spans a wide range of aims to ensure a smooth implementation of the presidency's agenda.
19 March 2025
Financing for Development: How can the EU make the best of FfD4?
With the fresh disappointment of COP29 and abject failure of their previous meeting in 2015 to raise development aid “from billions to trillions” still lingering, state representatives are to meet in Seville for the fourth Financing for Development conference. It will take a great strategic effort not only to save the conference from the fate of its predecessors, but to correct the direction of development aid itself, which appears otherwise doomed to accelerating decline.
18 March 2025
US vs. EU development approach: One is dead, what’s next for the other?
Looking into the different approaches to development cooperation, Gemma Pinyol Puig explains the divide between the US and the EU. With geopolitical dynamics evolving, she argues Global South governments may assert even greater control over what happens in their countries, while the EU will need to adapt its cooperation approach accordingly.
12 March 2025
The future of EU external financing under the next MFF: Merging or refining instruments?
As the European Commission prepares for the design of the EU’s next long-term budget – the multiannual financial framework (MFF) – Mariella Di Ciommo and Alexei Jones examine several proposals for the external financing instruments under the new MFF. They argue that the benefits and drawbacks of these proposals must be carefully considered.
10 March 2025
International Women’s Day: How we aim to put gender at the heart of our work
Sara Gianesello and Sophie Desmidt explain why it’s crucial for organisations to incorporate gender equality at different levels. They dive into how ECDPM has tried to achieve this in the past five years, what the challenges were and what we learned from it.
05 March 2025
Von der Leyen in India: A tech sovereignty partnership in the making
Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission head to New Delhi this week, where tech sovereignty should be at the heart of the discussions.
Caught between the American Scylla and Chinese Charbydis, the EU and India have a common interest in strengthening their partnership in tech and beyond. Yet, while advancing on trade negotiations will be tough, there is real potential for cooperation around building sovereign digital infrastructures and investing in key digital value chains.
28 February 2025
Scaling up Global Gateway: Boosting coordination in development and export finance
The rapidly changing dynamics of global economic governance, coupled with rising geopolitical tensions, significantly impact Europe’s trade, investment and development landscape. San Bilal and Andreas Klasen argue that to fully realise the ambitions of its Global Gateway strategy, the EU should improve the coordination and complementarity of development and export finance.
24 February 2025
Kenya and Ghana’s visa reforms: Paving the way for free movement in Africa
Nancy Adossi and Amanda Bisong examine Ghana and Kenya’s visa-free travel initiatives. They argue that, in a shifting geopolitical landscape, African leaders must look inward for solutions, including policies on mobility.
19 February 2025
Beyond ‘seized of the matter’: The new AU leadership’s continental and global challenges
Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Ueli Staeger argue that the new AU Commission – with Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Selma Malika Haddadi at the helm – faces a tough task in tackling Africa’s security challenges and shaping global governance, and must undertake a bold recalibration of its tools and strategic posture.
19 February 2025
The M23 in eastern DRC: Whose peace is it anyway?
The conflict in eastern DRC has been on top of the agenda of last weeks AU summit. Poorva Karake looks at what the current state of affairs means for regional integration, African peace and security structures and wider EU-DRC relations.
17 February 2025
FfD4 as a Turning Point – Overcoming Challenges to Strengthen Sustainable Development Finance
In a policy brief for ETTG, Karim Karaki with Damien Barchiche (IDDRI), Ben Katoka (IDDRI), Niels Keijzer (IDOS), Iliana Olivié (ETTG, Elcano Royal Institute) and María Santillán O’Shea (Elcano Royal Institute) examine critical pathways to reform global development financing mechanisms, analyzing key opportunities presented by the Fourth UN Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and proposing concrete actions to enhance sustainable development finance.
13 February 2025
How the EU can Leverage FfD4 to Strengthen its International Partnerships
In a blog for ETTG, Karim Karaki and IDOS's Niels Keijzer highlight key dimensions which the EU should address if it wants to make FfD4 an opportunity to strengthen its alliances. To achieve this, the EU must articulate a clear strategic vision, move beyond incremental changes by addressing systemic issues such as power imbalances in the international financial architecture, and engage key stakeholders like Ministries of Finance to ensure effective implementation. Without bold leadership, pragmatic goal-setting, and trust-building, the EU risks missing a crucial opportunity to shape global financing for development and reinforce its geopolitical influence.
13 February 2025
ECOWAS evolutions: Who gains?
Bruce Byiers explores the political, economic and ideological dynamics of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger’s exit from ECOWAS and their transition to the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States.
12 February 2025
Turmoil in USAID and the challenge for the EU's response
The Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID carries deep consequences for the EU’s foreign and development policy goals. Andrew Sherriff argues that the EU must respond quickly and strategically, and above all together. Furthermore, the EU should grab this opportunity to present itself as a more reliable partner.
12 February 2025
How the EU can work in fragile settings
With one in seven people affected by conflict and a rapidly growing gap between humanitarian need and available funding, fragility and conflict are undermining development in affected regions. ECDPM has undertaken in-depth research to explore how the EU and development institutions can respond to these significant challenges.
05 February 2025
From India Stack to EuroStack: Reconciling approaches to sovereign digital infrastructure
Chloe Teevan, Raphael Pouyé and Gautam Kamath argue that the EU should expand global discussions around digital infrastructures, presenting a more complete and democratic framework for sovereign digital infrastructure. This would permit the EU to engage with key emerging powers like India and Brazil, offer a holistic vision to govern the technology stack and help shape a wider global conversation about tech sovereignty.
05 February 2025
The broken promise of loss and damage finance: Can Europe help?
One year after the launch of the loss and damage fund at COP28, progress is stalling. Daniel Adeniyi delves into the challenges facing the fund and argues that the EU, as its main contributor, must address the 99% funding gap through higher contributions, innovative funding mechanisms and prioritising climate justice politically.
29 January 2025
Strategic insights for further developing and strengthening Flemish relations with Africa
This study, conducted by HIVA-KU Leuven and ECDPM for the Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office, explores how Flanders can develop sustainable and mutually beneficial relations with Africa in a dynamic world shaped by geopolitical changes.
28 January 2025
Unlocking pension fund capital for the SDGs and climate in emerging markets
Emerging markets face a $4.2 trillion annual funding gap for SDGs and climate goals. Multilateral Development Banks and Development Finance Institutions are well equipped to address this gap, and initiatives such as ILX can help pension funds overcome barriers and unlock scalable, risk-adjusted investments, driving impactful and diversified returns.
27 January 2025
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development: Exploring priorities for Africa
In a brief for ETTG, Karim Karaki, San Bilal and IDOS’ Kathrin Berensmann highlight the need for African stakeholders to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, reform the G20 common framework for debt treatment and optimise external financial flows, including climate finance. Presenting opportunities for a stronger partnership, they show that African and EU priorities can align
22 January 2025
Why international cooperation matters for European interests
The EU’s political landscape is changing with new leaders, shifting geopolitics and escalating global crises. Our project "to the new leaders of Europe" examined the implications of domestic political choices for the EU’s international cooperation and foreign policy to explore the evolving nature of the EU’s global relationships and stress the importance of investing in strategic partnerships.
22 January 2025
European support for adaptation in times of shifting politics and tight budgets
Africa faces a critical climate adaptation finance crisis, with funding needs outpacing current levels and trust in international commitments eroding. Hanne Knaepen examines how Europe can improve its support for Africa’s climate adaptation needs amidst rising African disillusionment and geopolitical and domestic challenges.
15 January 2025
Achieving climate justice requires major global reforms
Martha Bekele from DevTransform explores how aligning efforts on climate justice with reform movements on global debt and tax systems, international investment agreements and multilateral institutions can create a fairer economic framework to support climate finance.
15 January 2025
How the EU’s geoeconomic shift is adversely affecting developing countries
The EU is increasingly using trade and investment instruments to advance strategic foreign policy goals. Clara Weinhardt from Maastricht University and Ferdi De Ville from Ghent University argue that this geoeconomic shift is sidelining developmental priorities and creating friction with developing countries.
14 January 2025
Inside the EU’s long-term budget: The multiannual financial framework explained
The EU’s multiannual financial framework, a seven-year budget powering policies within and beyond its borders, will enter negotiations for the post-2027 period in 2025. Building on years worth of analysis of the EU’s long-term budget, we will closely monitor the upcoming negotiations, focusing in particular on Europe’s global role and relations with its neighbourhood, Africa and the Global South.
09 January 2025
The multiannual financial framework after 2027: Financing the EU’s global ambitions
In this publication, Alexei Jones, Mariella Di Ciommo and Andrew Sherriff examine the EU's upcoming negotiations for the EU's next long-term budget. In light of recent political developments, the paper focuses on how geopolitical shifts and internal dynamics could influence the MFF and in particular the financing for EU external action.
18 December 2024
Green industrialisation: Opportunities for developing countries
Green industrialisation creates key opportunities for developing countries and is a major chance for them to reposition their economies in emerging green value chains. ECDPM believes there is a major case for linking these economic transformation objectives with Europe's accelerated decarbonisation agenda: arguing for mutually beneficial partnerships.
18 December 2024
How to build a resilient and sustainable coffee value chain in Africa
Africa’s coffee industry faces many challenges, which hit smallholder farmers the hardest, as they depend the most on the sector for their livelihoods. Daniel Adeniyi argues that with smart partnerships, innovative ideas and fairer compensation, the coffee industry can not only become more sustainable but also support those who depend on it.
18 December 2024
ECDPM work plan 2025-2026
16 December 2024
Key questions for the EU following al-Assad’s fall in Syria
The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime is a significant moment for Syria, with regional and global effects. Sophie Desmidt, Chloe Teevan and Anna Knoll argue that the EU faces challenges in balancing relations with Syria’s new authorities and other regional actors, while member states risk falling victim to populist reflexes of curbing migration.
11 December 2024
What African countries can do to improve labour mobility
Amanda Bisong explores ways for African governments to improve labour mobility across the continent through measures such as streamlining visa processes, supporting the welfare of African labour migrants and strengthening the role of civil society.
11 December 2024
Tech sovereignty and a new EU foreign economic policy
In a global tech landscape dominated by the US and China, the EU faces significant challenges in staying competitive. Chloe Teevan and Raphael Pouyé argue that, with the threat of US tariffs looming and growing demands for labour, resources and markets, the EU must strengthen alliances with diverse global partners and develop a more coherent narrative for its external digital technology offer.
11 December 2024
The geography of green iron and steel: New opportunities for Europe and North Africa
Poorva Karkare and Alfonso Medinilla examine the transition to green steel production. They investigate how complementing domestic steel decarbonisation with imports of hydrogen-derived hot briquetted iron from North Africa could support European steelmakers’ green ambitions.
11 December 2024
Staying engaged as Team Europe in fragile settings
In this paper for ETTG, ECDPM’s Sophie Desmidt and Sara Gianesello, and Julian Bergmann and Benedikt Erforth from IDOS explore the complex challenges and opportunities of European engagement in fragile settings.
11 December 2024
The cost of Europe’s divisions in the Middle East
Karim Karaki and Chloe Teevan, with Alfonso Medinilla, Cecilia D’Alessandro, Jamie Slater, Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw, Pol Vijverman, Sophie Desmidt and Wassim Ramadan, argue that the EU’s failure to uphold international humanitarian law in Gaza and Lebanon – contrasting sharply with its proclaimed values, commitments and response to Russia’s war against Ukraine – will undermine its efforts to build strategic, long-term partnerships with the rest of the world.
04 December 2024
Aligning climate action and development through SDG financing: The role of FfD4
In this ETTG brief, Karim Karaki, IDDRI’s Damien Barchiche and Ben Katoka, ETTG director Iliana Olivié and Elcano’s María Santillán O’Shea examine how the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), scheduled for mid-2025, can align climate action and development through SDG financing.
04 December 2024
African green hydrogen: Using sustainable fertilisers for industrial and agricultural development in Morocco, Egypt and Kenya
Koen Dekeyser and Alfonso Medinilla explore how combining green hydrogen and fertiliser production can be a catalyst for African green industrialisation and agricultural development, highlighting how one sector can kick-start the other. The paper shows that renewable energy potential is only part of the equation.
04 December 2024
The EU needs a clear pitch for its human-centric approach to digital transformation
European policymakers and digital cooperation experts struggle to explain how the EU’s ‘human-centric’ approach to digital transformation differs from the ‘people-centred’ development approach championed by China. Sabine Muscat argues that the EU needs to demonstrate that its human-centric approach encompasses a focus on economic and social development while also emphasising civil and political rights.
27 November 2024
Financing food security with IFAD
ECDPM has partnered with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to address the urgent issue of food insecurity, particularly in Africa, where 582 million people are projected to be chronically undernourished by 2030.
27 November 2024
Exploring EU and member states' approaches and options to addressing the shrinking civic space
Civic space is shrinking globally which threatens fundamental rights that are essential to democratic principles. Sara Gianesello and Amandine Sabourin identify ways in which the EU and its member states can fine-tune their actions to address this issue. They advocate for tailored, context-specific actions like supporting civil society resilience, leveraging dialogue platforms and enhancing collaboration to counteract democratic decline effectively.
27 November 2024
How young people are shaping EU action in Africa
Although young people are already the driving force behind Africa’s economic transformations, they find themselves locked out from decision-making. In this podcast, Sara Gianesello speaks to Francesca Midzi from the EU delegation in Zimbabwe about the first-ever youth sounding board, which gives young people the opportunity to shape EU action in their country, and lessons learned for promoting youth engagement elsewhere.
26 November 2024
Mapping labour migration in Europe
Labour migration plays a crucial role in addressing skill shortages within the European Union, but with 27 member states having individual migration policies, the landscape of labour migration pathways into Europe is incredibly complex. ECDPM has produced the first ever comprehensive mapping of these pathways to assist policymakers, employers and partner countries in understanding these labyrinthine, interconnected systems.
25 November 2024
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and developing countries: Threats, opportunities and strategic responses
Bruce Byiers and Alfonso Medinilla argue that the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has a crucial impact on developing economies and suggest four response strategies: decarbonise, emulate, challenge and avoid.
20 November 2024
Flux de données transfrontaliers en Afrique : ambitions continentales et réalités politiques
Melody Musoni, Poorva Karkare et Chloe Teevan soutiennent que pour atteindre les objectifs de la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine et pour stimuler l’innovation et le développement de l’IA, l’Afrique doit donner la priorité à l’utilisation des données et au partage transfrontalier des données. Cependant, les agendas nationaux sont souvent prioritaires, ce qui rend difficile la mise en œuvre de la vision continentale.
19 November 2024
Fluxos de dados transfronteiriços em África: Ambições continentais e realidades políticas
Melody Musoni, Poorva Karkare e Chloe Teevan argumentam que, para concretizar os objetivos da Zona de Comércio Livre Continental Africana e para impulsionar a inovação e o desenvolvimento da IA, África deve dar prioridade à utilização e à partilha de dados transfronteiriços. No entanto, as agendas nacionais são frequentemente priorizadas, tornando a implementação da visão continental um desafio.
19 November 2024
Africa's economic integration: How to link trade and mobility policies
The 15th AfCFTA Council of Ministers meeting last week to discuss how to advance the continental trade agenda. Amanda Bisong and Bruce Byiers argue that bridging the politically more sensitive people’s movement with the movement of goods and services could help advance the continent’s economic integration.
13 November 2024
How multilateral development banks can help promote private investment in emerging markets
Emerging markets urgently need more private investment to bridge financing gaps for climate adaptation, sustainable development and post-crisis recovery. Daniel Borrego Cubero, Angeliki Koufali and Daria Fagioli from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) explain how multilateral development banks such as the EBRD can help take away barriers for private investment in emerging markets.
13 November 2024
Why Europe’s support for local currency lending is crucial to stronger partnerships with the Global South
Local currency lending and risk hedging are promising solutions to reduce debt and encourage investment in low- and middle-income countries, yet they remain underused. Karim Karaki analyses the efforts of European financial institutions for development to enhance these strategies and calls for a strategic approach that aligns with the EU’s development, economic and geostrategic interests.
06 November 2024
What to watch out for in Jozef Síkela’s approach to international partnerships
Ahead of commissioner-designate Jozef Síkela’s European Parliament hearing, Pauline Veron and Andrew Sherriff outline what his hearing should clarify, in which areas members of the European Parliament should hold him accountable and what his approach to international partnerships might be, based on his written answers submitted ahead of the hearing.
04 November 2024
Series: To the new leaders of Europe
With the European Parliament elections in June and the selection of Europe’s new leaders on the horizon, the stage is set for a reshaping of the EU's political landscape. Against the backdrop of shifting geopolitics and escalating global crises, our series 'To the new leaders of Europe' looks into the implications of these domestic political choices for the EU’s international cooperation and foreign policy. It explores how the EU’s relationship with countries worldwide is changing and emphasises the importance of investing in strategic global partnerships.
30 October 2024
The EU’s attention to fragility: Priority or afterthought?
Both the incoming international partnerships commissioner and the commissioner for preparedness, crisis management and equality will be responsible for the EU’s engagement in fragile environments, alongside the new foreign policy chief. Volker Hauck and Sophie Desmidt look at what the mission letters and written responses to the European Parliament ahead of the confirmation hearings for Jozef Síkela and Hadja Lahbib reveal about the new Commission’s attention to fragility.
30 October 2024
Leveraging green industrialisation for a just transition: Africa-Europe cooperation
In this brief by the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG), IDDRI’s Damien Barchiche and Sébastien Treyer, ACTS’s Catherine Kilelu, CCCD’s Chukwumerije Okereke and ECDPM’s Alfonso Medinilla highlight challenges and opportunities in fostering a just green transition through Africa-Europe collaboration.
30 October 2024
How the EU can reset its adaptation partnership with Africa
Despite optimistic rhetoric from the 2022 EU-AU Summit, Africa remains frustrated by the widening finance gap and a lack of transparency, while the EU is fatigued by criticism. With COP29 approaching, addressing barriers to adaptation cooperation is crucial. Africa, one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, faces a growing adaptation funding gap, and despite the EU being a leading donor, its contributions are seen as insufficient and poorly targeted. Geopolitical tensions and fragmented European climate agendas complicate efforts, threatening the balance of this critical partnership.
30 October 2024
Higher returns and lower portfolio risks: Attracting institutional capital for development
In a guest contribution for ECDPM, Sony Kapoor takes a first-order approach that focuses on the prospects for the global economy and the risk and return landscape facing institutional investors. He shows how a large-scale reallocation of their portfolios towards developing economies is central to their first-order goal of maximising long-term returns while diversifying away as much risk as possible.
23 October 2024
A stronger EU offer to partners: Beyond power play and competition
While Europe looks at the world primarily through the lens of geostrategic competition, countries in the Global South are more focused on seizing development opportunities. Mariella Di Ciommo argues that the incoming EU leadership should focus on strengthening its own offer, rather than competing with China.
23 October 2024
Unlocking capital: Towards a European approach to mobilising institutional investors
Karim Karaki, Laure Blanchard-Brunac and San Bilal examine the EU’s growing reliance on private capital to address the $4.2 trillion annual financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals. Offering a set of recommendations, they call for a more strategic approach to mobilising private capital, particularly from institutional investors, to advance the EU’s development, economic and geostrategic objectives.
23 October 2024
Tackling transboundary climate risks in the Middle East and North Africa
The MENA region's socio-economic vulnerability to local and transboundary climate risks can lead to political instability with global spillover effects. In a policy brief for Adaptation without Borders, Hanne Knaepen argues that the international community, including Europe, is not fully prepared to manage these risks and stresses the need to scale up regional adaptation finance.
16 October 2024
Cross-border data flows in Africa: Continental ambitions and political realities
Melody Musoni, Poorva Karkare and Chloe Teevan argue that to realise the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area and to drive innovation and AI development, Africa must prioritise data usage and cross-border data sharing. However, national agendas are often prioritised, making the implementation of the continental vision challenging.
16 October 2024
Interactive tool: Data policies in African countries
Through this interactive tool, Melody Musoni and Nneka Okechukwu offer a comprehensive overview of data governance in Africa, mapping national data protection laws, and data and AI strategies. With a focus on cross-border data sharing, they also track the adoption of the Malabo Convention across the continent.
16 October 2024
A savvier approach for meaner times: The EU’s external promotion of democracy
In the current context of a ‘crisis of confidence’ and growing scepticism towards democracy, the EU finds itself at the crossroads between its principles and pragmatism. Amandine Sabourin and Sara Gianesello argue that the EU needs to widen its network and explore other entry points that might potentially open new opportunities.
09 October 2024
The EU-Africa migration agenda: Realising a new partnership
A recent brief by the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) – written by ETTG members Claire Kumar, Jessica Hagen-Zanker and Amanda Gray Meral from ODI, Jesper Bjarnesen from the Nordic Africa Institute and ECDPM’s Anna Knoll – explores how the EU and Africa can build a stronger migration partnership. The brief addresses key opportunities, challenges and the future of cooperation on migration and development.
09 October 2024
ECDPM at COP29
The 29th edition of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) will be held in November in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together representatives from nearly 200 countries, alongside environmental organisations, scientists, and civil society. This year's conference, dubbed the "Finance COP," will focus heavily on climate finance, with the primary goal of establishing a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) for climate finance. ECDPM will be present at COP29, actively contributing to the discussions and shaping the future of global climate finance policy.
30 September 2024
Navigating Africa's democracy agendas: A guide for civil society engagement
Martin Ronceray and Nneka Okechukwu summarise their research on the African Union and three regional economic communities – EAC, ECOWAS and SADC – focusing on their governance agendas and interactions with civil society, including through digital technologies. Building on these findings, they outline ways for civil society to engage with regional organisations on democracy.
30 September 2024
The EU Global Gateway strategy: Giving local authorities a voice
Despite their crucial role in territorial development, local authorities are often seen as passive beneficiaries rather than active participants. Jean Bossuyt and Amandine Sabourin explore the limited role of local authorities in the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and provide recommendations for enhancing their role in this major EU investment plan.
25 September 2024
How AfCFTA-regional relations can support continental trade
As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) takes shape, it raises the crucial question: who should implement what, and how? Bruce Byiers, Faizel Ismail and Philomena Apiko explore the roles and relations between the AfCFTA and regional bodies, to identify where and how these might be shaped to jointly benefit trade.
25 September 2024
The European financial architecture for development in a changing world
Global discussions on climate change, debt crises and food insecurity underscore the need for a more robust European financial architecture for development (EFAD), which seeks to enhance the coordination and effectiveness of European developmental investments outside the EU. San Bilal and Karim Karaki offer an overview of the EFAD’s purpose and objectives in a rapidly evolving global context.
18 September 2024
African voluntary carbon markets: Boom or bust?
Voluntary carbon markets could help address the climate finance shortfall in the Global South. Nadia Ashraf and Karim Karaki examine the differences between compliance and voluntary carbon markets, touching on the controversies surrounding voluntary markets. They analyse the challenges and opportunities for voluntary carbon markets in Africa, providing recommendations for policymakers.
18 September 2024
The EU and China in the Global South: Perspectives from African countries
Mariella Di Ciommo, Pauline Veron and Nadia Ashraf examine how the EU’s support is perceived by its partner countries, particularly in comparison to China, zooming in on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Morocco and South Africa and their green agendas.
11 September 2024
Towards a continental industrial policy?
A key objective of the AfCFTA is to promote industrialization through the creation of regional value chains. While there is broad agreement on the need for African economies to industrialize, capture greater added value domestically, and diversify from exporting raw materials, there is less clarity on how to do so.
21 August 2024
Stepping up action on simplified trade regimes for a more inclusive AfCFTA and common African market
Among its many objectives, the AfCFTA seeks to promote inclusive trade, particularly for women and youth. This paper discusses the role of Simplified Trade Regimes (STRs) in promoting inclusive trade among women and youth in existing regional schemes, and some of the lessons these experiences offer for the AfCFTA.
19 August 2024
More than ones and zeros: How the EU can partner with Africa on digital literacy
African countries eager to close the digital divide need more than cables and data centres. Their populations need the skills to use digital technologies for economic gain, but also the literacy to access public services and to exercise their rights as citizens. The EU’s holistic concept of digital literacy can serve as a model – if the EU is able to translate its policies and principles into a coherent offer.
31 July 2024
Promoting a just transition to a circular economy
Creating a circular economy can help us minimise our environmental footprint and operate within planetary boundaries, while creating new economic opportunities. That is why the EU wants to move away from a linear economy towards a more circular system, which is a key building block of the European Green Deal.
30 July 2024
Von der Leyen 2.0 and a shifting approach to EU international partnerships
Chloe Teevan explores Ursula von der Leyen's more defensive vision for Europe, emphasising the need for strategic international partnerships to address global challenges. For the new president and her Commission, it is important to build alliances and integrate economic and political dialogues to achieve the EU's goals in the coming years.
19 July 2024
Budding buddies? The rocky road to boosting UK-EU development cooperation after Labour’s landslide victory
Andy Sumner from King’s College London and Andrew Sherriff argue that the UK election may have ushered in a new, friendlier era for UK-EU relations, and that development policy could play an important role in rebuilding this connection. But due to a potential shift in UK public opinion, changed EU priorities, challenges in repairing the strained UK-EU relationship and the current geopolitical landscape, the road ahead will not be straightforward.
08 July 2024
The horticulture sector in southwest Nigeria: A political economy analysis
Horticulture in southwest Nigeria can address malnutrition and food insecurity and improve livelihoods, yet it remains underdeveloped. With Mayowa Ekundayo from PostAgvest Solutions Limited, Daniel Adeniyi and Koen Dekeyser provide a political economy analysis of the sector, seeking to identify actors and approaches that could play a role in improving horticulture in the region.
08 July 2024
How are the EU and African countries working together on mutual interests?
The definition of mutual interests is a good occasion to ask how development objectives are integrated in the Global gateway strategy and the NDICI-Global Europe. Moreover, the programming phase of the NDICI-Global Europe allowed the EU not only to define its cooperation activities, but primarily to set its interests and priorities for each partner country, and then seek where and how these could match with the partner country’s priorities.
08 July 2024
EU development policy shifts in practice: Voices from Africa
In this podcast series, Amandine Sabourin interviews key partners in EU development policy to understand how the EU’s increasingly transactional approach is experienced by partner countries. From EU ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon Philippe van Damme to ambassador Masire-Mwamba of Botswana to the Kingdom of Belgium and Uganda civil society leader Moses Isooba, the series explores how rulings designed in Brussels are actually playing out on the ground, their effect on the EU’s relationship with its partners, and vital lessons for the EU if it wants to achieve its development ambitions.
08 July 2024
Making the most of EU investment in Africa
Switching from an off-budget EDF to a unique EU instrument (NDICI-Global Europe) has some technical implications for the EU and for partner countries, which in turn may bring some political consequences to the relationships between them. The NDICI-Global Europe brings in simplicity, flexibility, agility, and reactivity - all crucial to making the EU a more geopolitical player.
08 July 2024
Is the EU becoming distracted from civil society and human rights in Africa?
Broadening the partnerships has been one of the significant shifts of the EU development cooperation’s recent evolution. On paper, the EU aims at engaging in a more meaningful manner with civil society, and at supporting them in a more effective way. But in reality, how has the relationship between the EU and civil society in partner countries changed with the EU’s new approach to development?
08 July 2024
Financing inclusive digital transformation under the EU Global Gateway
To date, the EU has struggled to mobilise sizeable digital investments under the Global Gateway and demonstrate its strategic value. San Bilal, Chloe Teevan and Klaus Tilmes argue that the EU, its member states and its development finance institutions need to develop deeper digital economy partnerships with a select group of partner countries and subregions, scaling up a bottom-up approach to increase finance and achieve strategic goals.
01 July 2024
The impact of EU gender policy in the NDICI-Global Europe framework
In the past decades, the EU has taken significant steps to promote gender equality globally through its external action. Sara Gianesello, Amandine Sabourin and Katja Sergejeff examine how the EU mainstreams gender equality within NDICI-Global Europe and argue that while there are several good practices, there is still a need to include gender considerations, for instance, in structural issues within societies.
01 July 2024
Annual Report 2023
In this annual report, we review our highlights and key projects of 2023, along with the global events that shaped our year. The report makes clear how all our activities tie together and how they contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
28 June 2024
Yes to financial freedom: Stories about girls' empowerment from Tanzania
In Tanzania, gender equality remains a policy priority, but progress can be slow. In this episode of ‘Minding the gap: Conversations on gender’, we listen to real-life stories of girls' empowerment from Tanzania. Joining Hanne Knaepen is Lydia Charles Moyo, founder and executive director of the Her Initiative.
24 June 2024
Critical Raw Materials: Geopolitical chess or tug-of-war for development?
Critical raw materials are vital for the EU's green transition and offer African countries a path to green industrialisation. Both however face policy dilemmas: Africa must efficiently use resources within, and share them between, countries, while the EU seeks to derisk from China and maintain industrial leadership. In this podcast, Poorva and Géraud discuss how these different moving parts fit together.
24 June 2024
The geopolitics of digital literacy and skills cooperation with Africa
This paper explores Africa’s way forward with regard to digital skills, drawing on the case studies of Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. Ennatu Domingo, Sabine Muscat, Stephanie Arnold, Maelle Salzinger and Pria Chetty argue that African governments do not need to reinvent the wheel to develop comprehensive digital literacy frameworks and policies. The EU can be a key partner.
24 June 2024
The EU risks neglecting fragile and conflict-affected countries
The EU’s new leadership will be confronted with intensifying political and humanitarian crises at its borders and in its extended neighbourhood. In this commentary for our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, Volker Hauck and Sophie Desmidt argue that ignoring fragile and conflict-affected countries will inevitably backfire on the EU, damaging its reputation and interests. A dedicated strategy and political leadership are needed to ensure fragility is dealt with in a decisive manner.
17 June 2024
Leaving no one behind: Why gender matters when building circular economies
The circular economy movement aims to create a restorative and sustainable economic system, but can it promote social justice as well? Women play pivotal roles in the transition to a circular economy, engaging in a variety of activities that drive sustainable practices and resource efficiency. However, significant challenges remain in ensuring that this transition is just and inclusive from a gender perspective. Despite the potential for a circular economy to provide equitable opportunities, current strategies and policies often overlook critical gender dimensions.
17 June 2024
Global Gateway: Where now and where to next?
San Bilal and Chloe Teevan propose steps to give the Global Gateway strategy greater strategic direction and to reconcile EU interests and development goals. They argue that the EU should adopt a whole-of-government/EU approach to foster coherence between strategic and development objectives, and to improve the coordination between public and private finance and interests.
10 June 2024
What role does gender play in preventing and countering violent extremism?
06 June 2024
How does gender affect migration?
Migration is one of the key political issues in Europe today, but little attention is given to the diversity of paths, destinations and reasons for migration. New research is revealing the huge impact that gender has on an individual’s decision to move, the way they choose to do it and how their movement is perceived by the old and new communities.
03 June 2024
The need to bridge the EU’s internal and external actions for geostrategic and development ambitions
As a new European leadership will take the helm later this year, a critical challenge will be formulating a policy agenda that effectively addresses the EU's industrial vulnerabilities, while enhancing its global stature and development impact and development impact. In this commentary for our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, San Bilal argues that bridging the EU’s domestic and international policies more effectively is essential to achieving its geostrategic and development goals.
03 June 2024
A whole-of-government approach to engage the European private sector for investment and development
Regardless of the EU election outcomes, stronger engagement of Europe’s private sector for external investment and development will likely remain a top priority for the EU. In this commentary for our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, Karim Karaki explains how the EU and its member states can achieve this, drawing from practical examples from several EU countries.
03 June 2024
A partnership in progress: Africa and the EU strive for global health and equitable access
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Africa-Europe relations and revealed deep inequalities in access to health services, vaccines and treatments. This compelled African and European leaders to act, resulting in significant political and financial commitments at the AU-EU Summit in 2022. Fabien Tondel, Philomena Apiko and Hilda Koyier take stock of progress in the AU-EU health partnership and analyse its current direction.
31 May 2024
European and African financing for health and universal health coverage
This paper provides an overview of current European and African commitments and efforts in financing health, including achieving UHC and supporting social health protection and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Building on this, it also provides recommendations for securing and increasing investments in health, both for European and African actors. Beyond merely increasing funding, the paper points out the importance of quality of financing, for instance, by ensuring alignment with local needs and priorities, avoiding fragmentation and better recognising the role of civil society.
30 May 2024
What can we expect from and for women in the upcoming European elections?
How will the votes of women decide the next EU parliament?
2024 is a key year of elections. From June 6, around 400 million people will be eligible to choose new representatives in the European Parliament. But with polls predicting gains by right-wing parliamentary groups and with a global backsliding on gender equality, how can the vote of women impact the results of the European elections? What impact can we expect from a more right-leaning European Parliament and European Commission leadership on women’s rights and gender equality? What are some of the risks and opportunities in terms of women's political participation in the next European political cycle?
27 May 2024
Hard truths of a more restrictive EU migration approach
Given the anticipated rightward shift at the upcoming European elections, we can expect a more restrictive migration policy agenda. In this commentary for our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, Jamie Slater explains why this will have major drawbacks, and advocates for protecting migrants' rights, addressing labour shortages and investing in strong partnerships with non-EU countries as a better alternative.
27 May 2024
StEPPFoS project (2024 - 2027)
From January 2024 until December 2027, ECDPM will be involved in the StEPPFoS project, with seventeen other research institutes and organisations in Europe and Africa. The project aims to strengthen the evidence base of agriculture and food systems policies within the Africa-Europe partnership.
21 May 2024
The mid-term evaluation of NDICI-Global Europe: Is the instrument fit for purpose?
The European Commission recently published its mid-term assessment of the EU’s external financing instruments. Volker Hauck, Amandine Sabourin and Alexei Jones explain how the current instrument set differs from that of the past and, focusing on the instrument for neighbourhood, development and international cooperation (NDICI-Global Europe), they summarise the conclusions of the EU assessment and highlight lessons from the external evaluation of the instruments, to which ECDPM contributed.
21 May 2024
Fostering investment and inclusivity in the African Continental Free Trade Area
As the AfCFTA enters its fifth year and its institutional architecture is nearly complete, the focus moves towards how to best engage the private sector, especially SMEs. In this paper, ECDPM’s Bruce Byiers together with Larabi Jaïdi, Saloi El Yamani and Zineb Fathi discuss this challenge and give recommendations for policymakers and international partners.
13 May 2024
Why does human development matter to the EU’s strategic priorities?
Education and health get little attention in EU politics, however, investing in human development worldwide benefits Europe and can strengthen its role in partner countries. Pauline Veron and Katja Sergejeff argue that the next European Commission should build on the EU’s track record and added value and keep human development on the agenda.
13 May 2024
How the AU engages with its citizens: The formal, the informal and the anticipated
The AU engages with civil society through a mix of formal and informal mechanisms. Currently, a process is underway to propose a new formal engagement framework. Analysing the formal and informal mechanisms, Martin Ronceray and Andrew Songa argue that the accreditation reforms led by the AU Economic, Social and Cultural Council might fundamentally impact civil society-AU relations.
06 May 2024
The EU must reclaim its climate leadership
Election polls indicating a rightward shift, leaked EU strategy documents with little mention of the climate crisis, and new political priorities that require budget shifts – none of it bodes well for the EU’s climate leadership. In the fourth commentary of our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe', Hanne Knaepen explains why and how the EU should change this course of direction.
06 May 2024
Resource nationalism in the age of green industrialisation
The critical raw materials essential for driving the global green transition are now at the forefront of geopolitical concerns, as some governments emphasise domestic production of green technologies while resource-rich countries impose export restrictions to promote local value chains. Poorva Karkare explores narratives around resource nationalism. Analysing the cases of Indonesia and Chile, she draws lessons for African countries and Europe.
06 May 2024
A new EU industrial deal with developing countries
In the third commentary of our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, Alfonso Medinilla and Chloe Teevan argue that the new EU leadership will need to think of ways to integrate connectivity and strong partnerships with Global South countries into its emerging industrial economic strategy to avoid reverting to a defensive 'Fortress Europe' mentality.
29 April 2024
The global roadmap for achieving SDG 2 within the 1.5 °C limit: Tools and opportunities for implementation
The global roadmap for achieving SDG 2 (‘zero hunger’) without breaching the 1.5°C global warming threshold, a FAO initiative, aims to guide agrifood system transformation strategies that ensure food security and good nutrition, while contributing to climate action. Francesco Rampa, Fabien Tondel and Koen Dekeyser clarify some of the concepts underpinning the roadmap and aim to support its design and roll-out by exploring methodologies and policy processes that can shape implementation.
29 April 2024
Creating an enabling environment for developing and deploying market-ready science-based innovations for sustainable food systems
In this paper for the CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform, Gianpiero Menza from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and ECDPM’s Daniel Adeniyi and Francesco Rampa explain why research and innovation are crucial for sustainable food systems. Focusing on Africa, they delve into the challenges and opportunities, and outline the prerequisites for an enabling environment for market-ready food system innovations.
24 April 2024
Rechannelling special drawing rights for food security and sustainable food systems
San Bilal, Karim Karaki, Francesco Rampa and Cecilia D’Alessandro provide insights on different options for rechannelling special drawing rights for food security and sustainable food systems. They zoom in on the limitations of current IMF mechanisms, the advantages of a hybrid capital proposal that the African Development Bank and others put forward, and the benefits of engaging development financial institutions with a primary focus on food security issues.
22 April 2024
Gaps in interoperability as barriers to inclusive digital payments in Africa
The AU and its member states aim to implement an integrated and inclusive digital society and economy in Africa to lower trade barriers by 2030. Ennatu Domingo and AfricaNenda’s Jacqueline Jumah and Sabine Mensah argue that instant payment systems play a crucial role in Africa’s digital public infrastructure, but that there are still many barriers to its interoperability – which Europe can help address.
22 April 2024
Attention and resources going East: What's left for global partnerships?
Triggered by the Russian war in Ukraine, the EU’s focus has shifted towards the East, which is likely to have strong consequences for the EU’s relationship with partner countries elsewhere. In the second commentary of our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, Amandine Sabourin looks closely at the new dynamics within the EU and explores what these mean for the new leadership.
22 April 2024
The EU and debt-for-climate swaps: Geopolitical ambitions and development impacts
With the expansion of debt-for-climate to Africa, Karim Karaki and San Bilal provide concrete options for a possible European approach to engage in commercial swaps, as a means to achieve development and environmental impact and strengthen the geostrategic positioning of the EU.
15 April 2024
A new EU leadership and international cooperation for the 21st century
In the first commentary of our series ‘To the new leaders of Europe’, Mariella Di Ciommo and Chloe Teevan argue that Europe should invest in a more strategic relationship with countries in the Global South if it wants to realise its domestic priorities.
15 April 2024
The democratic renaissance of Senegal: A beacon for the region and beyond
In a joint commentary with Latyr Tine from the Gorée Institute, Sara Gianesello looks at the recent elections in Senegal. In a global context where democracy is increasingly backsliding, Senegal is the beacon of hope from which the region and the whole continent can learn.
15 April 2024
Les initiatives du Sénégal en faveur des compétences numériques doivent prendre en compte l'équité
La stratégie ‘Sénégal numérique 2025’ adoptée il y a huit ans est claire : le Sénégal veut devenir plus numérique et un centre d'innovation en Afrique de l'Ouest. Ennatu Domingo et Maëlle Salzinger examinent les progrès réalisés par le pays en matière de compétences numériques et les lacunes qui subsistent.
05 April 2024
Senegal's digital skills initiatives should have equity in mind
The Digital Senegal 2025 strategy adopted eight years ago makes it clear: Senegal wants to become more digital and a hub for innovation in West Africa. Ennatu Domingo and Maëlle Salzinger look at the country’s digital skills advancements and the gaps that still remain.
25 March 2024
The EU in the Sahel: Be patient, united and critical
The EU is weighing its options on how to remain engaged in the Sahel, as the region is affected by a series of military takeovers and a spiralling security crisis. Sophie Desmidt lays out three avenues the EU should explore to shape its future engagement in the region.
25 March 2024
A common future for Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean
In this latest collective report by the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG), researchers from the ETTG member institutes – among whom ECDPM’s Karim Karaki – highlight common priorities across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, including the green, digital and social transitions. The report emphasises the need for increased financial support for Latin America and the Caribbean.
25 March 2024
Skills mobility partnerships: Recommendations and guidance for policymakers and practitioners
In a report for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Anna Knoll and Jamie Slater explain how policymakers can design skills mobility partnerships – agreements between two countries that facilitate the movement of individuals to benefit the labour markets of both countries – in a sustainable and effective way.
22 March 2024
Maximising EU concessional finance for greater leverage and impact: An options spread
In this Center for Global Development paper, ECDPM’s San Bilal and Karim Karaki join Mikaela Gavas, Samuel Pleeck and Andrew Rogerson in outlining six ways to increase EU concessional finance to respond to the urgent needs of emerging market and developing economies.
22 March 2024
Green hydrogen: The future of African industrialisation?
As the world crosses peak hydrogen hype, can the hydrogen economy be a game-changer for African industrialisation or is it extractivism under a green veil? Alfonso Medinilla and Koen Dekeyser examine the latest developments in green hydrogen for exports and industrial use, and explore the role African economies can play in the global hydrogen economy.
18 March 2024
Our work on gender and international cooperation
In this dossier, we highlight our work on gender and international cooperation – including our podcast series ‘Minding the gap: conversations on gender' and our series of briefs on gender equality in EU external action. We also explain how we aim to improve the extent to which – and how – gender is addressed throughout all our work.
01 March 2024
Conflict and unconstitutional change of government in Africa: Is there still a role for the EU-AU partnership?
In this latest collective report by the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG), researchers from the ETTG member institutes – including ECDPM’s Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Kawsar Laanani – and the Gorée Institute look at political instability in the Sahel and analyse what it means for the EU-AU peace and security relationship.
26 February 2024
How the Sahel's democracy dream has turned into disillusionment
Africa saw eight successful coups over the past three years, raising concerns about the future of democracy, especially in the Sahel. As citizens’ disillusionment with democracy leads them to support military governments, Hilda Koyier argues that the idea of the military being a better alternative is misguided.
26 February 2024
2024: A significant year for global digital and AI governance
Last year, the conversation on AI and digital governance continued to be dominated by Western countries and China. Chloe Teevan argues that 2024 could be the year kickstarting a more open global conversation on digital and AI governance, paving the way for meaningful international cooperation.
12 February 2024
Breaking the gridlock: Navigating the political economy of Africa’s energy systems
The energy transition is as necessary as it is polarising – especially in developing countries looking to rapidly scale up energy access and industrialise. Poorva Karkare shares political economy lessons from existing analysis of African energy systems. Her brief illustrates a different way to examine why things are the way they are, and shows the need to appreciate the distinct dynamics related to electricity supply and demand.
12 February 2024
Ten years of promoting policy coherence
By 2030, all nations must deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. That will only be possible if policies work in harmony between different domains – but improving policy coherence is no easy task. We explain what ECDPM has done to promote policy coherence since the debates leading up to the 2030 Agenda, and how ECDPM can help those navigating this complex endeavour.
09 February 2024
The political economy of clean economy transitions in African countries
07 February 2024
EU-AU cooperation on cross-border digital services and trade
Chloe Teevan and Melody Musoni look at the soon-to-be-released Digital Trade Protocol, which is a key component of both the AfCFTA and of building an African digital single market. They argue that the EU, which is undergoing its own long digital journey, can be a real partner.
05 February 2024
What is driving change in Europe’s international cooperation agenda? Part 2
Based on off-the-record interviews with fourteen senior officials in Europe, Andrew Sherriff and Pauline Veron have explored what is driving change in Europe’s international cooperation agenda. In the second brief of their two-part series, they look at ways forward for Europe’s international cooperation.
05 February 2024
How to make 2024 the EU’s year on global health
Katja Sergejeff and Pauline Veron argue that 2024 holds many opportunities for the EU to focus on global health and play a crucial role by supporting it through financing, trade, skills development and tech transfer.
29 January 2024
Envisioning Africa's AI governance landscape in 2024
African voices and perspectives are important in policy dialogues around artificial intelligence (AI). Melody Musoni explores the anticipated developments shaping AI governance in Africa, with the adoption of an African strategy on AI as a major policy milestone.
29 January 2024
What is driving change in Europe’s international cooperation agenda? Part 1
In this first brief of a two-part series, Andrew Sherriff and Pauline Veron explore what is driving change in Europe’s international cooperation agenda, based on off-the-record interviews with fourteen senior officials in Europe.
22 January 2024
ECDPM work plan 2024-2025
09 January 2024
External implications of the circular economy transition of the Netherlands and the EU
Nadia Ashraf, Daniel Adeniyi and Jeske van Seters discuss the external implications of the circular economy transition of the Netherlands and the EU. It explores the opportunities and challenges for LMICs, and the support that the EU and the Netherlands can provide to create the right conditions for countries to benefit from the transition and mitigate negative effects.
09 January 2024
Episode 5 - What is blocking cities from being inclusive and resilient?
In the fifth episode of ECDPM’s podcast series 'Minding the gap: conversations on gender', Hanne Knaepen talks to Giulia Maci, gender specialist and manager of the Euro-Mediterrean region at Cities Alliance (UNOPS). They talk about gender-sensitive climate action in cities and learn how women empowerment, climate action, and urban development are interlinked.
18 December 2023
What role for young people in the AU-EU partnership?
The AU-EU partnership encourages young people to be involved, but the reality is that they remain underrepresented at the decision-making table. Sara Gianesello and Hilda Koyier propose four ways to better consider young people’s aspirations and increase their meaningful participation in the decision-making processes of the AU-EU partnership.
15 December 2023
The political economy of green industrialisation in Africa
Alfonso Medinilla and Bruce Byiers discuss the complex landscape of green industrialisation in African countries. They propose a multilayered political economy framework to analyse the available opportunities and risks for emerging economies.
14 December 2023
Episode 4 - Why is it difficult for women to access justice?
In the fourth episode of ECDPM’s podcast series 'Minding the gap: conversations on gender', Sara Gianesello talks to Houda Zekri, Moroccan gender expert, and Stephanie Willman Bordat, a founding partner at MRA-Mobilising for Rights Associates, based in Rabat. They delve into the Moroccan justice system to shed light on the challenges and obstacles that women face when seeking justice.
11 December 2023
Les changements dans la pratique de la politique de l’UE pour le développement: vues du Kenya et du Cameroun
Alors que la Commission européenne entreprend actuellement l'examen à mi-parcours de l'instrument NDICI-Global Europe, Amandine Sabourin, Katja Sergejeff et Alexei Jones analysent certaines des implications du nouveau cadre politique de l'UE pour les partenariats internationaux dans les pays partenaires, en particulier au Kenya et au Cameroun.
07 December 2023
The struggle for effective climate governance in North Africa
Despite rising climate-related disasters, North Africa’s focus has been disproportionately on mitigating climate issues rather than adapting to them. Kawsar Laanani argues that these nations will need to redirect their attention and allocate more resources to climate adaptation to tackle the existing governance challenges that hinder climate action.
04 December 2023
Using special drawing rights for climate-resilient food systems and food security
In a world in crisis, there is a dire need for food security and climate-resilient and sustainable food systems, but without significant additional public and private resources, achieving this will not be possible. Francesco Rampa, San Bilal, Cecilia D’Alessandro and Karim Karaki argue that rechanneling and effectively implementing special drawing rights, as well as issuing new ones, should be part of the solution.
04 December 2023
Episode 3 - How can we advance gender equality and food security in Africa?
In the third episode of ECDPM’s podcast series 'Minding the gap: conversations on gender', Cecilia D'Alessandro talks with with Dr. Debisi Araba, a member of the Malabo Montpellier Panel. Drawing on the recently released report “BRIDGING THE GAP: Policy Innovations to Put Women at the Center of Food Systems Transformation in Africa”, Cecilia and Debisi zoom in on the experience of four African countries that have made significant strides in empowering women and ensuring their active involvement in food systems.
04 December 2023
Digital ID systems in Africa: Challenges, risks and opportunities
Melody Musoni, Ennatu Domingo and Elvis Ogah look at the state of play, challenges and opportunities of digital ID implementation across Africa with a focus on South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Benin and Namibia. They analyse the policy implications for African governments as well as for the EU to support its partners’ roll-out of these systems and frameworks.
01 December 2023
An African battery value chain to kickstart green industrialisation
Advanced economies are looking to secure access to critical raw materials to deploy clean technologies, and Africa’s abundant resources place the continent at the centre of discussion. Focusing on the battery value chain, Poorva Karkare and Alfonso Medinilla look at how African countries can seize the opportunity and benefit from the rising demand for the minerals that feed directly into green tech.
27 November 2023
Green industrialisation: Leveraging critical raw materials for an African battery value chain
African countries are exploring opportunities to add more value to their critical raw materials for green industrialisation. Poorva Karkare and Alfonso Medinilla assess the potential for an African lithium-ion battery value chain as a case.
27 November 2023
Two years into South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership: How real is the deal?
At COP26, South Africa launched the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), a first-ever, internationally applauded decarbonisation programme. Two years in, Jan Vanheukelom explores what has been achieved and where it is going.
27 November 2023
Addressing the military carbon footprint at COP28
As global military spending is at an all-time high, we cannot continue to ignore the impacts of war and militarisation on the environment and greenhouse gas emissions. Maëlle Salzinger argues that a mentality shift is needed – away from traditional visions of security, military secrecy and the exclusion of civil society.
27 November 2023
The new EU development policy shifts in practice: Views from Kenya and Cameroon
As the European Commission currently undertakes the mid-term review of the NDICI-Global Europe instrument, Amandine Sabourin, Katja Sergejeff and Alexei Jones analyse some of the implications of the EU’s new political framework for international partnerships in partner countries, particularly in Kenya and Cameroon.
27 November 2023
The Global Gateway at two: Implementing EU strategic ambitions
The Global Gateway, the EU’s global connectivity strategy, is two years old this week. Chloe Teevan and San Bilal look at how the strategy can make real progress towards operationalising a much-needed reorientation of EU international cooperation objectives and instruments to meet partners’ needs and to respond to geostrategic realities.
27 November 2023
Episode 2 - Why is it difficult to engage boys and men in the fight for gender equality?
In the second episode of ECDPM’s podcast series 'Minding the gap: conversations on gender', Karim Karaki talks to gender expert Carla Pagano about the role boys and men play in supporting or undermining gender equality, touching upon some issues of masculinities.
27 November 2023
Podcast series 'Minding the gap: Conversations on gender'
Who is a gender expert? Why is it important to engage men and boys in fighting for gender equality? How are women empowerment, climate action, and urban development interlinked? In conversation with experts, ECDPM sheds light on stories and topics in which gender is often overlooked, but where promising lessons emerge.
20 November 2023
Episode 1 - Are we critical enough of gender expertise?
In the first episode of ECDPM’s podcast series 'Minding the gap: conversations on gender', Kawsar Laanani and Maëlle Salzinger navigate key tensions and obstacles around the concept and practice of gender expertise. Drawing from their own experiences and using an intersectional feminist perspective, they delve into the rising presence of gender experts in international cooperation and offer insights on how we can collectively do better to advance gender equality.
20 November 2023
Trouble in paradise: The EU-Africa partnership in a geopolitical context
Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Mariella Di Ciommo discuss the effects of the significant geopolitical shifts on the EU-Africa partnership. They argue that Africa's assertiveness and increasing global importance alongside Europe's declining centrality in the global economy and politics, as well as the emergence of a multipolar world, have had an impact on the partnership in various ways.
13 November 2023
Three ways to scale up debt-for-climate swaps
While multilateral debt reform has been slow since the pandemic, debt-for-nature swaps are emerging more and more as a unique tool to address liquidity problems and foster investments in effective climate action. Karim Karaki, Alfonso Medinilla and San Bilal propose three ways to scale up debt-for-climate swaps in developing countries.
10 November 2023
Conceptual framework: Report of synthesis of recent theoretical developments
This paper – produced for the DYNAMIG project – looks at recent discussions and trends on African migration, and reviews recent theoretical and methodological developments on migration decision-making within and beyond Africa. By doing so, it seeks to better understand the decision-making process of heterogeneous groups of aspiring migrants at different stages in their potential and actual journeys.
10 November 2023
ECDPM at COP28
Following last year's edition of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) in the African continent, the yearly conference is taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This year's conference incorporates four cross-cutting themes: technology & innovation, inclusion, frontline communities and finance.
Before, during and after COP28, we will share our analysis and opinions, particularly on the cascading effects of the climate crisis and the efforts to finance climate adaptation and climate resilience.
07 November 2023
The fragility of the African governance agenda: A crisis of legitimacy
The recent spate of coups ostensibly gives credence to assertions of the demise of democracy in Africa, despite the fact that a major strength of the AU has been in coup deterrence. Nneka Okechukwu looks at the pillars of Africa’s normative framework against unconstitutional changes of government and the legitimacy dilemmas that confront it. She explores what the AU and its international partners could do to reverse the trend of coups.
30 October 2023
“Is anyone worried about the farmer? Don’t just express worry in words, do something about it”
ECDPM’s Cecilia D’Alessandro interviewed Elizabeth Nsimadala, a Ugandan agripreneur and smallholder farmer, who is the president of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF). They discuss the links between food and climate policies, gender equality in food systems, and the opportunities and challenges of improving access to finance for smallholder farmers.
30 October 2023
Dealing with unintended development policy consequences
The idea that policymakers and practitioners should take account of how projects can trigger unintended knock-on effects and responses is at the heart of Dirk-Jan Koch’s latest book on the unintended consequences of aid. Bruce Byiers breaks down the key elements of the book and shares a number of thoughts to build on the discussion.
30 October 2023
In search of common ground on climate diplomacy - Part lI
In recent years, policymakers in Europe and Africa have been giving more attention to the climate crisis. However, dealing with the climate crisis is not an isolated action. Its impact on all aspects of human life means countries cannot take isolation action, having instead to prioritise coordination with other countries and regions. This limited podcast series zooms in on EU-Africa climate diplomacy and how the EU and Africa can overcome diplomatic tensions in the realm of climate and energy.
23 October 2023
Carving out Africa’s role in the emerging global order
On 9 September, the AU was admitted as a permanent member of the G20, just two weeks after the BRICS association welcomed two AU states as new members. Lidet Tadesse argues that these events signal Africa's strategic repositioning. She looks at what drives this repositioning, what its implications for global governance are and how the state of affairs in Africa will affect it.
23 October 2023
La sécurité par l'intégration des marchés ? L'économie politique de l'adhésion de la RDC à la CAE
Bruce Byiers, Poorva Karkare, Frederick Golooba-Mutebi, Bossissi Nkuba et Christelle Balegamire Karuta reviennent sur l'admission de la RDC à la CAE. Ils suggèrent que l’adhésion de la RDC est également un moyen pour la RDC de relever les défis économiques et sécuritaires et que les pays de la CAE voient l’adhésion de la RDC avant tout comme une opportunité commerciale.
23 October 2023
Towards an African digital single market: Opportunities for the AU-EU partnership
Rob Floyd from the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) and Melody Musoni argue that the creation of Africa’s digital single market and development of its digital infrastructure offer opportunities to strengthen the Africa-Europe partnership.
16 October 2023
Copilots, not passengers: The story of the Policy Forum on Development
For 10 years the Policy Forum on Development has gathered EU institutions, civil society organisations and local authorities working on EU development cooperation. Amandine Sabourin looks at the added value of the forum and argues that the EU’s engagement with civil society and local authorities needs to find new momentum in light of the changing environment at the European level and globally.
16 October 2023
Enhancing European financing for adaptation to cascading climate risks: Three key takeaways
Daniel Adeniyi argues that climate adaptation finance should be a top priority at COP28 in light of the persisting and growing gap, which is projected to be five to ten times greater than current levels. He gives three takeaways based on a recent event on how to enhance European financing for adaptation to cascading climate risks.
16 October 2023
The role of Europe in building system-wide resilience to cross-border climate impacts
Hanne Knaepen, with other researchers from the CASCADES consortium, discusses how the EU and its member states address cascading and cross-border climate impacts in agri-food systems in non-EU countries with close ties to Europe. It also sheds light on Europe’s main strategic challenges and provides policy recommendations for how to overcome them.
11 October 2023
Que signifie le changement de régime au Niger pour la coopération en matière de migration avec l'UE ?
Amanda Bisong de l'ECDPM, Harouna Mounkaila de l'Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey et Leonie Jegen de l'Université d'Amsterdam examinent de plus près ce que le coup d'État au Niger signifie pour la coopération migratoire entre l'UE et ses États membres et le Niger.
09 October 2023
China's role in African sovereign debt: Implications for Europe
Karim Karaki looks at Chinese engagement in sovereign debt relief and restructuring in Africa, and provides a better understanding of Chinese practices and positions. He also highlights options for the EU to move this agenda forward.
09 October 2023
Interoperability of digital payment systems: Lessons from the East African Community
In this paper – the second of two – Ennatu Domingo, Stephanie Arnold and Philomena Apiko look at the opportunities and challenges of implementing interoperable, instant and inclusive digital payment systems, one of the key pillars to enable e-commerce and cross-border trade in Africa.
09 October 2023
In search of common ground on climate diplomacy - Part l
In recent years, policymakers in Europe and Africa have been giving more attention to the climate crisis. However, dealing with the climate crisis is not an isolated action. Its impact on all aspects of human life means countries cannot take isolation action, having instead to prioritise coordination with other countries and regions. This limited podcast series zooms in on EU-Africa climate diplomacy and how the EU and Africa can overcome diplomatic tensions in the realm of climate and energy.
02 October 2023
The case for an Africa-Europe trade-climate-development triangle
The EU has been rapidly passing new legislation that connects its climate action to external trade and investment flows, but how is this perceived by and does it affect African countries? Bruce Byiers argues that linking thinking and discussions around Africa-Europe relations on trade, climate and development is increasingly important for maintaining constructive diplomatic relations.
02 October 2023
Africa-EU climate and energy diplomacy in times of geopolitical crisis (2022-2023)
This project, funded by the European Climate Foundation, aims to create and share new knowledge and evidence on the state of the Africa-EU partnership on climate change, stimulate public debate on EU/AU interests, perceptions, priorities and power in a more challenging geopolitical environment, and generate clear and feasible recommendations for strengthening AU-EU cooperation between now and 2025.
28 September 2023
The Ukraine Facility: Building on Team Europe and the European Investment Bank
The EU plans an additional financial package, the Ukraine Facility, to help support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. San Bilal argues that specific attention should go to ensuring that the package can mobilise public investments, with the European Investment Bank being uniquely placed to do so.
25 September 2023
From Niger’s coup to the Sahel’s jihadist threat: A complex path ahead for the EU
Kawsar Laanani argues that the Niger coup wasn’t entirely surprising and has created a potential opening for jihadist groups within the country to amplify their influence. The EU, which had been a steadfast partner for Niger for a decade, now faces a critical decision: recalibrate its strategy or persist with the well-trodden path of hard security measures.
25 September 2023
Deciphering the Africa Climate Summit
Daniel Adeniyi delves into the Africa Climate Summit that took place from 4 to 6 September 2023 in Nairobi. He argues that while the Summit managed to drum up support for climate action, the Nairobi Declaration at the end of the three days was marred by flaws.
18 September 2023
Niger’s coup: Who loses from ECOWAS sanctions?
Bruce Byiers, Poorva Karkare, Amanda Bisong and Martin Ronceray take a look at the economic consequences of the sanctions ECOWAS imposed on Niger after its coup. These play an important role in shaping the interests of neighbouring countries, and ultimately impact regional responses to the ‘democracy’ crisis in Niger and across the so-called coup belt in the Sahel.
18 September 2023
Understanding Islamic activism in Central Asia and West Africa and the Sahel
Perceptions and understanding of Islamic activism often tends to be oversimplified, equated with extremism or lacking depth and diversity. Kawsar Laanani, Sara Gianesello, Sophie Desmidt and Aksana Ismailbekova analyse Islamic activism in Central Asia and West Africa and the Sahel, covering history and politics, gender and digitalisation, and the roles of external actors and foreign funding.
18 September 2023
Looking into the crystal ball: Artificial intelligence policy and regulation in Africa
The use of AI in Africa is a contentious issue: African content is underrepresented, certain stereotypes and biases are perpetuated, and African citizens and their data are at risk of being exploited. Melody Musoni argues that while Africa needs laws to regulate AI, countries need to take a number of other steps first.
18 September 2023
Can ECOWAS still defend democracy in West Africa after the Niger coup?
Martin Ronceray argues that with the spate of military coups in the greater Sahel region, it is becoming clear that ECOWAS’ governance framework and its flagship policy of zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government are failing. He takes a look at the roles that ECOWAS plays in governance and formulates possible scenarios for the future.
11 September 2023
What does the regime change in Niger mean for migration cooperation with the EU?
ECDPM’s Amanda Bisong, Harouna Mounkaila from the Université Abdou Moumouni in Niamey and Leonie Jegen from the University of Amsterdam take a closer look at what the coup in Niger means for migration cooperation between the EU and its member states and Niger.
11 September 2023
The EAC democracy agenda: Channels, lessons and digital technologies for civil society engagement
Andrew Songa from the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and Martin Ronceray look at the role the East African Community (EAC) plays in democratic governance. They zoom in on how civil society engages with EAC and how such engagement can be strengthened, including through digital technologies.
11 September 2023
The SADC democracy agenda: Channels, lessons and digital technologies for civil society engagement
Enea Katundu and Nompumelelo Runji from the Democracy Works Foundation and Martin Ronceray look at how civil society organisations can engage with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) when it comes to promoting democratic governance, focusing on the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).
11 September 2023
Stepping up Finance in Common
ECDPM’s San Bilal participated in the 2023 edition of the Finance in Common Summit in Cartagena, where representatives of all public development banks met to join forces for climate action and sustainable development. He shares a number of takeaways and argues that while he was in two minds going, the summit exceeded his expectations.
11 September 2023
Mobilising (European) development finance for climate adaptation and resilience
In this paper produced for the CASCADES project, Pamella Eunice Ahairwe and ECDPM’s San Bilal assess the potential of European development financial institutions and public development banks in supporting climate adaptation and resilience in developing countries.
08 September 2023
Integrating a human rights-based approach in European development finance institutions
Cecilia D'Alessandro, Karim Karaki and San Bilal look at the human rights-based approaches among development finance institutions and discuss good practices and challenges with their operationalisation. They argue that the EU is well placed to take a leading role in this endeavour, building on the EU regulatory and institutional value-based setting.
04 September 2023
Enhancing complaints mechanisms of European development finance institutions
In this paper, ECDPM’s Nadia Ashraf, Karim Karaki and San Bilal set out to better understand and highlight good practices among development finance institutions complaint mechanisms and discuss some of the challenges linked to their operationalisation.
04 September 2023
Moving Europe and Africa towards more common ground on climate and energy
Ahead of COP28, the AU-EU partnership can help drive global climate change and energy transition agendas forward. ECDPM’s Alfonso Medinilla and Afaf Zarkik and Larabi Jaïdi from the Policy Center for the New South argue that a fruitful collaboration between the two continents starts with finding a common ground, the acknowledgment of tensions over decarbonisation, as well as focusing on delivering rapid results and communicating more effectively on their progress.
01 September 2023
The mid-term reviews of the NDICI and MFF: Navigating geopolitical consequences of the war in Ukraine
It is the halfway point for the implementation of the EU’s NDICI-Global Europe instrument and Multiannual Financial Framework. ECDPM’s Alexei Jones looks at the mid-term reviews and gives an overview of what is at stake.
30 August 2023
L’agenda démocratique de la CEDEAO : Canaux, leçons et technologies numériques pour l’engagement de la société civile
La CEDEAO est le bloc régional africain le plus actif en matière de gouvernance. Martin Ronceray et Maëlle Salzinger avec Latyr Tine et Rukia Bakari du Gorée Institute examinent le rôle qu'elle joue dans la gouvernance démocratique. Ils discutent également des cadres et des pratiques d'engagement de la société civile auprès de la CEDEAO, et de l'utilité d'un partenariat sur les technologies numériques et la gouvernance entre la CEDEAO et la société civile.
27 July 2023
Africa-Europe research and innovation hold the key to improve climate adaptation
Despite a long-standing collaboration between Africa and Europe on research and innovation (R&I) in agri-food systems, investments have been fragmented across small projects, leaving gaps in funding, knowledge exchange, and capacity development efforts. The focus on climate change adaptation is also relatively new. Cecilia D'Alessandro and Hanne Knaepen provide an overview of the state-of-play of adaptation-related R&I in agri-food systems and outline three conditions to achieve tangible success for all.
25 July 2023
ECDPM’s recommendations for the UN Food Systems Summit +2 and beyond
We are at the make-or-break moment for food system transformation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This brief presents ECDPM’s finance and policy recommendations for the UN Food Systems Summit + 2 and beyond.
24 July 2023
Climate change and food systems adaptation: Building roads through Rome
The Rome-based Agencies (RBAs) play a vital role in supporting food systems transformations and providing governments, institutions and communities with assistance in food system adaptation. To strengthen the RBAs’ integration into the food-climate nexus, this brief presents three possibilities at the country and global level.
13 July 2023
Strengthening the European financial architecture for development through better coordination
To support partner countries in developing their economies in a green, inclusive and gender-sensitive way, the EU should strengthen coordination between its different institutions, member states and the private sector as part of the European financial architecture for development (EFAD). Karim Karaki and San Bilal look at efforts made to strengthen the EFAD, analyse what is preventing further cooperation and share recommendations for EU policymakers.
03 July 2023
How Kenya and the EU can close the loop on textiles
Countries exporting textiles to the EU market face new sustainability requirements. Kenya, with its growing textiles industry and ambition to become greener, can take advantage of this. Drawing from their research and looking back at a recent webinar, Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters argue that Kenya and the EU can work together to support the transition towards circular textiles, building on a long-standing partnership.
03 July 2023
Outil interactif : Cartographie de l'Architecture de Gouvernance Africaine
L'Architecture de gouvernance africaine (AGA) est un cadre de dialogue et de coordination entre les organes et institutions mandatés par l'UA pour promouvoir une meilleure gouvernance et renforcer la démocratie. Nneka Okechukwu et Martin Ronceray ont cartographié les différents organes, institutions et communautés économiques régionales de l'AGA, notamment leur histoire, leur mandat et leurs activités de mobilisation de la société civile.
03 July 2023
De l’autre côté du miroir: Global Europe dans les pays partenaires
Deux ans après la mise en œuvre de l'instrument NDICI-Global Europe et 18 mois après le lancement du Global Gateway, quels sont les principaux changements pratiques dans les pays partenaires ? Amandine Sabourin, Alexei Jones et Katja Sergejeff se penchent sur le Kenya et le Cameroun pour comprendre l'impact des cadres de l'UE.
03 July 2023
Through the looking glass: Global Europe in partner countries
Two years into the implementation of the NDICI-Global Europe instrument and 18 months after the launch of the Global Gateway, what are the main practical changes in partner countries? Amandine Sabourin, Alexei Jones and Katja Sergejeff look at Kenya and Cameroon to understand the impacts of the EU’s frameworks.
03 July 2023
The ECOWAS democracy agenda: Channels, lessons and digital technologies for civil society engagement
ECOWAS is Africa’s most active regional bloc on governance. Martin Ronceray and Maëlle Salzinger with Latyr Tine and Rukia Bakari from the Gorée Institute examine the role it plays in democratic governance. They also discuss the frameworks and practices of civil society engagement with ECOWAS, and the usefulness of a partnership on digital technologies and governance between ECOWAS and civil society.
03 July 2023
Annual Report 2022
In our Annual Report 2022 we provide a bird’s eye view of the past year. The report makes clear how all our activities tie together and how they contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
26 June 2023
New hopes for Somalia: Reflections on the EU’s continued support in a fragile context
Yesterday’s adoption of the EU Council Conclusion on Somalia marks a new milestone in the long-term EU-Somalia relationship. It also marks a good moment to look back at the last 12 years of EU and international relations with this highly fragile and conflict-ridden country, to assess the extent to which this relationship, underpinned by immense investments, has contributed to Somalia’s state-building process and whether the EU has supported this process well, making the investments worthwhile.
22 June 2023
Mobilising investments for Ukraine reconstruction: Strengthening the Team Europe approach
In this paper, San Bilal, with a contribution from ECDPM fellow Germain Gauthier, looks at different ways of mobilising investments for Ukraine. He argues for stronger Team Europe efforts aligned with the EU’s interests – from geostrategic, security, political and economic perspectives.
19 June 2023
Adaptation finance to local food systems in Kenya
The financing landscape for climate adaptation in Kenya is diverse. Yet, as local adaptation demands continue to grow, overall funding is insufficient. In this paper, Daniel Adeniyi investigates the mechanism of food system adaptation financing flows to the local level in Kenya to determine what works and what does not.
19 June 2023
Upgrading the EU’s policy toolbox for nutrition leadership
In this paper, Koen Dekeyser and Francesco Rampa summarise recent developments in the EU’s nutrition policy landscape. They look at how to make the best use of upcoming opportunities to ensure nutrition is optimally built into the EU's approach to food systems transformation and food security in its external action
19 June 2023
European development finance in perma-crisis
ECDPM’s San Bilal edited an e-book which regroups brief insights from some key actors on concrete ways the EU, its member states and their (financial) institutions for development can best respond to the challenges of our times in a more strategic, developmentally sustainable, impactful and inclusive manner, in the context of the international and European financial architecture for sustainable development.
08 June 2023
Strategic evaluation of the EU cooperation with the Federal Republic of Somalia (2014-2021)
ECDPM and Particip were commissioned to evaluate the EU’s international development cooperation with Somalia, how it connects with the support of all EU services active in Somalia and assess its linkages with EU member states and various international actors during this period. The evaluation also examined EU’s alignment with the development priorities of the government of Somal
06 June 2023
Africa-EU climate and energy diplomacy in times of geopolitical crisis
In these twin papers, Poorva Karkare and Alfonso Medinilla, and Hanne Knaepen and Koen Dekeyser cover the state of play on the climate debate in the EU-Africa
02 June 2023
Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands reap the benefits of innovative financing
On 9 May 2023, Climate Fund Managers (CFM), a Netherlands-based blended finance private equity fund manager, and its portfolio company Ocean's Finance Company announced the financial closure of the largest debt-for-nature conversion in history. Now, the Galapagos Islands have a lifeline thanks to a financial breakthrough.
24 May 2023
Interactive tool: Mapping the African Governance Architecture
The African Governance Architecture (AGA) is a dialogue and coordination framework among various AU-recognised institutions and instruments working on governance. Nneka Okechukwu and Martin Ronceray have mapped the different AGA organs, institutions and regional economic communities, including their histories, mandates and civil society engagement activities, which you can explore in this interactive tool.
22 May 2023
Global approaches to digital sovereignty: Competing definitions and contrasting policy
There are many approaches to digital sovereignty, which have deepened geopolitical competition between the US, China and the EU. Zooming in on data governance and digital industrial policy, Melody Musoni, Poorva Karkare, Chloe Teevan and Ennatu Domingo explore how the EU can support effective cooperation and mutually beneficial partnerships with the Global South.
22 May 2023
UE, géopolitique et développement humain : Éclairages apportés par les cas de la Zambie, du Kenya et de la Guinée
L'UE a lancé plusieurs initiatives visant à augmenter les investissements dans les infrastructures matérielles, mais le développement humain reste un domaine essentiel dans lequel l'UE peut apporter une valeur ajoutée. Katja Sergejeff, Ennatu Domingo et Pauline Veron examinent comment trois pays partenaires, à savoir la Guinée, le Kenya et la Zambie, perçoivent l'offre de l'UE dans les secteurs du développement humain et quels sont, selon eux, les principaux défis à relever.
15 May 2023
Upscaling debt swaps for greater impact
Our poly-crisis world has led to rising debts, especially in the Global South. Debt swaps, a financial transaction where creditors forgive a portion of a country’s sovereign debt in exchange for investment in sustainable development, are praised as one of the innovative solutions. Karim Karaki and San Bilal argue that its implementation should address some of its main limitations, and in particular, the lack of scale.
08 May 2023
Healing the AU-EU partnership in turbulent times: Views from Europe
We recently asked African and European policymakers for their unfiltered views on where the AU-EU partnership stands and to propose some practical steps to revive the relationship in a turbulent global context. Mariella Di Ciommo proposes four ways to repair the partnership after our meeting with European policymakers.
08 May 2023
Gender equality in EU external action: Mainstreaming women’s economic empowerment
In this third and last brief of our series on gender equality in EU external action, Katja Sergejeff and Mariella Di Ciommo look at the implementation of GAP III two years after its release and on the EU’s efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment in its foreign and development policy.
01 May 2023
Circular threads: What EU policies mean for sustainable textile exports from Kenya
Countries importing into the EU market face more and new policies and requirements as the bloc moves towards a greener and circular economy. In this paper, Nadia Ashraf and Poorva Karkare look at the case of Kenya to examine the opportunities that the upcoming EU policies can entail for its textiles exporters in light of its priority to industrialise.
24 April 2023
Security through market integration? The political economy of the DRC’s accession to the EAC
Bruce Byiers, Poorva Karkare, Frederick Golooba-Mutebi, Bossissi Nkuba and Christelle Balegamire Karuta zoom in on the DRC’s admission to the EAC. They look at the actors and factors that work for and against the DRC’s economic integration into the EAC.
17 April 2023
Gender equality in EU external action: The gender action plan and the women, peace and security agenda
In this second brief of a three-part series on gender equality in EU external action,Maëlle Salzinger and Sophie Desmidt look at the implementation of GAP III two years after its release and on how the Women Peace and Security agenda is applied at the country level with examples from Bangladesh, Mozambique and Kenya.
17 April 2023
The EU’s carbon border tax can accelerate a low-carbon revolution if done right
Olamide Oguntoye, Kitty Mant, Alfonso Medinilla, Bruce Byiers and San Bilal argue that while the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is often perceived as a direct threat to industrialisation in the Global South, it could boost a low-carbon revolution outside of the EU – if implemented correctly.
17 April 2023
Partnerships for Sustainable Cities (2022-2024)
In 2018, the European Commission launched the programme 'Partnerships for Sustainable Cities', mobilising €165 million to strengthen urban governance as well as the social, environmental and economic sustainability of cities. The overall objective of the resulting “Partnerships for Sustainable Cities” programme is to promote integrated urban development by fostering peer-to-peer exchanges among Local Authorities of EU Member States and countries in the Global South around shared challenges. Three Calls for proposals were launched between 2019 and 2021, leading to a total of 57 partnerships currently being implemented.
14 April 2023
Behind the scenes at the partnership for sustainable cities global meeting
Get an insight into the first global meeting of the partnership for sustainable cities project with ECDPM’s Amandine Sabourin, who talks us through the role of decentralised cooperation in sustainable development.
03 April 2023
Building systems for migration, return and reintegration: Lessons learned from employment-related interventions in West Africa
Return and reintegration are likely to remain strong political priorities for the European Union (EU) and its member states in the coming years. Pauline Veron and Anna Knoll looked at the experience of the Belgian development agency in three countries in West Africa – Guinea, Niger and The Gambia – where they offered support to returnees and locals as part of employment-related interventions. In this brief they share their recommendations for future projects.
03 April 2023
The Achilles' heel of Kenya’s growing digital economy
Kenya is one of the ten fastest growing digital economies in the world, but there are not enough professionals with advanced digital skills for its growing digital economy job market. Ennatu Domingo argues that if Kenya wants to expand its digital economy, it should invest in people’s digital literacy and skills alongside investing in hardware – and so should its partners.
27 March 2023
The EU, geopolitics and human development: Insights from Zambia, Kenya and Guinea
The EU has launched several initiatives to increase investments in hard infrastructure, but human development remains a key area where the EU can add value. Katja Sergejeff, Ennatu Domingo and Pauline Veron look at how three partner countries, namely Guinea, Kenya and Zambia, perceive the EU’s offer in human development sectors, and what they see as the key challenges.
24 March 2023
Sustainability of the SME business ecosystem: The missing links to access finance
In a guest contribution for ECDPM, Sid Boubekeur and Peter Kuria Githinji analyse the reasons behind the lack of competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. They argue that many viable SMEs are important for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
24 March 2023
Soutenir la résilience des communautés au changement climatique et aux conflits au Sahel Central : une responsabilité partagée
Les populations du Sahel Central subissent de plein fouet les effets du changement climatique et des conflits. Leur résilience est mise à rude épreuve. Dans cette note, Maëlle Salzinger et Sophie Desmidt proposent sept pistes pour mieux soutenir la résilience et les réponses aux crises dans le Sahel Central. Il s'agit notamment de mettre l'accent sur les zones frontalières vulnérables et de réaliser des analyses localisées tenant compte des questions de genre et des facteurs complexes du conflit.
20 March 2023
Navigating green economy and development objectives: The political economy of greening transport in East Africa
African countries and economies are at the centre of competing demands and narratives around the global green transition. Bruce Byiers, Alfonso Medinilla and Karim Karaki identify the dilemmas they face in achieving ‘greener’ economic development pathways. In this second note out of a series of four, they zoom in on the political economy of greening transport in East Africa.
20 March 2023
Navigating green economy and development objectives: African energy transition opportunities and risks
African countries and economies are at the centre of competing demands and narratives around the global green transition. Bruce Byiers, Alfonso Medinilla and Karim Karaki identify the dilemmas they face in achieving ‘greener’ economic development pathways. In this third note out of a series of four, they zoom in on African energy transition opportunities and risks.
20 March 2023
Navigating green economy and development objectives: The effects of external climate regimes on African economies
African countries and economies are at the centre of competing demands and narratives around the global green transition. Bruce Byiers, Alfonso Medinilla and Karim Karaki identify the dilemmas they face in achieving ‘greener’ economic development pathways. In this second note out of a series of four, they zoom in on the effects of external climate regimes on African economies.
20 March 2023
Navigating green economy and development objectives: Between ‘green’ and development narratives
African countries and economies are at the centre of competing demands and narratives around the global green transition. Bruce Byiers, Alfonso Medinilla and Karim Karaki identify the dilemmas they face in achieving ‘greener’ economic development pathways. In this first note out of a series of four, they zoom in on African narratives on climate and development.
20 March 2023
Navigating green economy and development objectives: Opportunities and risks for African countries
African countries and economies are at the centre of competing demands and narratives around the global green transition. Bruce Byiers, Alfonso Medinilla and Karim Karaki identify the dilemmas they face in achieving ‘greener’ economic development pathways, focusing on African narratives on climate and development, external climate regimes, Africa’s first movers and the political economy of greening transport.
20 March 2023
Sept façons de soutenir la résilience et les réponses aux crises dans le Sahel Central
Les populations du Sahel Central subissent de plein fouet les effets du changement climatique et des conflits. Leur résilience est mise à rude épreuve. Dans cette note, Maëlle Salzinger et Sophie Desmidt proposent sept pistes pour mieux soutenir la résilience et les réponses aux crises dans le Sahel Central. Il s'agit notamment de mettre l'accent sur les zones frontalières vulnérables et de réaliser des analyses localisées tenant compte des questions de genre et des facteurs complexes du conflit.
20 March 2023
The EU-Africa partnership: One step forward, two steps backwards
The COVID-19 vaccines or the Russian invasion of Ukraine are difficult circumstances for the Europe-Africa partnership. Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw argues that the question which should be at the heart of it remains: what lessons have been learned on how to make the partnership relevant and mutually beneficial in a changing global order?
13 March 2023
Lessons from SADC for the AfCFTA: The case of Mozambique
Mozambique has signed and recently ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. To help prepare for implementation, Samuel Zita and ECDPM’s Bruce Byiers and Poorva Karkare review the country’s experience of participating in the Southern African Development Community Protocol on Trade in Goods and draw lessons from the practical challenges.
13 March 2023
More than targets: How the EU promotes democracy, human rights and gender equality through Global Europe and beyond
Amandine Sabourin and Alexei Jones look at how the EU has integrated and mainstreamed democracy, human rights and gender equality into the planning and first stages of implementation of the EU’s financial instrument for neighbourhood, development and international cooperation: NDICI-Global Europe.
13 March 2023
Climate change and conflict in the Central Sahel: A shared responsibility to support local resilience
Communities in the Central Sahel bear the brunt of the effects of climate change and violent conflict. Their resilience is stretched to a maximum. In this brief, Maëlle Salzinger and Sophie Desmidt highlight seven ways to support resilience and crisis responses in the Central Sahel. These include a focus on vulnerable border areas and localised gender- and conflict-sensitive analyses.
06 March 2023
Gender equality in EU external action: Leadership from the EU headquarters
In this first brief of a three-part series on gender equality in EU external action, Mariella Di Ciommo, Maëlle Salzinger, Sophie Desmidt and Katja Sergejeff analyse how the working groups of the Council of the EU and the EU’s gender and diversity ambassador are addressing gender equality in line with the EU’s latest gender action plan, as well as the women, peace and security agenda.
06 March 2023
Seven ways to support resilience and crisis responses in the Central Sahel
Communities in the Central Sahel bear the brunt of the effects of climate change and violent conflict. Their resilience is stretched to a maximum. In this brief, Maëlle Salzinger and Sophie Desmidt highlight seven ways to support resilience and crisis responses in the Central Sahel, including focusing on vulnerable border areas and relying more on localised gender-sensitive and conflict-sensitive analyses.
06 March 2023
Russia’s war propaganda and disinformation: Recentring African agency
The Russian war in Ukraine is also playing out online, and Russia has particularly targeted Africa and the global south in its propaganda. Ennatu Domingo and Maëlle Salzinger look at how disinformation – a challenge that long precedes the war in Ukraine – is addressed by African governments and the private sector, and at how the EU and Africa could work together better to combat disinformation
06 March 2023
One year on: The ripple effects of Russia's war in Ukraine on the EU-Africa peace and security partnership
Six days after the EU-AU summit ended last year, Russia invaded Ukraine. The EU is struggling to deal with Africa’s lack of unequivocal support to the West’s efforts, but for many African countries, this expectation feels misplaced – if not offensive – and shows Europe’s double standards towards military aggression and peace negotiations. Sophie Desmidt looks at the implications of the Russian war in Ukraine on the EU-Africa partnership on peace and security.
27 February 2023
No time like the present to fight corruption: Innovative practice for a wicked development problem
Corruption seriously undermines development and hits the most vulnerable hardest. But it is a multifaceted, wicked problem: one that resists simple solutions and conceptualisations. In this paper, ECDPM’s Martin Ronceray and Katja Sergejeff review new evidence on how anti-corruption can be conducted, how the EU has been performing in this area and what should be done next to improve Europe’s overall footprint.
27 February 2023
Building a digital single market: From the EU to Africa
The EU has developed interoperable digital public infrastructure as part of its digital single market, ensuring smooth cross-border interactions by individuals, businesses and governments. Chloe Teevan argues that the EU could offer useful support on interoperable digital public infrastructure to Africa, which aspires to build its own digital single market as part of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
13 February 2023
Rethinking EU support to the rule of law: Taking a stand for sustainable development
Nneka Okechukwu summarises the key findings and recommendations of a recent evaluation of the EU’s support to rule of law and anticorruption in partner countries between 2010 and 2021, which analysed what has and hasn’t worked and how the EU can improve its policies.
06 February 2023
AU-EU relations one year after the 2022 summit
Almost one year has passed since the long-awaited sixth EU-AU summit took place in Brussels – a year in which we witnessed a multitude of crises and geopolitical shifts. ECDPM is preparing a series of public and closed-door events, opinion pieces and analysis that will look at how the AU-EU partnership has evolved in the past year and propose ways to improve relations between the two continents.
02 February 2023
Europe-Africa relations in a multi-crises world
Almost one year after the AU-EU summit, there is still a clear desire to continue a fruitful partnership. But how to rekindle the Africa-Europe partnership, and what is needed to respond to new crises? This European Think Tanks Group paper analyses the state of Africa-Europe relations and shares policy recommendations on climate change and fair energy transition, food security, peace, security and participatory governance, and development finance.
30 January 2023
DYNAMIG project (2023-2025)
From January 2023 until December 2025, ECDPM will be involved in the DYNAMIG project on migration, with seven other research institutes and organisations in Europe and Africa.
30 January 2023
Africa-Europe relations: A balanced narrative and reality check project (2023)
Four think tanks, ACET, ECDPM, ISS and the Policy Center for the New South, are joining forces in an effort to enrich the AU-EU formal and informal policy dialogue and better connect Brussels and Addis-based policymakers with practical insights and substantial input.
24 January 2023
Scaling up African clean energy
Alfonso Medinilla and Katja Sergejeff look at opportunities for scaling renewable energy deployment in African countries in the 2020s and 2030s – not just as a development or energy access problem, but as a clear and timely opportunity for African economies to benefit from the global green transition.
20 January 2023
How the EU supports food systems change: Lessons from Malawi
Even before the EU Farm to Fork Strategy launched in 2020, the EU took action to make food systems more resilient to shocks. But did the EU’s ambitions bear fruit? Cecilia D'Alessandro and Paulina Bizzotto Molina break down lessons learned from their evaluation of the EU’s support to food systems abroad, focusing on Malawi.
16 January 2023
Ghana’s brown gold: The political economy of the cocoa sector
With Imani’s Franklin Cudjoe, Theo Acheampong, Dennis Asare and King Carl Tornam Duho, ECDPM’s Poorva Karkare and Bruce Byiers have analysed the cocoa sector in Ghana. In this presentation, they break down the structural, sectoral, institutional and external factors that explain the current context, as well as the actors involved.
16 December 2022
ECDPM work plan 2023-2024
ECDPM's work plan 2023-2024 is the second work plan under our new strategy for 2022-2026. It outlines who our partners are and the key areas of our work, highlighting specific examples of our activities in 2023, and how we will ensure uptake of our work.
16 December 2022
Labour mobility as a key element of the AfCFTA: What role for the AU’s free movement protocol?
Amanda Bisong looks at the role of the AU’s free movement protocol in facilitating labour mobility and shares ways to strengthen the implementation of labour mobility-related aspects of the free movement protocol and the AfCFTA.
16 December 2022
The EU Global Health Strategy: How to make it work
The EU’s new global health strategy aims to ‘go back to basics’ and achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. While the priorities of it are widely welcome, ECDPM’s Pauline Veron and Katja Sergejeff argue that the EU and its member states will need to use this momentum to avoid risking its implementation.
12 December 2022
The OACPS-EU partnership: Damage control or saving the last pieces?
With South Africa leaving the OACPS and Hungary blocking the new EU-OACPS partnership agreement – one year and a half after negotiators finalised the draft agreement – the momentum of a new partnership seems to have vanished, according to Amandine Sabourin and Alexei Jones.
12 December 2022
How the war in Ukraine is impacting Africa-Europe relations and the migration dialogue
In a commentary for the European Think Tanks Group, ODI’s Claire Kumar and ECDPM’s Anna Knoll and Pauline Veron argue that Europe’s attitude towards Ukrainian refugees shows the emergence of a racialised refugee hierarchy in several EU member states – something that has profound implications for Africa-Europe relations.
12 December 2022
Local action for climate adaptation: How multilevel governance can help
The outcomes of COP27 for local adaptation were disappointing. ECDPM’s Daniel Adeniyi argues for more inclusive and multilevel governance as the way forward. But what is hindering progress?
05 December 2022
Engaging the European private sector in EU development cooperation and finance
Europe’s private sector should help deliver on the objectives of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Karim Karaki, San Bilal and Jeske van Seters look at how the EU can best engage the private sector in its development policy and financial set-up.
05 December 2022
The EU Global Gateway – One year in: How to partner with the private sector?
For GIZ, San Bilal looks at how the EU can partner with the private sector – one year after the EU Global Gateway strategy was launched.
02 December 2022
The Global Gateway and the EU as a digital actor in Africa
The EU’s approach to digital in its external action is evolving, driven by a combination of global geopolitics and an externalisation of domestic policy priorities. ECDPM’s Chloe Teevan and Ennatu Domingo explore the EU’s changing approach and argue that the Global Gateway strategy has the ingredients to help make Team Europe a geopolitical actor in the digital area.
28 November 2022
Food systems at COP27: Not enough money, but plenty of energy
When it comes to financing climate-resilient food systems, the outcomes of the formal negotiations at COP27 are disappointing. ECDPM’s Cecilia D’Alessandro and Francesco Rampa look back at the event and argue that we need to bridge the climate and food systems agendas with high-level leadership and coordinate actions among all stakeholders to deliver results at scale.
28 November 2022
ECDPM Talks on: COP27 Episode 5
Hanne Knaepen and Francesco Rampa discuss the outcomes of COP27 in the final episode of our ECDPM Talks on COP27 podcast series
28 November 2022
Implications of COVID-19 and Russia’s war in Ukraine for EU-Africa relations – Development finance
In this brief for the European Think Tanks Group, ECDPM’s San Bilal and Iliana Olivié and María Santillán O’Shea from the Elcano Royal Institute look at how a multitude of crises has affected EU-Africa relations from a financial perspective. They argue that the EU must mobilise resources and expand its range of tools to support African recovery and resilience initiatives.
25 November 2022
The EU-Africa peace and security partnership: Political and financial stumbling blocks and a few ways forward
The relationship between EU and African leaders has been particularly challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and an energy crisis in Europe. In this brief for the European Think Tanks Group, ECDPM’s Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Irene Paviotti from IAI zoom in on the EU-Africa peace and security partnership and look at what leaders can do to strengthen it.
23 November 2022
Re-thinking approaches to labour migration: Potentials and gaps in four EU member states’ migration infrastructures
With ICMPD’s Migration Partnership Facility (MPF), ECDPM’s Anna Knoll and Jamie Slater undertook a study on EU approaches to labour migration, with a particular focus on the EU’s talent partnerships. They analysed the labour market needs and migration systems of four EU member states – Estonia, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal – to see how prepared they are for the growing need for workers.
23 November 2022
Africa-Europe cooperation and digital transformation
This book, edited by Chux Daniels from ACET and the University of Sussex Business School, IDOS’ Benedikt Erforth and ECDPM’s Chloe Teevan – and with forewords from Vera Songwe and Jutta Urpilainen, explores the opportunities and challenges for cooperation between Africa and Europe in the digital sphere.
22 November 2022
Ethiopia’s digital economy is blooming, but needs investment
Ethiopia has launched ambitious digital strategies and reforms aimed at boosting its economy. Ennatu Domingo argues that while this has already resulted in new market players and a growing banking sector, Ethiopia needs to step up its diplomatic efforts to attract foreign investment in digital infrastructure, and increase access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises.
21 November 2022
ECDPM Talks on: COP27 Episode 4
In this episode, ECDPM's Cecilia D'Alessandro talks to Jacob Waslander, Dutch Envoy to the Middle East and North Africa for Water, Energy and Food. They discuss the nexus between water, energy, and food security with climate adaptation.
21 November 2022
ECDPM Talks on: COP27 Episode 3
This is a special episode in collaboration with CASCADES focusing on the intersection between climate, gender and security
14 November 2022
The EU's capacity for crisis response: A look at the 2022 food crisis
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made global food security a top priority for the EU, alongside the security and energy crisis it is already dealing with. Mariella Di Ciommo, Francesco Rampa and Koen Dekeyser zoom in on the EU’s response to the food crisis and look at how swiftly and adequately the EU can adapt to crises.
14 November 2022
Digitalisation and democracy: Is Africa’s governance charter fit for the digital era?
Ennatu Domingo and Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw analyse the links between digital transformation, political activism and governance and argue that Africa’s governance charter, the ACDEG, should be adapted to keep up with the rapid adoption of digital technologies and their impacts on democratic processes.
14 November 2022
COP27 can do more for women bearing the brunt of climate change and conflict
Maëlle Salzinger and Sophie Desmidt argue that leaders at COP27 should take the conference’s gender day as an opportunity to do more for women in regions affected by climate change and conflict, such as the Sahel.
07 November 2022
Debt reform for climate action: Demand grows louder, but will Europe respond?
Karim Karaki argues that leaders at COP27 need to talk about debt reform and looks at how European leaders in particular could play a leading role.
07 November 2022
Investing in sustainable food systems: A methodology and lessons learned from Africa
Cecilia D’Alessandro, Francesco Rampa and Koen Dekeyser break down the methodology we developed with FAO for the AgrInvest project – to help agribusinesses and financial intermediaries make investment decisions that can increase the sustainability of food systems. They also highlight some of the lessons we learned by applying the methodology in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya and Niger.
07 November 2022
ECDPM Talks on: COP27 Episode 2
In the second episode of our 'ECDPM Talks on: COP27' podcast series, our Koen Dekeyser talks to Dr Nalishebo Meebelo, from RENAPRI about the impact the climate crisis is already having on African food systems and what COP27 should achieve
04 November 2022
ECDPM Talks on: COP27 Episode 1
In this first episode of our ECDPM Talks on COP27, we want to give you a more panoramic view of COP27 and some of the political nuances involved in what is arguably the most visible global climate event of the year. We speak to Hanne Knaepen, head of ECDPM's climate action and green transition team.
31 October 2022
ECDPM at COP27
After six years, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) is back in Africa with a spotlight on contributions from Africa. A lot will depend now on how the Egyptians lead COP27, already dubbed ‘the adaptation COP’, thereby keeping up expectations. Before, during and after COP27 we will share our analysis and opinions, particularly on the effects of climate change and sustainable food systems.
31 October 2022
European responses to transboundary climate impacts and insecurity
In this brief produced for the CASCADES project, ECDPM's Hanne Knaepen and Isha Vajpeyi asses to what extent climate security and transboundary climate impacts feature in key European policies and strategies.
31 October 2022
Will COP27 be a breakthrough in addressing climate-related mobility?
Jamie Slater argues that COPs so far haven’t been able to make progress on addressing climate-induced displacement for a number of reasons, including political interests, and looks at whether COP27 can be a turning point.
31 October 2022
ECDPM Talks on: COP27
Our new podcast series explores the state of play of key areas COP27 will focus on, such as food, water, peace and security or energy. We will speak to European and African thinkers to understand the main challenges and opportunities COP27 must deal with.
28 October 2022
Kenya’s potential for sustainable textiles
Since the majority of textiles in the EU are imported, businesses in producing countries will need to comply with the evolving requirements of the EU market. ECDPM’s Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters look at Kenya, a leader in green growth in Africa, which is searching for how best to respond to the changing EU market and position itself as a frontrunner in the field of circular textiles.
24 October 2022
International peacebuilding financing and changing politics in Europe
In this paper for the NYU Center on International Cooperation, ECDPM’s Andrew Sherriff and Pauline Veron zoom in on the short- and long-term actions needed to strengthen and sustain a political constituency for peacebuilding in the face of significant political headwinds. They provide recommendations with a particular focus on official development assistance from Europe.
24 October 2022
A reality check for Europe-Africa climate diplomacy
Europe and Africa are in disarray to find common ground in the run-up to COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh. While climate change continues to wreak havoc on people’s lives throughout Africa, Europe and its member states are struggling to align their agenda and support Africa with adaptation and resilience-building. Is Europe-Africa climate diplomacy failing?
24 October 2022
Managing water, energy and food security in times of geopolitical turmoil
Despite the current geopolitical turmoil, this year’s COP27 offers a unique opportunity to advance the climate adaptation agenda, particularly in the food and water sectors. Cecilia D’Alessandro, Fabien Tondel and Sanja Terlević argue that to deliver on climate commitments, Europe must reinvigorate its cooperation with Africa and tackle the interconnected challenges of energy, food and water security through coherent policies and a careful balancing of respective strategic interests with climate objectives.
17 October 2022
Donors, implementing agencies and DFI/PDB cooperation: The case of the Netherlands and the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development
In this study for the European Think Tanks Group, Karim Karaki and San Bilal zoom in on the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development as an example of how donors, implementing agencies and development finance institutions collaborate within the Dutch development architecture.
14 October 2022
Donors, implementing agencies and DFI/PDB cooperation: EBRD and donors comprehensive coordination
In this case study for the European Think Tanks Group, Karim Karaki and San Bilal look at how the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development cooperates with European donors.
14 October 2022
Donors, implementing agencies and DFI/PDB cooperation: European donors’ partnership with the EIB
In this case study for the European Think Tanks Group, Karim Karaki and San Bilal look at how the European Investment Bank, the EU, its member states and their development agencies cooperate.
14 October 2022
Digital geopolitics in Africa: Moving from strategy to action
Digital transformation in Africa will create immense social, economic and political opportunities, but without adequate regulation, it also carries risks. Chloe Teevan and Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw argue that for Africa to avoid becoming a pawn of digital geopolitics, it will have to proactively step up technological innovation and respond to challenges, while shaping the global discourse on internet and data governance.
10 October 2022
Climate risk mispricing: Why better assessments matter in financing for development
Is climate change a financial risk that financial institutions need to worry about? In this brief, ECDPM’s San Bilal and Pamella Ahairwe, Anja Đuranović from the Vienna University of Economics and Business and Irene Monasterolo from EDHEC Business School and EDHEC-Risk Institute explain why they should worry, and examine how a selection of European financial institutions approach climate risk measurement.
30 September 2022
Climate and food: Two crises that need to be solved together
The climate crisis, global food insecurity and unsustainable food systems are closely linked issues and must be solved together. In this article for the think tank ECCO, Francesco Rampa argues that the next Italian government must focus on this link because it will help determine the future not only of Italy but of the entire planet.
26 September 2022
Half-time analysis: How is Team Europe doing?
The Team Europe approach has undeniably gained traction and political buy-in. In this brief, Alexei Jones and Katja Sergejeff look at the state of play of the Team Europe initiatives and how the EU is addressing some of the key conceptual and operational aspects.
19 September 2022
Digital diplomacy and the EU’s quest for digital geopolitical relevance
The EU wants to strengthen its global role in digital affairs. Via the Global Gateway, it aims to invest in safe, secure digital infrastructure across the world. Chloe Teevan looks at the EU’s digital vision and interests on the world stage and gives recommendations to shape its digital geopolitics.
19 September 2022
Enhancing coordination between European donors, development agencies and DFIs/PDBs – Insights and recommendations
In this paper for the European Think Tanks Group, San Bilal and Karim Karaki look at the EU’s new impetus to strengthen the European financial architecture for development. An important question in this endeavour is how coordination between the roles and activities of European donors, implementing agencies and development finance institutions or public development banks can best be articulated and implemented in practice.
16 September 2022
Operationalising pharma manufacturing hubs in Africa: Policy options for the EU
Africa’s health systems are overdependent on international markets. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that African countries need to become self-reliant and boost their own pharma production. Karim Karaki and Pamella Eunice Ahairwe analyse the challenges of building regional pharma centres and share recommendations for European policymakers.
13 September 2022
Actors and interests along the Dakar-Bamako corridor
Trade and transport corridors are increasingly seen as means to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Bruce Byiers and Poorva Karkare look at the Dakar-Bamako corridor to find out what economic and political actors and factors explain trade and transport dynamics in the region.
05 September 2022
Les acteurs et intérêts le long du corridor Dakar-Bamako
Les corridors de commerce et de transport sont de plus en plus cités comme un moyen de mettre en œuvre la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf). Bruce Byiers et Poorva Karkare examinent le corridor Dakar-Bamako pour découvrir quels acteurs et facteurs économiques et politiques expliquent la dynamique du commerce et du transport dans la région.
05 September 2022
How to feed Africa’s growing population: Lessons from India’s Green Revolution
African countries increasingly focus on building resilient food systems and becoming self-reliant. In their quest, they can learn from other developing countries, such as India, which experienced a so-called Green Revolution in the 1960s. Isha Vajpeyi looks at India’s successes and mistakes and explores the potential of the India-Africa partnership in the context of COP27.
05 September 2022
The European Green Deal and the war in Ukraine: Addressing crises in the short and long term
Researchers from the European Think Tanks Group – including ECDPM’s Koen Dekeyser and Alfonso Medinilla – and GIZ, IAMO and SEI look at the implications of the war in Ukraine on energy and food security, industrial supply chains and environmental protection in the EU and developing countries. They also explore ways for the EU to mitigate these implications, particularly through the Green Deal.
15 July 2022
On transport corridors: People, profits, politics and patience
Corridors are becoming all the rage – as a priority for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and as a focus of the recently launched EU Global Gateway. Bruce Byiers explains how recent research can help gain insights into what these actually entail.
04 July 2022
What it would take to provide structural solutions to food insecurity in Africa
Poorva Karkare looks at what is needed to provide more structural solutions to Africa’s food insecurity and where the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) fits into this.
04 July 2022
The African Union at twenty: A new leader in digital innovation?
Ennatu Domingo and Lidet Tadesse argue that to become an active participant in global governance and a leader in digital innovation, the AU will need to stop looking at digitalisation as a purely economic issue and help African states define a common vision for data governance and regulation
04 July 2022
The effects of major economies’ policies on climate action, food security and water in developing countries
Fabien Tondel, Cecilia D'Alessandro and Koen Dekeyser investigate the effects of external factors, especially the policies of developed countries and emerging economies, on climate action and food and water security in developing countries.
04 July 2022
ECDPM Annual Report 2021
In our Annual Report 2021 we provide a bird’s eye view of the past year. The report makes clear how all our activities tie together and how they contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
29 June 2022
Supporting adaptation in African agriculture – A policy shift since the EU Green Deal?
Communities in sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing the most severe droughts in decades, impacting livestock and crop production. Hanne Knaepen examines whether the EU Green Deal and Global Europe, the EU’s instrument for neighbourhood, development and international cooperation, have led to increased political support for climate adaptation in African agriculture.
27 June 2022
L’intégration régionale en Afrique de l’Ouest : Chevauchements inutiles ou options nécessaires ?
Cheikh Tidiane Dièye d'ENDA-CACID et Bruce Byiers analysent les intérêts et les incitations autour de deux organisations régionales qui se chevauchent en Afrique de l'Ouest : la CEDEAO et l'UEMOA.
27 June 2022
From hashtags to the streets: Digital technologies for women’s political activism
For many decades, women in Africa have asserted their leadership in social and political movements. Yet even when praised for their activism, they remain excluded from decision-making. Maëlle Salzinger, Lidet Tadesse and Martin Ronceray look at digital technologies as a way to empower women-led political movements in Africa.
27 June 2022
Russia’s war against Ukraine should trigger structural solutions to food insecurity
Francesco Rampa argues that the increased political attention to an emerging food crisis, resulting from the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, should be used to promote structural solutions to food insecurity.
20 June 2022
Promoting a global green transition following the Russian invasion of Ukraine – The external dimensions of the European Green Deal
Alfonso Medinilla, Koen Dekeyser and Karim Karaki look at how food systems and green energy priorities have shifted since the war in Ukraine and at how the EU can maintain its ‘Green Deal diplomacy’.
20 June 2022
Human development in the EU’s international spending in turbulent times: From words to deeds?
Katja Sergejeff, Ennatu Domingo and Pauline Veron
argue that human development has become much more of a priority in the EU’s international spending than originally planned, but wonder whether the EU will follow through on its commitments amidst new challenges presented by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
13 June 2022
The Global Gateway: A recipe for EU geopolitical relevance?
Chloe Teevan, San Bilal, Ennatu Domingo and Alfonso Medinilla argue that the Global Gateway – the EU’s new connectivity strategy – has the seeds of something new, but that it will need to overcome a number of challenges to be successful.
13 June 2022
Strengthening the EU-AU digital agenda: The potential of e-justice
Robert Okello takes a closer look at digital innovations that facilitate access to justice for African citizens. He argues that the EU-AU partnership should support these new approaches and technologies to achieve universal access to justice.
13 June 2022
Civic tech at the service of democracy and good governance in Africa
Latyr Tine and Rukia Mohamed Bakari explore the promises and shortcomings of civic tech in the promotion of democracy in Africa.
06 June 2022
Regional integration in West Africa: Wasteful overlaps or necessary options?
This paper analyses the interests and incentives around two overlapping regional organisations in West Africa: ECOWAS and UEMOA.
30 May 2022
Tackling sovereign debt for effective climate action: Towards a European agenda
Karim Karaki and Alfonso Medinilla provide eight recommendations that the EU could pursue to tackle debt sustainability in the Global South and maintain the momentum for ambitious climate action.
23 May 2022
Financing fragile contexts: What can development finance institutions do better?
Development finance institutions (DFIs) largely concentrate their investments in politically stable middle-income countries, but they have also increasingly started to look at fragile and conflict-affected countries. Pamella Ahairwe, Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and San Bilal look at how DFIs can increase finance for fragile contexts.
23 May 2022
Africa’s journey towards an integrated digital payments landscape and how the EU can support it
Ensuring the interoperability of digital instant payment solutions across borders will be vital to increasing inclusive trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Ennatu Domingo and Chloe Teevan look at solutions to cross-border interoperability, challenges and opportunities, and how the EU could support Africa.
23 May 2022
Youth aspiring towards the African dream
Africa has the youngest population in the world. The growing number of young people is the continent’s greatest asset for growth and achieving its developmental agenda – but only if that generation’s economic development and rights are fulfilled. Robert Okello shares his thoughts on how the continent and an equal AU-EU partnership can harness the potential of the African youth.
09 May 2022
Green transition in Africa: Implications for Sweden and the EU
Jeske van Seters and Nadia Ashraf explore the drivers and bottlenecks of a green transition in Africa and look at possible implications for EU member states, specifically Sweden, and the EU’s engagement with the African continent in the context of the EU Green Deal.
02 May 2022
Politiques incohérentes ou réalités politiques ? Les impératifs de la politique commerciale et industrielle du Nigéria
En coopération avec ENDA-CACID, Poorva Karkare et Jeske van Seters, avec Michael Odijie et Ken Ukaoha, explorent la dynamique apparemment opposée du Nigeria dans sa politique commerciale et industrielle.
11 April 2022
Inconsistent policies or political realities? Nigeria’s trade and industrial policy imperatives
Nigeria has committed to regional integration, but its actions can appear inconsistent. For example, in 2019 it unilaterally closed its land borders with neighbouring countries, causing major disruptions to regional trade networks. With Michael Odijie and Ken Ukaoha from ENDA-CACID, Poorva Karkare and Jeske van Seters explore the country’s seemingly opposing dynamics in its trade and industrial policy.
11 April 2022
Tailored, multidimensional and coherent: Towards a renewed EU partnership with least developed countries
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are dramatically felt in the world’s poorest countries, stressing the need for a renewed EU partnership with the least developed countries. In this paper, Alexei Jones and San Bilal, with Katja Sergejeff, explore what is necessary for such a renewal.
11 April 2022
Sustainable fashion cannot stop at the EU border
Last week, the European Commission proposed the EU textile strategy as part of its circular economy package. Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters discuss the new proposal’s global advantages and shortcomings in light of an increasing fast fashion industry.
04 April 2022
Comprendre la Charte africaine de la démocratie, des élections et de la gouvernance
L'UA a pour mandat de promouvoir la gouvernance sur le continent, mais cela ne signifie pas qu'elle peut faire respecter toutes ses règles de manière cohérente. Quelles sont les règles qui régissent les décisions de l'UA et comment sont-elles appliquées et promues ? Découvrez l'instrument le plus important qui définit ce programme de gouvernance continentale : la Charte africaine de la démocratie, des élections et de la gouvernance.
29 March 2022
Supporting financial inclusion of migrants: Actors, approaches and avenues to overcome challenges
In this report, Pamella Ahairwe and Amanda Bisong map public development actors’ interventions to promote the financial inclusion of migrants and boost remittances.
28 March 2022
What the EU’s asylum response to the war in Ukraine means for Africa-Europe relations
The EU’s asylum response to the war in Ukraine will certainly affect migration cooperation between Africa and Europe – but the asylum innovations and flexibilities that are now introduced can also provide a basis for taking AU-EU cooperation forward.
28 March 2022
The health sector – a promising avenue for a strengthened AU-EU partnership
The sixth EU-AU Summit resulted in a joint vision, which includes supporting the resilience of health systems. These commitments reaffirm the importance of this sector, not only for actors in the two continents, but also for an improved AU-EU partnership.
21 March 2022
The European Peace Facility and Ukraine: Implications for Africa-Europe relations
For its emergency package to support Ukrainian armed forces, the EU has used the European Peace Facility (EPF). Volker Hauck looks at what this radical shift in EU foreign policy means for the EU’s relationship with the AU, and for the future of the EPF within the EU.
14 March 2022
Russia’s invasion leaves North Africa with a food crisis – What can Europe do?
Ukraine and Russia are big exporters, especially when it comes to wheat, and many African countries are highly dependent on food and agricultural imports. Hanne Knaepen and Koen Dekeyser look at the effects of the Ukraine-Russia war on food security in North Africa and discuss what Europe can do to address these.
14 March 2022
What the EU’s plans to phase out Russian gas mean for Europe and Africa
Alfonso Medinilla takes a closer look at the REPowerEU proposal and argues that while phasing out Russian gas, the EU should also stick to its plans for renewable energy and infrastructure abroad – particularly in Africa.
14 March 2022
A guide to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance
The AU has a mandate to promote governance on the continent, but that does not mean that it can consistently enforce the rules. Why? What are the rules shaping AU decisions? And how are they followed? Learn about the most prominent instrument defining this continental governance agenda: the African Charter of Democracy, Elections and Governance.
28 February 2022
Agenda 2063 and the role of Africa’s overlapping regional organisations
In this paper for ECDPM, Fredrik Söderbaum and Sören Stapel look at the role of regional organisations (ROs) in tackling Africa’s development challenges. They map the number and types of ROs, explore how their mandates correspond to priorities of the AU’s Agenda 2063, look at which ROs have overlapping mandates, and propose ways to deal with such overlaps.
28 February 2022
Breaking down the EU-AU Summit – Weekly Compass editorial
In a special EU-AU Summit edition of ECDPM’s Weekly Compass newsletter, Philomena Apiko shared her take on what happened during the EU-AU Summit on 17 and 18 February in Brussels.
22 February 2022
The EU-AU Summit: From diplomatic success to a more balanced investment partnership
The sixth EU-AU Summit in Brussels is considered a diplomatic success, but it was also a missed opportunity to rebalance the partnership and go beyond the simple articulation of the EU’s development package for Africa.
21 February 2022
After the EU-AU Summit: Inching towards just transition in Africa
Many saw the EU-AU Summit as a key step in this year’s climate diplomacy agenda. But did it actually fulfil its promise of bridging the gap between developing countries' needs and what the world’s largest emitters have to offer? Alfonso Medinilla and Hanne Knaepen look back at last week’s summit and its outcome for energy and climate adaptation.
21 February 2022
What can we expect from the EU-AU Summit? A conversation with Philomena Apiko
Who will be at the EU-AU Summit on Thursday and Friday? Did African leaders talk about it during their own summit, and is there a common African position? What will be the main tension points? Virginia Mucchi and Philomena Apiko talk about what we can expect from the long-awaited summit.
14 February 2022
African regional hubs to manufacture health products: Towards comprehensive joint AU-EU actions
Karim Karaki, Pamella Ahairwe, Philomena Apiko and San Bilal highlight ten considerations for African and European policymakers to take into account in their joint efforts to strengthen Africa’s local capacity to manufacture vaccines and health products.
14 February 2022
Beyond Brussels and Addis Ababa: How to make the AU-EU partnership work
Launching a new initiative on the EU-AU partnership, experts from the ACET, the Policy Center for the New South, ISS and ECDPM zoom in on five critical partnership areas ahead of the EU-AU Summit. They argue that to make the partnership work for both blocs of nations, including voices from beyond the institutional circles and connecting with the day-to-day realities in countries is key.
14 February 2022
Bringing African digital interests into the spotlight
The EU-AU Summit sees many points on the agenda, but digitalisation won’t be one of them. Though Europe has many flagship initiatives, negotiations on this area are still at a very early stage of the process between the two continents. Ennatu Domingo looks at digitalisation in the EU-Africa partnership and the need to put African digital interest at the centre.
14 February 2022
Why migration and mobility should – but probably won't – be at the heart of the EU-AU Summit
Migration will once again be one of the more controversial items on the agenda of the long-awaited EU-AU Summit. Amanda Bisong and Anna Knoll share four ways for European and African leaders to move beyond a fixation on the return and security-related aspects of migration only.
07 February 2022
L'Europe dans le monde ? Le nouvel instrument financier de l'UE en 15 questions - et réponses
L’ECDPM a préparé un guide apportant des réponses à certaines des questions que vous vous posez peut-être au sujet de l’IVCDCI - l’Europe dans le monde, nouvel instrument financier de voisinage, de coopération au développement et de coopération internationale.
07 February 2022
Strengthening the AU-EU partnership on the economic development and trade agenda
In this report published by the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG), Poorva Karkare looks at how African and European decision-makers can strengthen the AU-EU partnership on economic development and trade. This set of recommendations arose during a closed-door roundtable with leading African and European knowledge centres and independent experts.
07 February 2022
The EU-AU Summit: Geopolitics, a pandemic and a partnership that struggles to thrive
Ahead of the EU-AU Summit, Lidet Tadesse looks at how the pandemic and fierce geopolitical competition have shaped politics in and between the African and European continents – zooming in on peace and security and vaccines.
07 February 2022
Africa’s Year of Nutrition: Time for paper tigers to start biting
This weekend, during their General Assembly, the African Union (AU) will declare 2022 the African Year of Nutrition. This attention is very much welcome as it presents an opportunity to link the African objectives of ending hunger and of promoting sustainable agricultural transformation on the continent. Progress towards those objectives has been slowing down. It is clear by now that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the impact of pre-existing drivers of food insecurity, such as climate change and violent conflict.
03 February 2022
The Charter Project Africa (2021-2024)
The three-year Charter Project Africa is a pan-African initiative supporting civil society to promote the continental commitments contained in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) – the central African Union policy document to advance democratic governance in African Union member states. The project is led by six organisations, including ECDPM.
01 February 2022
The geopolitics of African renewable energy: European and Chinese investments in a global green transition
Renewable energy is a critical ingredient of the external dimension of the European Green Deal. That is why the EU is also looking to market its renewable energy technology in Africa and beyond – but so do the US and China. Alfonso Medinilla, Katja Sergejeff and Ennatu Domingo examine a growing perception of competition for the African renewable energy market and a potential ‘geopolitical competition’ narrative in EU's foreign policy.
31 January 2022
Looking back at the 5th European Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ECCA 2021)
The European Climate Change Adaptation (ECCA) conference in 2021 focused on bringing adaptation solutions to life and inspiring climate adaptation action for a resilient future. Our Hanne Knaepen looks back at the event and shares her thoughts on global climate adaptation efforts and how the EU can support partner countries, especially in Africa.
24 January 2022
Regional organisations in Africa: What are the political economy dynamics?
There are more land borders per country in Africa than elsewhere in the world. That may help explain why the continent hosts a large number of regional organisations. This synthesis note explores the interaction of a range of actors and factors that shape domestic politics, and how they interact with regional, continental and international relations.
24 January 2022
EU countries should reallocate a share of their special drawing rights as a strong commitment at the EU-AU Summit
San Bilal argues that EU countries should take the EU-AU Summit as an opportunity and commit to reallocating a share of their special drawing rights for an equal recovery.
17 January 2022
Digitalisation in humanitarian aid: Opportunities and challenges in forgotten crises
Humanitarian needs have been growing at an ever-increasing rate over the last 20 years. As a consequence, providing timely and adequate humanitarian assistance is becoming an even more challenging task. Pauline Veron looks at digitalisation and innovative technologies, which help to tackle are seen as enablers in mitigating these unprecedented challenges.
17 January 2022
The AfCFTA and industrialisation: From policy to practice
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is hoped to promote industrial development through diversification and regional value chain development. Bruce Byiers, Philomena Apiko and Poorva Karkare discuss some of the practical challenges and look at the political dynamics that play out within and between states which could make or break regional industrialisation ambitions.
20 December 2021
Morocco, Tunisia and the politics of the EU’s list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions
Morocco and Tunisia were both included on the EU’s list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions in 2017. Chloe Teevan and Riccardo Fabiani, North Africa project director at the International Crisis Group, explore the reasons for Morocco’s grey-listing and Tunisia’s black-listing and subsequent grey-listing and look at how the two countries finally managed to remove themselves from the list.
20 December 2021
Catching up with Global Europe: 15 questions on the EU’s new financial instrument answered
Katja Sergejeff, Ennatu Domingo and Alexei Jones explain all you want to know about the EU’s new financial instrument: the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe.
20 December 2021
ECDPM strategy 2022-2026
ECDPM’s strategy for 2022-2026 spells out our ambition for the next five years to remain a leading independent ‘think and do tank’ working on international cooperation for sustainable development. It sets out the challenges and opportunities we see in the world and how our work contributes to five broad thematic areas.
17 December 2021
ECDPM work plan 2022-2023
ECDPM's work plan 2022-2023 is the first work plan under our new strategy for 2022-2026. It outlines who our partners are and the key areas of our work, highlighting specific examples of our activities in 2022, and how we will ensure uptake of our work.
17 December 2021
The rise of public development banks in the European financial architecture for development
In this paper for the Elcano Royal Institute paper, San Bilal argues that by putting European public development banks at the heart of the European development finance system, European public development banks can reach out to external partners to promoting both impactful development and greater synergies and visibility of the EU actions.
16 December 2021
The EU’s digital talk in 2022 needs financial walk
Ennatu Domingo and Andrew Sherriff look at how the EU is planning to deliver on its digital ambitions through its financial instruments, and what challenges it should consider in the months to come.
13 December 2021
The EU’s Global Gateway: Groundbreaking initiative or smart rebranding?
Last week, the European Commission and the European External Action Service unveiled the EU’s €300 billion ‘Global Gateway’ investment plan. Here’s what we have to say about the plan, the EU’s ambitions, the finances linked to it, and how it could and should add value to Africa’s infrastructure development.
06 December 2021
The role of low- and middle-income countries in the circular economy transition of the Netherlands and the EU
Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters discuss the roles ow- and middle-income countries can play in the circular economy transition of the Netherlands and the EU, zooming in on opportunities and challenges.
06 December 2021
The new German government: A breath of fresh air or more of the same?
After two months of tough negotiations, Germany’s Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats have unveiled their coalition plans. But does the agreement indicate a real change in course for the country’s foreign and security policy as well as development cooperation?
29 November 2021
O plano de ação da UE sobre género e as realidades de Moçambique
Mariella Di Ciommo e Marta Cumbi analisam a forma como a União Europeia está a implementar o seu Plano de Ação em matéria de Género (GAP III) no país, tendo em conta as prioridades de Moçambique nesta área.
29 November 2021
Getting partnerships right: The case for an AU strategy
The AU is currently developing a partnerships strategy as part of its ongoing reform process. Philomena Apiko discusses the challenges lying ahead and looks at how the AU can advance its agency in external partnerships to ensure mutual benefits with win-win outcomes for the continent.
29 November 2021
COP26 through an Africa-Europe lens
The Glasgow Climate Pact failed to capture the emergency mode that many countries, also in Africa, called for. What does the outcome mean for Africa? And what role did Europe play? Some thoughts on the wins, the losses and the way forward from our Hanne Knaepen.
22 November 2021
Rebooting policy dialogue
The EU sees policy dialogue as the ‘operating system’ for its international partnerships. In this guest commentary, Sergio Rodriguez Prieto from the European Partnership for Democracy explores what this means in practice and if the EU development system is ready to engage meaningfully in policy dialogue.
15 November 2021
The EU’s gender action plan and the realities of Mozambique
Mariella Di Ciommo and Marta Cumbi look at how the EU is implementing its gender action plan (GAP III) in Mozambique, which overlaps with the country's own gender priorities.
15 November 2021
Connecting African markets and people: Streamlining regional trade and free movement protocols
Connecting people and markets within and between African countries and regions is a longstanding aspiration and a core part of the AfCFTA. Philomena Apiko, Amanda Bisong and Bruce Byiers look at how the free trade area and the AU’s free movement protocol alter the incentives shaping state relations on trade and movement of people, and how AfCFTA implementation will interact with existing regional agendas and initiatives.
15 November 2021
Climate resilience in cities of the EU’s southern neighbourhood: Opportunities for the EU Green Deal
CIDOB’s Hannah Abdullah, Chatham House’s Karim Elgendy and ECDPM’s Hanne Knaepen examine climate vulnerabilities in urban areas in countries to the south of the EU and the wider Middle East and North Africa region, and look at how the European Green Deal can help cities in the region adapt to climate impacts based on a water-energy-food nexus approach.
10 November 2021
Climate responses in the Central Sahel: Three lessons beyond COP26
In the Central Sahel, climate commitments are hampered by a lack of coordination and finance, while insecurity puts further pressure on the region. Maelle Salzinger shares her thoughts on the ongoing COP26 and asks if the summit can help address some of these blockages.
09 November 2021
The EU list of tax havens: Progress and challenges
Pamella Ahairwe and San Bilal look at the EU’s list of tax havens, which exposes non-EU countries that encourage abusive tax practices and whose tax systems affect the EU tax base, and at its impact on the developing countries that are listed.
01 November 2021
What does the AfCFTA mean for an EU-Africa trade agreement?
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to promote intra-African trade, but it will also affect Africa’s external trade relations. The European Union, Africa’s foremost trade partner, views the AfCFTA as a step towards its long-term ambition of a continent-to-continent free trade agreement. In this paper, Sean Woolfrey asks if this ambition also makes sense from an African point of view.
25 October 2021
How the women, peace and security agenda is integrated into the EU’s gender action plan
Sophie Desmidt looks at how the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda is integrated into the EU’s latest gender action plan (GAP III) and at how EU delegations have been integrating the WPS agenda in their programming.
25 October 2021
Towards a renewed Africa-Europe partnership for investment
This paper argues that the partnership between the EU and the AU and their respective member states can provide a strategic and institutional framework for collectively stimulating sustainable investment.
25 October 2021
Strengthening Africa-Europe dialogue on sustainable development
This synthesis note discusses the relationship between Africa and Europe and highlights five proposals for strengthening the continent-to-continent dialogue on sustainable development – focusing on trade, investment, environment, health and a digital transition.
22 October 2021
Financing the 2030 Agenda: An SDG alignment framework for Public Development Banks
The European Think Tanks Group has just published a study looking at how public development banks can align their activities with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, which will be presented at the Finance in Common Summit.
20 October 2021
Matching ambition with reality: How the EU’s gender action plan fits into the programming of its external action
As part of a short series of briefing notes on the implementation of the EU’s gender action plan (GAP III), Mariella Di Ciommo compares the EU’s ambitions with the reality of GAP III implementation in partner countries.
18 October 2021
The EU’s gender action plan: Principles and practice
As part of a short series of briefing notes on the implementation of the EU’s latest gender action plan (GAP III), Chloe Teevan looks at how the plan's two new principles have evolved in a development context and at how EU delegations have applied these in programming in partner countries.
18 October 2021
A greener Europe at the expense of Africa? Why the EU must address the external implications of the Farm to Fork Strategy
Koen Dekeyser and Sean Woolfrey analyse the effects of the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy in countries outside Europe – in Africa in particular.
13 October 2021
Working with the private sector for sustainable digital transformation
Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters look at the Digital for Development (D4D) strategies of the EU, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK, and draws lessons for the design and implementation of private sector-related dimensions of such strategies.
11 October 2021
Supporting transboundary water cooperation: Learning from water-stressed basins in West Africa
As water scarcity and water stress are growing worldwide, efficient and collaborative transboundary water cooperation is needed. Alfonso Medinilla and Katja Sergejeff look at two transboundary basins, namely the Niger and Senegal river basins, which are crucial for the credibility of EU external action and argue for an alternative approach in their support.
11 October 2021
The future for Africa’s trade with Europe: Factors affecting the long-term relevance of the European market for African exports
Sean Woolfrey and Poorva Karkare look at what the future holds for Africa’s trade with Europe. It analyses developments and trends in the EU market – paying specific attention to Europe’s push for more socially and environmentally sustainable practices – as well as increasing demand from emerging markets and African initiatives to boost intra-African trade.
04 October 2021
Can trade policies help promote sustainable forest management? An analysis of the EU-Ghana FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement
Sean Woolfrey looks at the implementation of the EU-Ghana Voluntary Partnership Agreement under the EU’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative.
04 October 2021
EU support to economic reform in Mauritius: Promoting social inclusion and renewable energy
Philomena Apiko and Sean Woolfrey zoom in on EU support to policy reform on social inclusion and renewable energy in Mauritius, as part of the country’s broader economic restructuring efforts in the mid-2000s, and in particular the Mauritius Multi-Annual Adaptation Strategy Action Plan (MAAS) 2006-2015.
04 October 2021
The EIB Group Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025: What does it mean for developing countries?
The European Investment Bank, which is transitioning into the EU’s Climate Bank, has developed its Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025 as a blueprint of all its climate action operations within and outside the EU. In this brief produced for the CASCADES project, ECDPM's Pamella Ahairwe zooms in on the roadmap’s external ambitions and look at what it offers developing countries.
28 September 2021
The key to effective climate adaptation in Africa
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is driving Africa’s adaptation in agriculture, infrastructure, youth entrepreneurship and job creation, and climate finance. With endorsement of the African continent, GCA’s solutions provide value for money for the $100 billion climate finance that must be delivered by COP26.
27 September 2021
Financing the EU Green Deal: Putting Africa and adaptation higher on the agenda
The success of the European Green Deal depends on how it is translated internationally. The EU has the opportunity to raise the bar on adaptation financing and support for the most vulnerable, particularly in Africa.
27 September 2021
An expert view on green transition in Africa
In this podcast, ECDPM’s Bruce Byiers speaks with Commissioner Dr Abou-Zeid about what green transition means on the Africa continent, with a special focus on financial, technical and infrastructure challenges.
27 September 2021
COP26 and beyond: It’s choice, not chance – Editorial
In this climate issue of Great Insights, we gather ideas on how the earth can take a fresh, new breath. But, we also have frank discussions on what blocks progress towards a greener, more sustainable and resilient future.
27 September 2021
Tackling climate change is a social struggle
ECDPM’s Director Carl Michiels speaks with Belgium’s Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy, Meryame Kitir. Topics were this past summer’s wake-up call in Europe on the costs of climate change, Belgium’s higher development budget for climate action and focal projects in a number of partner countries.
27 September 2021
Good governance as the key to effective adaptation
In this podcast, ECDPM’s Hanne Knaepen speaks with Dr Bruyninckx on the role of the European Environment Agency, notably its work on setting up datasets to track whether countries’ climate actions are in line with climate policies.
27 September 2021
Solving adaptation is solving vulnerability
In this podcast, ECDPM’s Hanne Knaepen speaks with Saliem Fakir, Executive Director of the African Climate Foundation, about how Africa’s focus has shifted from dealing with the climate crisis to dealing with the repercussions of the COVID pandemic.
27 September 2021
COP26 and beyond: It's choice, not chance – Volume 10, Issue 2, 2021
In this climate issue of Great Insights, we gather ideas on how the earth can take a fresh breath and have frank discussions on what blocks progress towards a greener, more sustainable and resilient future.
27 September 2021
Dutch lawyer brings the courts into the fight against climate change, and wins
“Facts don’t always matter in the political arena and the media. But they do matter in a court of law”, says Roger Cox, the Dutch lawyer now known as ‘the man who beat Shell’. Cox speaks with ECDPM policy officer Hanne Knaepen on the dangers of government inaction on climate change.
27 September 2021
Ensuring that the green transition and a just transition go hand in hand
Hanne Knaepen speaks to Rebekah Shirley about her work at the World Resources Institute, Green transition policies and fair access to electricity for Africans.
27 September 2021
Here's how to accelerate investments in renewables with Africa
Africa’s greatest challenge is to ensure access to clean, affordable and reliable energy for the 600 million people who, today, live without it. To achieve this, African governments must take action, creating an enabling environment for foreign investments. Only by opening up the market to international investors will Africa be able to embrace a just energy transition.
27 September 2021
The limits of the UNFCCC and the need for domestic adaptation action
In this conversation, ECDPM’s Hanne Knaepen speaks with Annett Möhner, the UNFCCC’s adaptation expert, who guides us through the technical and policy aspects of adaptation with the UN context, as well as the role and the limits of the UNFCCC.
27 September 2021
An adaptive and context-driven approach to the water, energy and food nexus
In a context of climate change and increasing demands on limited resources, the need for a more integrated management of water, energy and food security is clear – but this is easier said than done. Alfonso Medinilla looks at how and why integrated policies often face implementation gaps and shares recommendations.
27 September 2021
Conversation between multiple scales and actors as a premise for successful adaptation
During this conversation, ECDPM’s Hanne Knaepen talks with Daniel Morchain from the NAP Global Network about the main conditions to advance on adaptation, including in the domain of adaptation finance, in the Global South.
27 September 2021
Climate banks can spur a green transition in this make-or-break decade
Green transition, green deals, Paris alignment and sustainable finance all amount to the same thing: financing more of what solves the problems we are facing, financing less of what causes the problems, and making sure we do this in a socially inclusive way.
27 September 2021
Transforming food systems: How easy is it?
It may be an exaggeration to state that food systems are stuck in their current status quo and nothing will change. But it is equally naïve and perhaps more dangerous to expect changes that will magically make all problems disappear and nudge food systems in the direction needed for sustainability.
22 September 2021
With the right investments, we can transform food systems
Food systems can reduce inequality and sustain livelihoods for millions of people, but only if we produce food within our planet’s boundaries, make the right investments and create an inclusive and enabling environment for small-scale farmers in the agricultural sector.
22 September 2021
Our hopes for the UN Food Systems Summit
The Food Systems Summit will certainly not provide all the answers we need, but here are four crucial things Sean Woolfrey, Cecilia D’Alessandro, Paulina Bizzotto Molina and Hanne Knaepen hope leaders at the Summit will do.
20 September 2021
The AU-UN peace and security partnership: Power and politics
The AU-UN peace and security partnership has been strengthened in recent years, but still faces challenges. While many have pointed to the need to improve the technical and operational side of the relationship, Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw argues that it’s equally about power and politics.
13 September 2021
Sustainable food systems through diversification and indigenous vegetables: An analysis of the Iringa and Dodoma areas in Tanzania
This report shows the findings of our two-year research project around Iringa and Dodoma in Tanzania, where we looked at how a stronger integration of indigenous vegetables could alleviate some of the unsustainable outcomes of the region’s food systems.
13 September 2021
EU-Africa trade relations and the EPA process: Ratification and sustainable development perspectives for Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana
San Bilal analysed EU-Africa trade relations and the economic partnership agreement (EPA) process, zooming in on Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
07 September 2021
Building strategic European digital cooperation with Africa
Chloe Teevan looks at how the EU could take a more strategic and focused approach to digital cooperation with Africa.
06 September 2021
Implementation of the talent partnerships: What potential role for the diaspora?
This report explores the potential for diaspora to contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU’s talent partnerships, one of the core elements of the EU’s proposed new migration and asylum pact.
01 September 2021
Pas une erreur, mais un système : le commerce informel transfrontalier en Afrique de l’Ouest
Poorva Karkare, Bruce Byiers, Philomena Apiko et Mounirou Kane d'ENDA CACID explorent les complexités du commerce transfrontalier informel en Afrique de l'Ouest, afin d'en tirer des implications pour les partenaires extérieurs et les décideurs politiques qui qui travaillent sur le commerce informel dans la région.
22 July 2021
EFAD Talks episode 6: A conversation with Koen Doens
In the sixth and last episode of EFAD Talks – a collaboration between CGD and ECDPM – San Bilal and Mikaela Gavas speak to Koen Doens, Director General of the European Commission's DG International Partnerships (DG INTPA), about his views on the outcome of the discussions on European finance architecture for development and what the European Commission is doing to develop a more collaborative and concerted system of European development banks.
21 July 2021
EFAD Talks episode 5: A conversation with Anne de Sourcy, Johannes Kannicht, Marina Piccioni, Fernando Jimenez-Ontiveros and Laure Blanchard-Brunac
In the fifth episode of EFAD Talks – a collaboration between CGD and ECDPM – San Bilal and Mikaela Gavas talk to representatives from the ‘Enhanced Partnership’, an initiative launched by some of Europe’s key national development banks: Anne de Sourcy, Johannes Kannicht, Marina Piccioni, Fernando Jimenez-Ontiveros and Laure Blanchard-Brunac. They share their perspectives on how to create a more coordinated and impactful European development finance system.
14 July 2021
Power, politics and inclusion in food systems: The case of Sudan
We need to look at power dynamics to transform our food systems and make them sustainable. The case of Sudan illustrates why local policymakers should adopt a politically sensitive approach when designing and implementing food policies.
05 July 2021
ECDPM Annual Report 2020
In our Annual Report 2020 we provide a bird’s eye view of the past year. The report makes clear how all our activities tie together and how we made our contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
30 June 2021
EFAD Talks episode 4: A conversation with Katarína Mathernová
In the fourth episode of EFAD Talks – a collaboration between CGD and ECDPM – San Bilal and Mikaela Gavas sit down with Deputy Director General at the European Commission's DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), to talk about the Commission's role in the debate on the European financial architecture for development.
28 June 2021
Climate change and resilience in the Central Sahel
In a paper produced for the CASCADES project, ECDPM’s Sophie Desmidt and Fabien Tondel, CIDOB’s Oriol Puig and adelphi’s Adrien Detges and Pia van Ackern look at the expected climate impacts in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, as well as possible knock-on effects in the region.
28 June 2021
Merging peace and politics: Drivers, dilemmas and options for the AU’s new governance setup
The merger of the African Union Commission’s peace and security department and its political affairs department is one of the most prominent changes that AU reform has delivered. Martin Ronceray, Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Ueli Staeger look at how to make the merger a success from a governance perspective.
28 June 2021
Connecting the pieces of the puzzle: The EU’s implementation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
Pauline Veron and Volker Hauck help development, humanitarian and peacebuilding actors understand the EU’s thinking on and approach to the triple nexus between humanitarian aid, development and peacebuilding.
21 June 2021
Getting up to speed: The EU and the development in transition agenda
The rapidly changing geopolitical context, the COVID-19 crisis and the launch of the NDICI–Global Europe programming cycle compel and offer opportunities to the EU to engage more strategically with middle-income countries.
21 June 2021
The beauty contest is over: High time to reform the European financial architecture for development
Last week, the European Council adopted conclusions to set clear directions for the European financial architecture for development. San Bilal looks back at the process of the last three years and argues that the new conclusions fall short of the needed ambitions.
21 June 2021
A system, not an error: Informal cross-border trade in West Africa
Poorva Karkare, Bruce Byiers, Philomena Apiko and ENDA CACID’s Mounirou Kane uncover some of the complexities of informal cross-border trade in West Africa, to draw implications for external partners and policymakers working to ‘address’ informal trade in the region.
14 June 2021
Mandatory environmental due diligence: What is exactly expected of companies?
After the summer, the European Commission is expected to present a legislative proposal to make environmental and human rights due diligence mandatory for all companies operating in the EU, explain amfori’s Valentina Bolognesi and AIM’s Katrin Recke. But what is exactly expected of companies?
14 June 2021
EFAD Talks episode 3: A conversation with Thomas Östros
In the third episode of EFAD Talks – a collaboration between CGD and ECDPM – San Bilal and Mikaela Gavas host Thomas Östros, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, to discuss the role of the bank in the debate on the European financial architecture for development.
07 June 2021
EFAD Talks episode 2: A conversation with Pierre Heilbronn
In the second episode of EFAD Talks – a collaboration between CGD and ECDPM – San Bilal and Mikaela Gavas sit down with Pierre Heilbronn, Vice President Policy and Partnerships at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to discuss the role of the bank in the debate on the European financial architecture for development.
07 June 2021
Study on the EU and its member states mobilising public sector expertise for development: Analysis paper
This paper looks at the added value of public sector expertise in EU development policy, the factors that motivate EU institutions and member states to use it, and its strategic potential for cooperation with partner countries under the NDICI.
07 June 2021
Fostering inclusiveness in a Team Europe approach
Alexei Jones looks at inclusiveness in EU development policy. He identifies bottlenecks, as well as opportunities and good practices for enhanced and more inclusive collaboration between the EU and member states.
07 June 2021
Africa Day: The AU's role in African and global affairs – Part 2
For Africa Day 2021, Bruce Byiers, Poorva Karkare, Alfonso Medinilla and Amanda Bisong share their thoughts on key processes shaping the AU’s role in African and global affairs, zooming in on trade and movement in pursuit of a green recovery.
31 May 2021
The Green Deal in EU foreign and development policy
This note zooms in on several external aspects of the European Green Deal. It looks at how the EU might mitigate some of the potentially destabilising impacts of its own green transition on partner countries and how to ensure that a global green recovery is accessible and beneficial to all.
21 May 2021
The EU budget and external climate financing: The state of play
The EU’s success as a global climate actor and partner depends on how it will use its external financing. This note outlines the challenges and opportunities for mobilising the EU’s resources to support its climate ambitions.
21 May 2021
AU-EU cooperation on climate and energy: In search of a common narrative
This note looks at AU-EU engagement on climate, the environment and green transition, as well as the interests and incentives that underpin ongoing cooperation.
21 May 2021
Africa Day: The AU's role in African and global affairs – Part 1
For Africa Day 2021, Philomena Apiko, Lidet Tadesse and Martin Ronceray share their thoughts on key processes shaping the AU’s role in African and global affairs, taking a governance and security perspective.
21 May 2021
Reflections on the European financial architecture for development – EFAD Talks
In 30-minute interviews with key stakeholders from the European bilateral and multilateral development banks, the European Commission and development finance experts, co-hosts Mikaela Gavas (CGD) and San Bilal (ECDPM) take you on a thought-provoking journey as they explore efforts to maximise the potential of European development finance and get to grips with how to devise a more collaborative system.
17 May 2021
EFAD Talks episode 1: A conversation with Thomas Wieser
In the first episode of EFAD Talks – a collaboration between CGD and ECDPM – San Bilal and Mikaela Gavas sit down with Thomas Wieser, chair of the 2019 high-level Wise Persons Group on the European financial architecture to explore efforts to maximise the potential of European development finance and get to grips with how to devise a more collaborative system.
12 May 2021
La promotion de l’égalité des sexes dans la programmation du budget extérieur de l’UE
Chloe Teevan, Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw et Mariella Di Ciommo examinent comment l’égalité des sexes sera intégrée dans la programmation de l'action extérieure de l'UE.
10 May 2021
New beginnings or a last hurrah? The OACPS-EU partnership in 2021-2041
Alfonso Medinilla analyses the new partnership agreement between the EU and the OACPS for 2021-2041, which was formally initialled on 15 April 2021.
26 April 2021
Green transitions in Africa-Europe relations: What role for the European Green Deal?
This paper analyses the challenges and opportunities emerging from the Green Deal for cooperation between the African Union and the European Union on green transitions.
23 April 2021
Taking the gender agenda forward in EU programming
This paper looks at how gender will be integrated into the programming of the EU’s external action, at the level of strategic involvement of member states and at how delegations are interacting with local actors.
19 April 2021
Reinvigorating human development in EU external action
In this paper, we explore trends and challenges regarding human development in the EU’s external action and make recommendations for how to reinvigorate it.
12 April 2021
A new multilateralism for the post-COVID world: What role for the EU-Africa partnership?
This paper explores the initial steps that European actors can take to improve cooperation with the African Union and Africa on the multilateral stage.
12 April 2021
The AfCFTA: From institutional structures to private sector engagement
Catherine Makokera Grant and Bruce Byiers argue that for the AfCFTA to have the intended impact, businesses will need to know about it and be able to use it.
12 April 2021
AUDA-NEPAD: Does money and focus equal ownership and trade?
Ueli Staeger and Bruce Byiers look at whether – and if so, how – AUDA-NEPAD will contribute to building the necessary infrastructure to increase trade on the African continent.
22 March 2021
Building back better: The youth can and should lead the way - Editorial
‘Young people are the trailblazers of progress.... [T]hey not only inspire change, they create it’, said Tijjani Muhammad-Bande on International Youth Day 2020. Global events have given rise to a wave of young people’s movements, from Black Lives Matter to Fridays for the Future, and mass cries for democracy and respect for human rights.
22 March 2021
Making technology work for young Africans
The desire to solve society's challenges drives Chioma Agwuegbo to look for technological solutions that bridge the gap between government and citizens.
22 March 2021
Why safeguarding young people’s rights is essential for Europe’s future
Protecting the rights of young people and ensuring their participation in policymaking is crucial to sustain peaceful societies and prevent conflicts. For this to happen, it is important to safeguard the space for civil society and address structural barriers to youth participation, while ensuring that social justice requirements are met.
22 March 2021
Decolonisation: A view from the North
A global paradigm-shift is underway, and some Norwegians won’t have it.
22 March 2021
A new Africa for the youth: Beyond the colonial thought
Since their independence from colonial masters, African countries have faced many socio-economic challenges. Their development, or lack thereof raises old and new questions of independence from their former colonial masters.
22 March 2021
Gen Z takes on the climate crisis
What do you do when the climate crisis hits your country and community? You mobilise, you strike and you show people what they can do to fight it.
22 March 2021
Bird's-eye view of young Africans’ role in democratic governance and human rights
In today’s world, examining what priorities matter to young people in Africa is a multifaceted and confusing task, given the lack of secure structures, mechanisms, policies and programmes to guide as well as to legitimise young Africans’ meaningful involvement in socio-economic and political development priorities.
22 March 2021
A call for change from young people in Africa and Europe – Volume 10, Issue 1, 2021
ECDPM dedicates this edition of Great Insights Magazine to young people. It provides young people from Africa and Europe a podium to make their voices heard on critical topics that are dear to them.
22 March 2021
Meaningful youth participation: An urgent call for change in European processes
European bodies have an urgent task in shifting their perspectives on young people: seeing them through multiple lenses as dynamic and diverse constituencies rather than as a uniform group of beneficiaries. New ways must be found to bring the voices of youth movements into formal spaces, which still remain where the most important decisions are taken.
22 March 2021
Investing in youth for peace and security: A European perspective
More than half the population of our planet is under age 30, and the majority of them live in countries affected by conflict. Yet, they are not included at the tables where decisions affecting them are made. Involving young women and young men in peacebuilding and conflict resolution is fundamental for achieving international sustainable development.
22 March 2021
Youth activism on peace and security: Continental agendas and AU-EU cooperation
Many young people in Africa are agents of peace. They engage in building peace by transforming the structures and institutions that hinder socio-economic and political well-being, especially in fragile and conflict-affected communities. The UN Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda has been a milestone for improved peace and security on the African continent, and it has also contributed to strengthen cooperation on peace and security between Africa and Europe.
22 March 2021
Social entrepreneurship in Europe and Africa
Creating products with an impact on the most vulnerable people from the ground up is a side of entrepreneurship often not discussed.
22 March 2021
Supporting circularity in South Africa-EU food trade
Jeske van Seters, Sean Woolfrey and Tlale Matseke from DNA Economics highlight six ways South Africa and the EU can cooperate to support circularity in South African-EU food trade.
15 March 2021
Collective investment in trade and digital infrastructure: A new pathway to silencing the guns in Africa
Jide Martyns Okeke argues that collective African leadership and deliberate investments in boosting intra-African trade and digital transformation could accelerate the quest for silencing the guns on the continent.
08 March 2021
COVID-19 vaccines: The challenges of protecting Africa's fragile regions
Ensuring that the most fragile and conflict-affected countries in Africa will have access to COVID-19 vaccines will be an arduous task.
08 March 2021
How European financial institutions can work better together for sustainable and green (co-)investment in times of COVID-19
In times of COVID-19, European and regional financial institutions for development, development finance institutions (DFIs) and public development banks need to step up and coordinate their efforts.
01 March 2021
Towards a global green recovery: The cases of Denmark, the EU, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK
This paper looks at how Denmark, the EU, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK are developing approaches to support a global green recovery through their foreign policies.
01 March 2021
Circular economy opportunities in South Africa-EU food trade: The case of packaging
This paper identifies opportunities for promoting circular economy principles and practices in food trade between South Africa and the EU, paying particular attention to the example of packaging.
19 February 2021
The political economy of regional organisations in Africa – PEDRO project phase 2 (2021-2022)
The second phase of our work on the political economy dynamics of regional organisations in Africa (PEDRO II) focuses on the African Union, and looks at the AfCFTA implementation process, the African Governance Architecture and the AU as an international actor.
15 February 2021
Understanding and managing trade-offs in food systems interventions: The case of Nakuru county, Kenya
We map the potential trade-offs and synergies of different policies and investments to improve people’s access to nutritious food in Nakuru.
15 February 2021
Climate risks in Tunisia: Challenges to adaptation in the agri-food system
As part of our work on North Africa for the CASCADES project, ECDPM's Hanne Knaepen analyses the challenges to Tunisia’s capacity to adapt to climate risks in the agri-food system, and the possible knock-on effects this will have on Europe.
12 February 2021
Climate change and security in North Africa
As a result of global warming, North Africa is expected to become hotter and drier in the next decades. In this research paper for the CASCADES project, Sophie Desmidt looks at what climate change could mean for development and security challenges in North Africa – particularly when it comes to access to water resources – with a focus on Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
08 February 2021
Regional solutions: Regulating recruitment and protection of African migrant workers in the Gulf and the Middle East
Amanda Bisong looks at what the AU and regional economic communities (ECOWAS, IGAD and EAC) can do to regulate recruitment and protection of migrants working in the Gulf and the Middle East.
08 February 2021
African Union Summit and elections: Something old, something new
After the 34th African Union (AU) Summit and elections, we reflect on what 2021 has in store for the AU's new leadership.
08 February 2021
Connecting people and markets in Africa in 2021
Niklas Mayer and Amanda Bisong highlight three pressing issues that African policymakers will have to resolve to connect people and markets in 2021.
08 February 2021
The African Union: What role in tackling Africa’s challenges?
For some, the AU is a symbol of pan-Africanism and continental collective action. Others, who seek to support African development and international partnerships, see it as a natural counterpart to the European Union (EU). We have created a virtual guide to understanding more of its history, how it works and what it has achieved since its creation.
01 February 2021
Climate adaptation takes a seat at the table, finally!
Last week saw the first-ever Climate Adaptation Summit, hosted by the Dutch government. Hanne Knaepen looks at the commitments made during the summit and the reality of climate adaptation on the ground.
01 February 2021
How to make 2021 the year of sustainable food systems
For 2021 to become the year of sustainable food systems, we need to take into account the power dynamics and politics behind food systems.
01 February 2021
La course aux postes de direction de l’Union africaine
Quel rôle est-ce-que les réformes de la gestion institutionnelle de l’Union africaine (UA) jouent dans les élections de sa nouvelle Commission, en particulier lorsqu’il s’agit de répondre à l’exigence de parité de genre?
01 February 2021
Simmering tensions: The long-term impact of COVID-19 on fragility and conflict in Africa
Existing data suggests that the pandemic could have long-lasting effects on the state of security on the African continent.
25 January 2021
Team Europe: Up to the challenge?
How has 'Team Europe' – initially a way to brand European support to partner countries in response to COVID-19 – been applied to date?
25 January 2021
A sustainable development approach to return and reintegration: Dilemmas, choices and possibilities
This paper explores how international development cooperation can best navigate the challenges and opportunities in the area of return and sustainable reintegration of irregular migrants and failed asylum seekers.
25 January 2021
Climate Adaptation Talks episode 5: Kitty van der Heijden
In our fifth and final episode of the Climate Adaptation podcast series, Hanne Knaepen, who is coordinating ECDPM’s work on climate, talks to Kitty van der Heijden, Director General of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and former Director for Africa-Europe relations at the World Resources Institute.
16 January 2021
Applying a political economy approach in Tunisia
This paper captures the experience of providing political economy support to the EU delegation in Tunisia, and shares lessons learned.
15 January 2021
Brexit and development cooperation: A major connection problem
The EU and the UK start 2021 with no formal agreement for cooperation in development. Both parties will be weaker for it, argues Andrew Sherriff.
11 January 2021
Adopting a sustainable food system approach: Implications for Ireland’s development programming and policy influencing
By adopting a sustainable food system approach, Ireland could make Irish food-related development cooperation more coherent and effective.
11 January 2021
Relations UE-ACP : la fin des préférences ? Une analyse du nouvel accord post-Cotonou
Jean-Claude Boidin, membre du conseil d'administration de l'ECDPM, partage ses réflexions sur l'accord politique entre la Commission européenne et les Etats d’Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP).
08 January 2021
ECDPM Work Plan 2021
This work plan outlines each of ECDPM’s five programmes and their planned activities for 2021.
15 December 2020
Climate Adaptations Talks episode 4: Cinzia Losenno
In our fourth episode of the Climate Adaptation Talks podcast, San Bilal, head of ECDPM's trade, investment and finance team, talks to Cinzia Losenno, Senior Climate Change Specialist at the European Investment Bank (EIB).
14 December 2020
ACP-EU relations: The end of preferences? A personal assessment of the post-Cotonou agreement
ECDPM Board member Jean-Claude Boidin shares his thoughts on the political agreement between the European Commission and the ACP states.
14 December 2020
A trip through 2020: How Africa-Europe relations played out
Join us on a journey to see what 2020 brought for the relationship between Africa and Europe, and what we had to say about it.
14 December 2020
External Evaluation of ECDPM 2016-2020
This report captures the findings of an institutional evaluation of the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM).
11 December 2020
Germany and South Africa together can protect and advance the women, peace and security agenda
While the world ‘celebrates’ the 20th anniversary of UN security resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, Sophie Desmidt is less impressed with progress made and calls on Germany and South Africa to ensure that momentum is not entirely lost in the last months of their respective EU and AU presidencies.
10 December 2020
Outcomes of dialogue on rice sector development and trade policies in West Africa
This briefing notes presents the outcomes of a dialogue on rice sector development and trade policies in West Africa, organised by ECDPM and IPAR on 22 October 2020.
09 December 2020
Résultats d’un dialogue sur le développement du secteur rizicole et les politiques commerciales en Afrique de l’Ouest
Cette note présente les résultats d’un dialogue sur le développement du secteur rizicole et les politiques commerciales en Afrique de l’Ouest, organisé par l’ECDPM et l’IPAR le 22 octobre 2020.
09 December 2020
How the EU can step up its support to conflict prevention and peacebuilding
Volker Hauck shares some insights from the new external evaluation of the EU’s support to conflict prevention and peacebuilding (CPPB).
07 December 2020
The promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Opportunities and challenges of the AfCFTA for manufacturing, agriculture, services and the digital economy.
30 November 2020
Understanding the use and trade of toxic chemicals in artisanal gold mining: The case of Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso, artisanal gold mining generates income but also causes pollution and health problems due to the use of toxic chemicals.
30 November 2020
Algeria: Reforming migration and asylum systems in a time of crisis
This study is part of our work on asylum, reception and migrant protection systems in four North African countries.
28 November 2020
Tunisia: Possibilities for reform and implementation of migrant reception and protection
This study is part of our work on asylum, reception and migrant protection systems in four North African countries.
24 November 2020
Scoping private sector engagement in conflict prevention and peacebuilding: Lessons from the literature
How and to what extent can the private sector contribute to conflict prevention and peacebuilding in Africa?
23 November 2020
Election watch: The race for African Union top posts
What role will the new reforms – particular those related to gender parity – play in the lead up to next AU Commission elections?
23 November 2020
Climate Adaptation Talks episode 3: Caroline Mwongera
In our third episode of the Climate Adaptation Talks podcast, Paulina Bizzotto Molina, policy officer of ECDPM’s Sustainable food systems team, talks to Caroline Mwongera, Global Leader for Policies and Institutions for Climate Action at The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture, and a farming systems and climate change expert.
16 November 2020
Africa-Europe relations beyond 2020: Looking through a gender lens
Anna Knoll and Virginia Mucchi look at some key areas of the Africa-Europe partnership through a gender lens, exploring the differences and common ground between the AU and EU’s gender agendas.
09 November 2020
Commerce du riz et développement de la filière riz en Afrique de l’Ouest: une approche pour des politiques publiques plus cohérentes
Le développement du secteur du riz en Afrique de l’Ouest représente un défi important de politique publique. Suite à la crise des prix alimentaires de 2008, les pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest ont réussi à stimuler la production de riz.
30 October 2020
Climate Adaptation Talks épisode 2: Ibrahima Fofana
Dans le deuxième épisode de notre nouvelle série de podcasts sur l’adaptation au climat, Sophie Desmidt est rejointe par Ibrahima Fofana, responsable de programme à Wetlands International, basé à Mopti, au Mali. Il nous parle de son travail pour renforcer la résilience au changement climatique dans un contexte d’insécurité.
26 October 2020
EU-African relations are a strategic issue: Here’s why
For European foreign policy, there are, perhaps, just three issues that truly qualify as ‘strategic’: the extent we manage to shape events in our neighbourhood; the way we navigate the growing strategic competition between the US and China and the nature of our future partnership with Africa and the kind of social-political model that will prevail on that continent. It is necessary to think about EU-Africa relations in these terms, as a strategic issue that deserves the highest level of attention.
26 October 2020
How Europe-Africa relations were liberated from decades-old thinking
Marta Gabarova, European Commissioner for Africa and member of the African-European Joint Authority speaks frankly about the evolution of the relationship with Africa since the postponed AU-EU Summit in 2020. The radical revision of the partnership towards interest-based cooperation has been a game changer for both continents.
26 October 2020
AU-EU partnership: Goals and expectations
Now at the two decade mark, the AU-EU partnership needs to be strengthened, reinvigorated and focused on delivering concrete results that are tangible for the peoples of Africa, especially its youth and women. The upcoming AU-EU Summit is an opportunity for AU and EU leaders to reflect on the objectives of the partnership, beyond the rhetoric.
26 October 2020
European Investment Bank tackles COVID-19 and climate change with its African partners
The COVID-19 pandemic puts increased strain on the already stretched public and private financing in Africa. The pressure could set back the continent’s sustainable development and economic growth by decades, unless there is a major response now.
26 October 2020
Using the AU-EU partnership to make strides towards a more circular economy on both continents
The circular economy is more than just a pipe dream. It is an essential element of job creation and low-emissions, climate resilient and sustainable development. Intensifying cooperation between African and European actors has great potential to contribute to the circular economy transition.
26 October 2020
Mayors on migration: 'Change the narrative by changing realities on the ground'
Freetown’s Mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, and the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, who co-lead the Mayors Dialogue on Growth and Solidarity, discuss human mobility and the future of cities with ECDPM’s Amanda Bisong.
26 October 2020
Pandemic brings urgency to transform the world’s food system now
Africa has not been spared by the COVID-19 emergency. Beyond the immediate health effects, the pandemic threatens the world’s already fragile food system, with particularly severe consequences in Africa. The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity believes that the solution lies in small-scale food producers and farmer-managed seed systems.
26 October 2020
How can we judge the AU-EU partnership on peace and security?
Peace and security is a key policy domain in the EU-Africa partnership, due to be renegotiated at the AU-EU Summit next year. Europe and Africa have a long history of cooperation in this area. Though less contentious than other domains of the planned partnership agreement – such as climate change, migration and economic growth – sensitivities do remain, due to the strategic interests of the EU as well as the governance challenges facing the AU.
26 October 2020
Africa needs a strategy for Europe
After decades of calls by leading voices from both continents, the relationship between Africa and the European Union (EU) is being reviewed. But for a complete rethinking of the partnership both parties need to clearly define their common interests and strategic priorities.
26 October 2020
COVID-19 reaffirms the importance of good governance and effective states in Africa
As the primary bearer of the responsibility to govern, states are required to provide political, social and economic goods and services to their people. Lessons emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa demonstrate that without capable, accountable, inclusive and participatory governments, effectively addressing contemporary and emerging challenges such as pandemics will remain a pipe dream.
26 October 2020
EU–AU partnership in research and innovation: Identifying strategies for equitable and sustainable research
The post-COVID-19 context: what position should Africa take to deal with the pandemic and adequately address the concerns of its people?
26 October 2020
Navigating the new normal: EU-AU partnerships in the post-COVID era – Volume 9, Issue 3, 2020
This issue of Great Insights explores the essence of the partnership between the AU and EU from the perspectives of policymakers, business leaders, city officials and individual thinkers. Their insights push decision makers to reimagine the relationship as they navigate the pandemic-induced ‘new normal’.
26 October 2020
Leading together: Reconciling EU strategic autonomy and international partnerships
To provide real leadership on important global issues – from multilateral action to climate change – the EU will need to reconcile a certain unilateralism in its global ambitions with its commitment to deepening partnerships, including those with its neighbourhood and Africa.
26 October 2020
A gender-sensitive sustainable COVID-19 recovery: The role of development finance institutions
Pamella Eunice Ahairwe and San Bilal look at what development finance institutions, including multilateral development banks, can do to support a gender-sensitive economic recovery from COVID-19.
26 October 2020
Navigating the new normal: EU-AU partnerships in the post-COVID era - Editorial
The year began with high expectations for the AU-EU partnership. Then COVID-19 hit, spreading first to Europe, then to Africa, drastically shifting priorities and postponing the sixth AU-EU summit to 2021. In this mix, countries jostled around the supply of medical equipment and support to partner countries to tackle the pandemic.
26 October 2020
Strengthening the digital partnership between Africa and Europe
This paper identifies areas of opportunity, common objectives and potential for collaboration between the African Union and the European Union on digitalisation.
26 October 2020
Will COVID-19 change migration cooperation between European and African countries?
Amanda Bisong highlights six issues that European and African policymakers should consider when negotiating migration cooperation between countries in both continents in a post-COVID-19 setting.
19 October 2020
EU trade policy for sustainable food systems
As the world’s largest food importer, the EU can use its trade policies and agreements to create more sustainable food systems.
16 October 2020
Rice trade and value chain development in West Africa: An approach for more coherent policies
The development of the rice sector in West Africa represents a significant policy challenge. ECDPM and IPAR have looked at how a better regulation of markets and trade in the region could contribute to a more competitive and sustainable rice sector.
13 October 2020
Fit for purpose: The EU’s role in global health in the era of COVID-19
To improve Europe’s role as a global health actor, the EU and its member states will need a clear strategy as well as better coordination.
12 October 2020
Climate Adaptations Talks episode 1: Professor Saleemul Huq
In our first episode of Climate Adaptation Talks, Hanne Knaepen talks to Professor Saleemul Huq, Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh, and a leading global expert on climate change and sustainable development, particularly from the perspective of developing countries.
05 October 2020
Climate Adaptation Talks podcast
In this podcast series, which features episodes in English and French, we want to explore the strategies that different countries are using to adapt to an increasingly volatile climate. In each episode – up until the run-up to the first-ever Climate Adaptation Summit in 2021 – one of our experts will talk to a guest about their projects and ideas to maximise the potential of climate adaptation.
05 October 2020
Protecting migrants and refugees in North Africa: Challenges and opportunities for reform
Looking at how the EU and its member states can support migration governance and protection systems in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.
05 October 2020
Uma análise da economia política dos corredores de Nacala e da Beira
Este estudo faz um mapeamento dos diferentes fatores e atores que moldam a utilização atual dos corredores de Nacala e da Beira, que ligam o Malawi à costa de Moçambique.
30 September 2020
The latest on the European Peace Facility and what’s in it for the African Union
For the first time in history, the European Peace Facility will allow the EU to support the procurement of lethal weapons, also in Africa.
28 September 2020
International funding for peacebuilding: Will COVID-19 change or reinforce existing trends?
Pauline Veron and Andrew Sherriff look at trends in financial support for peacebuilding and argue that the COVID-19 crisis is likely to put funds under even more financial and political strain.
28 September 2020
Promoting policy coherence: Lessons learned in EU development cooperation
How have the EU and its member states promoted policy coherence for development so far? And how can policy coherence help to cope with the cascading effects of climate change?
21 September 2020
Pushing on a string or pulling threads together? Lessons learned for anti-corruption efforts by European donors
An analysis of the support that the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany give to fighting corruption in developing countries.
21 September 2020
Advancing EU-Africa cooperation in light of the African Continental Free Trade Area
This paper looks at the obstacles to implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and at how AfCFTA-related cooperation between Africa and the European Union can be strengthened.
18 September 2020
The AU-EU Summit didn’t prove immune to COVID-19 – but that may be a blessing in disguise
African and European heads of state won’t be meeting in Brussels this October, contrary to expectations. Rather than be seen as a setback, this postponement might be turned into an opportunity for a more interest-driven partnership.
14 September 2020
Recommendations to strengthen civil society engagement in EU trade agreements
The EU is a frontrunner in institutionalising the participation of civil society actors in trade agreements. Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) and joint civil society meetings can act as instruments to further sustainability dimensions of EU trade agreements.
14 September 2020
Realising Europe’s soft power in external cooperation and trade – RESPECT project (2018-2021)
From 2018 to 2021, ECDPM took part in the RESPECT project on Europe’s soft power in external cooperation and trade.
09 September 2020
The food systems approach in practice: Our guide for sustainable transformation
Tackling the myriad sustainability challenges related to food requires systemic interventions that improve sustainability at local, national, and international level. In this paper, we develop an iterative, step-based sustainable food system approach.
28 July 2020
Crunching the numbers of the long-term EU budget
After the special European Council meeting on the COVID-19 recovery package and the 2021-2027 budget, Mariella Di Ciommo compared the numbers between past and upcoming budgets and the proposals of the various institutions.
22 July 2020
European fear of ‘missing out’ and narratives on China in Africa
This paper looks at the evolving relationship between China and the African continent, at European perceptions about China-Africa relations and how this influences the EU’s relations with African partners, and at African perspectives on the evolving relations with China.
17 July 2020
Is international anti-corruption best on the front page or under the radar?
Subtler anti-corruption efforts that are carried out away from the spotlight sometimes can be as effective as the ones done publicly.
12 July 2020
ECDPM Annual Report 2019
In our Annual Report 2019 we provide a bird’s eye view of the past year, starting with the highlights of 2019 and then zooming in on eight exciting projects. The report makes clear how all our activities tie together and how we made our contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
09 July 2020
Making it count: Civil society engagement in EU trade agreements
Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters provide concrete recommendations on how to enhance civil society engagement in EU free trade agreements to promote their sustainability dimensions.
06 July 2020
A political economy analysis of the Nacala and Beira corridors
This political economy analysis shows the complex reality of the transport corridors connecting Malawi to the Mozambican coast.
06 July 2020
Free movement in West Africa: Juxtapositions and divergent interests
What are the juxtapositions and divergent interests when it comes to free movement in West Africa?
06 July 2020
Trade preferences need predictability
Many developing countries export their products to the European Union (EU) at reduced tariffs. But these preferential market access conditions can be withdrawn, which can discourage trade. Removing the Damocles sword of continued uncertainty can lead to substantially more trade.
02 July 2020
Making EU trade and development policy ‘smarter’
Coherence in the values the European Union (EU) promotes makes it more likely that partners will take European principles on board. Both the EU institutions and member states have a role to play to reinforce and add value to each other's efforts.
02 July 2020
EU-China convergence on sustainable development may be on the (far) horizon
China has long pursued economic growth ‘at all cost’. Evidence from the past decade suggests it is nudging towards a more sustainable growth path. EU trade policy may have helped.
02 July 2020
Trade & COVID-19: External Policy Coherence?
Widespread use of trade policy to maximise access to medical supplies may have had significant knock-on effects internationally. While robust government intervention is arguably critical in emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, recent experience offers at least six lessons for external policy coherence.
02 July 2020
The under-tapped potential of trade and investment promotion tools: The Enterprise Europe Network
Trade and investment promotion tools such as the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) can contribute to making better use of trade policies and agreements to deliver real results for consumers, workers and businesses, with respect for the planet and human rights.
02 July 2020
Trade agreements, non-trade provisions and bilateral foreign direct investment
Today’s deeper and more complex preferential trade agreements have ushered in substantial growth in bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) between partners. Non-trade related provisions in trade agreements also seem to have a positive effect, particularly provisions related to civil and political rights.
02 July 2020
Export promotion: Another tool to reduce unemployment?
Export promotion helps reduce unemployment, especially when export promotion agencies focus their promotion efforts on sectors where a country has a comparative advantage. When they focus on sectors with high labour market frictions, unemployment increases.
02 July 2020
Using official export support in a crisis
Publicly funded export credit agencies (ECAs) help businesses access opportunities abroad, particularly in times of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, without a clear governance framework, ECA support can become a ‘race to the bottom’ in export support terms and conditions. That could crowd out the private sector and have severe implications, particularly for developing countries.
02 July 2020
Square pegs in round holes? Using trade policy for non-trade objectives - Editorial
COVID-19 has accentuated international tensions and a shift in global world order. In a more polarised world, Europe strives to assert itself as a geopolitical power.
02 July 2020
Europe: Leader on non-trade objectives in trade agreements
The European Union has long been a leader in using trade agreements to pursue non-trade objectives, such as social and political rights, security, and environmental protection. Where Europe has lagged is in adding enforceability to these provisions and anchoring commitments in the international legal framework on sustainability. That, however, might be changing.
02 July 2020
Square pegs in round holes? Using trade policy for non-trade objectives – Volume 9, Issue 2, 2020
European Union (EU) trade policies increasingly link access to its market to compliance with Non-Trade Policy Objectives (NTPOs), such as human rights.
02 July 2020
Non-paper from the Netherlands and France on trade, social economic effects and sustainable development
International trade rules and benefits are being challenged both outside the EU and within Member States. Moreover, new challenges for sustainable development, such as the fight against climate change, need mainstreaming in all EU external and internal public policies. These challenges still stand after COVID-19 pandemic.
02 July 2020
Practitioner perceptions on linkages between trade & non-trade issues
The EU may need to reconsider the use of trade agreements for promoting non-trade policy objectives. Many experts and stakeholders surveyed deem trade agreements to have limited utility in that regard. Instead, a stronger emphasis on support for non-governmental organisations, expert dialogues and targeted technical and development assistance seems warranted.
02 July 2020
EU trade policies: Carrot-and-stick mechanisms in pursuit of non-trade policy objectives?
European Union (EU) trade policies increasingly link access to its large market to compliance with Non-Trade Policy Objectives (NTPOs), such as human rights or labour and environmental standards. We argue that for pursuing these kinds of objectives the EU’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) is better suited as a carrot-and-stick mechanism than free trade agreements.
02 July 2020
The integration of climate change and circular economy in foreign policies
Tackling climate change and transitioning to a circular economy is not something a single country can do on its own. Nadia Ashraf, Hanne Knaepen, Jeske van Seters and James Mackie have looked at how Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the EU integrate climate change and circular economy considerations in their foreign policies, and present lessons for the Netherlands.
29 June 2020
Policy coherence issues emerging from COVID-19 with a focus on healthcare supply chains
Disruptions in healthcare supply chains have exposed vulnerabilities in domestic and cross-border production and distribution networks for essential medical goods. Fabien Tondel and Pamella Eunice Ahairwe look at the factors that have contributed to this and at the role policy coherence has played and could play in remedying the weak spots.
29 June 2020
Following the money: Why a COVID-19 marker might not help
29 June 2020
Strengthening the Local Dimension of Blended Finance
Blended finance operations for development must respond to local needs and realities to be effective. This paper, produced in cooperation with the African Center for Economic Transformation, highlights some of the principles, approaches and practices that could serve as useful guidance for development finance institutions and multilateral development banks.
28 June 2020
AgrInvest project (2021-2022)
With the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we are involved in the two-year AgrInvest project, promoting private investment for more sustainable food systems.
22 June 2020
Is meaningful inclusion the next frontier in women in mediation in Africa?
Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Sophie Desmidt reflect on the track record of women in mediation in Africa, the role of FemWise-Africa – a network of African female mediators – and what the EU could learn from this
22 June 2020
The China-Africa summit on COVID-19: Geopolitical and economic considerations
22 June 2020
COVID-19 in Africa: Driver of conflict, or too early to tell?
Sophie Desmidt and Ashley Neat look at the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis for conflict-affected areas in Africa. They warn against being blindsided by the ‘headline’ impact of COVID-19 on conflicts and call for weighing the impact on deeper, longer-term causes and drivers of conflicts and inequality – gender inequality in particular.
15 June 2020
International collaboration in Horizon Europe: A new approach to partnering with Africa
Together with DSW, ECDPM prepared a brief on research and innovation collaboration between Europe and Africa, sharing some concrete recommendations ahead of the 2020 planned release of the European Commission's EU research and innovation strategy.
15 June 2020
How to avoid the aid trap in the AU-EU strategic relationship
In his guest blog for ECDPM, Fernando Jorge Cardoso reflects on the nature of Europe-Africa relations since 2000 and argues that separating aid from strategy could help relaunch the relationship.
15 June 2020
EU development cooperation in sub-Saharan Africa: What did we learn?
08 June 2020
A summer like no other – What’s at stake in critical EU external policy processes
July and August are traditionally quiet months for the EU, but this will be a summer like no other. We preview five key policy processes and ask what’s at stake, what is yet to be resolved, and when.
07 June 2020
Towards an EU global COVID-19 response 2.0: Boosting smarter finance
The EU’s ‘Team Europe’ approach offers an opportunity to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19 by stimulating greater cooperation among EU institutions, member states and their development finance institutions. This response ‘2.0’ should build on the previous one and put greater emphasis on areas such as food security.
01 June 2020
EU development cooperation with Sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018: Policies, funding, results
This study analyses EU policies, aid spending and results achieved by EU development cooperation with Sub-Saharan Africa between 2013 and 2018. Among other things, it looks at gender, budget support and the added value of European development cooperation.
26 May 2020
Portraying the realities of indigenous vegetables in Tanzania
What role do indigenous vegetables play in the daily life of those living in and around Arusha in Tanzania? What can different actors do to make sure these vegetables are better integrated into the local food system? We interviewed a number of them, from small-scale farmer Redecunda William to government official Mugune Masatu – who told us about the importance and the challenges of integrating indigenous vegetables into day-to-day life and in policies.
20 May 2020
One Health and COVID-19: Global leadership, territorial investment and food systems
The One Health approach is particularly relevant to tackle threats like COVID-19 as it links the health of humans, animals, plants and their shared environments. Francesco Rampa argues the current health crisis is a good opportunity to place food systems at the centre of One Health actions and puts forward four proposals on how to do this.
18 May 2020
African regional responses to COVID-19
Alfonso Medinilla, Bruce Byiers and Philomena Apiko look into regional responses to the Corona-crisis in Africa, which differ depending on a range of factors, including the organisation's institutional history and size. Although COVID-19 will surely impact regional health cooperation, its long term effects on African integration more broadly remain to be seen.
18 May 2020
Claiming back civic space: Towards approaches fit for the 2020s?
The space available for civil society, activists and citizens has been under attack globally. We have analysed – for the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – how international and national actors have been responding to the threats to civic space.
18 May 2020
The future of EU security sector assistance: Learning from experience
Looking at experiences from the EU, Germany, France and the Netherlands, this paper reflects on the EU’s future role in working with foreign security actors and makes recommendations for how to deal practically with a number of challenges facing security sector reform.
18 May 2020
Sustainable Agrifood Systems Strategies – SASS project (2018-2021)
The Sustainable Agrifood Systems Strategies (SASS) project aims to contribute to the ongoing debates and initiatives on increasing the sustainability of food systems, by examining the role of neglected and underutilised species or indigenous vegetables.
13 May 2020
Testing the relationship: China’s ‘Corona diplomacy’ in Africa
11 May 2020
Eight ways the European Investment Bank can help tackle climate change in Africa
11 May 2020
Encadrer à nouveau l’artisanat minier au Burkina Faso : vers une approche contextualisée
La propagation hors de toute réglementation de l'exploitation minière artisanale au Burkina est source d'inquiétudes dans la région. La transformation de ce secteur nécessite des réponses aussi bien locales que régionales.
04 May 2020
The impact of COVID-19 on remittances for development in Africa
Remittances, which form an integral part of development finance, are currently under threat by COVID-19. Amanda Bisong, Pamella Eunice Ahairwe and Esther Njoroge look at immediate and medium-term solutions to filling the development financing gap in African countries highly dependent on remittances.
04 May 2020
To circularity and beyond: A comprehensive EU strategy for textiles
In its new circular economy action plan, the European Commission proposes to develop a comprehensive strategy for textiles, which offers a great opportunity to move away from the prevailing linear ‘take-make-dispose’ approaches. But beyond circularity and environmental issues, the strategy should also encompass social dimensions.
27 April 2020
EU humanitarian aid: Caught between nexus and independence
This paper analyses current issues in the EU’s humanitarian aid and makes recommendations for responding to the challenges ahead.
24 April 2020
Rewiring support to African continental and regional organisations
Jan Vanheukelom, Bruce Byiers and Alfonso Medinilla look at regional integration processes on the African continent – and the need for external actors to adaptively engage with these dynamics. The work builds on EU and World Bank evaluations of support to African regional organisations and a recently completed ECDPM research project on the political economy of regional integration in Africa.
24 April 2020
Now more than ever: European businesses and due diligence in times of Corona
Difficult times do not absolve European companies from their responsibility to mitigate human rights and environmental risks along their supply chains. Jeske van Seters and Nadia Ashraf take a look at what companies, the EU and EU member states can do.
20 April 2020
Saving Africa’s private sector jobs during the coronavirus pandemic
The authors of this paper published by EDFI, including ECDPM’s San Bilal, look at the impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s private sector and argue that development finance institutions are uniquely placed to provide financial support and lead the eventual recovery.
15 April 2020
The challenge of scaling up the European Union’s global response to COVID-19
The EU’s global response to the coronavirus is a good start, but remains limited in terms of financial scope, technical detail and political ambition.
10 April 2020
Can COVID-19 create momentum for sustainable and resilient food systems?
06 April 2020
The new EU visa code and what it means for African countries
In February 2020, the EU’s new visa code with third countries came into effect, but it is still unclear to African policymakers and governments how these changes will exactly be implemented by EU member states, and how they will affect migration cooperation.
06 April 2020
How can the European Union help developing countries address the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus crisis?
This note discusses EU actions to support developing countries to address the coronavirus crisis.
06 April 2020
Migration, mobility and COVID-19 – A tale of many tales
While the coronavirus pandemic has overshadowed migration debates in Europe, it is inextricably linked with mobility and movement. The current health crisis we’re facing reveals the complexities of migration debates, pushing aside current, unearthing old and raising new questions.
30 March 2020
Sustainable food systems through diversification and indigenous vegetables: An analysis of the Arusha area
This report shows the findings of our two-year research around Arusha in Tanzania, where we looked at how integrating indigenous vegetables into Arusha’s food system could help achieve greater social, environmental and economic sustainability.
30 March 2020
Towards an Africa-Europe trade partnership
Strengthening relations between the EU and Africa was designated a high-priority objective in my mission letter from President von der Leyen when she took leadership of the European Commission last year. This was no surprise. Africa and the EU have so much to gain from each other, and many opportunities to make our ties even closer.
26 March 2020
Trade insurance can provide some assurance of AfCFTA success
High levels of political and economic risk make exporting to other African markets a risky proposition for many African firms, particularly small ones, but greater provision of affordable trade insurance can help mitigate these risks and encourage African firms to engage in intra-African trade under the AfCFTA.
26 March 2020
Unlocking Tunisia’s unexploited export potential
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers huge potential for Tunisia to grow its trade with the rest of Africa and reduce its dependence on the European market.
26 March 2020
A ‘business unusual’ approach for gender equality under the AfCFTA
The AfCFTA can advance gender equality in Africa. But governments, businesses, civil society and development partners need to pursue a ‘business unusual’ approach to ensure that it does.
26 March 2020
A call for a developmental regionalism approach to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
African states should adopt a ‘developmental regionalism’ approach to trade integration under the AfCFTA, to ensure that it promotes inclusive economic growth and development, and benefits all African countries.
26 March 2020
Anchoring intercontinental partnerships between Africa and Europe
There are sound arguments for strengthened EU-Africa partnerships. Making such partnerships work will require a patient approach by the EU, as well as engagement at national and regional levels.
26 March 2020
Breaking down non-tariff barriers
Non-tariff barriers will make or break the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). On the ground, barriers like cumbersome customs procedures and roadblocks are what really matter to traders. These are now being tackled with a groundbreaking online tool at tradebarriers.africa.
26 March 2020
ECOWAS and the role of the RECs in AfCFTA implementation
Africa’s RECs are meant to be the building blocks for the AfCFTA. ECOWAS and the other RECs will therefore have a key role to play in supporting the finalisation and implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.
26 March 2020
Ensuring the AfCFTA is implemented and applied
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is an ambitious project to realise free trade across the African continent. But African businesses and citizens will only benefit from it if African governments comply with their obligations to implement the AfCFTA Agreement.
26 March 2020
The African Continental Free Trade Area: From agreement to impact – Volume 9, Issue 1, 2020
This issue of Great Insights presents various perspectives from Africa and Europe on the AfCFTA’s significance, what needs to be done to ensure it generates benefits for African businesses
26 March 2020
Preparing for trade under the AfCFTA Agreement
Trading under the AfCFTA Agreement will begin on 1 July 2020. But the AfCFTA State Parties still have critical issues to address to create an integrated, active and efficient AfCFTA market.
26 March 2020
The AfCFTA: From agreement to impact - Editorial
This issue of Great Insights presents various perspectives from Africa and Europe on the AfCFTA’s significance, what needs to be done to ensure it generates benefits for African businesses and citizens and how to ensure such gains are equitably distributed.
26 March 2020
Turning the tables: African and European narratives in the time of Corona
In the past few weeks, we have witnessed a reversal of roles in the way people refer to human mobility between Europe and Africa – due to COVID-19.
23 March 2020
Sustainable EU business and trade: How the Enterprise Europe Network can promote trade beyond Europe
Initiatives such as the Enterprise Europe Network can help propel the EU’s sustainable trade agenda beyond Europe’s borders. Their success, however, depends on the involvement of low-income countries and concerted action among EU institutions.
23 March 2020
Will European public opinion on international cooperation change in the face of COVID-19?
23 March 2020
Mapping private sector engagement along the migration cycle
Amanda Bisong and Anna Knoll look at private-sector activities relevant to migrants and explore how the public and private sector can engage jointly with migrants at various stages of the migration cycle.
16 March 2020
The EU and Africa: Should, would, could… but how?
Last week, the EU communicated its new Africa strategy. While the list of proposed actions is commendable, it raises the questions: Who? And how?
16 March 2020
What was there to celebrate for Africa and Europe on International Women’s Day this year?
The year 2020 is a particularly significant one when it comes to gender equality. Sophie Desmidt looks at global developments in this area, and what they mean for Africa-Europe cooperation on women’s rights and gender equality.
09 March 2020
Beyond good intentions: The new EU-Africa partnership
The EU and Africa are each trying to find their place in an unstable world. The authors of this paper argue that the needs and expectations on both sides call for a new and more interest-driven partnership between the EU and Africa.
02 March 2020
The state of the negotiations on the long-term EU budget after summit ends with black smoke
After 30 hours of negotiations with the 27 leaders convened for a special EU budget summit in Brussels, Charles Michel, the new President of the European Council, was eventually forced to concede that he would not be able to reach an agreement this time around. The positions of member states were still too far apart and the summit hardly managed to solve the outstanding issues on the next EU long-term budget for the period 2021-2027.
24 February 2020
The African Union’s search for homegrown solutions
24 February 2020
Cascading climate risks: Towards adaptive and resilient European societies – CASCADES project (2020-2024)
The four-year CASCADES project will analyse the cross-border impacts of climate change for Europe, identify critical risks and explore potential solutions.
17 February 2020
First Kenya, now Malawi: The challenge-annul-rerun pattern in African elections
After Kenya’s supreme court annulled the presidential election results in 2017, Malawi’s constitutional court recently invalidated the controversial re-election of president Peter Mutharika. What do these two unprecedented cases mean for elections on the African continent?
17 February 2020
Mapping private sector engagement along the migration cycle: Summary report
Amanda Bisong and Anna Knoll look at private-sector activities relevant to migrants and explore how the public and private sector can engage jointly with migrants at various stages of the migration cycle.
07 February 2020
Vers une stratégie européenne pour des textiles équitables et durables
L'industrie textile mondiale souffre de mauvaises conditions de travail et de graves impacts environnementaux. L’UE a instauré des politiques destinées à relever ces défis de durabilité dans le secteur privé – mais elles sont limitées, éparses et pas toujours pertinentes pour l'industrie textile. Comment l'UE peut-elle évoluer vers une stratégie européenne ambitieuse et intégrée en faveur de chaînes textiles équitables et durables ?
07 February 2020
Friends and money for a peaceful and secure Africa
Ahead of the African Union summit, Matthias Deneckere, Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw and Sophie Desmidt wonder whether the new chairperson – South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa – can deliver on the high ambitions for peace and security on the continent.
03 February 2020
ECDPM brochure
The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) is a leading independent ‘think and do tank’ that wants to make European and African policies work for inclusive and sustainable development. In this brochure, you can find more information about who we are, what we do and how we work.
31 January 2020
Promoting West African rice: The crucial role of coherent trade policies
Representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and actors from the private sector will convene in Abuja on 4 and 5 February to discuss national and regional strategies to boost the rice sector in West Africa. Rice value chains can contribute to economic growth, job creation and food security. That is why, back in 2014, ECOWAS launched the Rice Offensive, an ambitious initiative aiming to sustainably realise West Africa’s rice production potential and fulfil its consumption needs.
31 January 2020
Démêler l’écheveau de l’économie politique des organisations régionales africaines
Ce rapport présente les principales conclusions de notre projet sur les dynamiques d'économie politique des organisations régionales africaines (PEDRO). Pourquoi les pays africains adhèrent-ils à de multiples organisations régionales ? Quels sont les freins et les moteurs des processus régionaux de ces organisations ?
27 January 2020
Brexit day is here – What’s next for EU-UK development cooperation?
On 31 January, some of the uncertainty around Brexit will have finally ended. What we don’t know yet, however, is what future collaboration between the UK and the EU on development and international cooperation will look like. What hints do the UK-EU political declaration, recent political priorities and technical documents give us?
27 January 2020
Africa and EU-Africa partnership insights: Input for Estonia’s new Africa strategy
Nadia Ashraf and Jeske van Seters have provided input to inform Estonia’s Africa strategy. They have looked at the economic, social and political landscape in Africa and development cooperation activities of EU institutions, member states and other main donors in Africa.
13 January 2020
New year, new aspirations for Europe-Africa relations?
This year, the African Union will likely continue to gain more bargaining power in its partnership with the European Union. Luckystar Myandazi argues that the upcoming AU-EU summit may be an opportunity for a partnership that is more clearly based on mutual benefits.
13 January 2020
COP25: The eternal challenge of competing interests
Hanne Knaepen looks back at the outcomes of COP25, which were very modest. Africa’s call for solidarity was not met, but Europe seems determined to take the lead on climate action.
16 December 2019
The global institutional landscape of food and agriculture: How to achieve SDG 2
This paper suggest ways to close the funding gap for SDG 2, identify the ‘Big Seven’ food and agricultural institutions key to achieving the goal in Sub-Saharan Africa, and puts forward principles and ideas for a reformed food and agriculture global institutional landscape
16 December 2019
ECDPM Work plan 2020-2021
This work plan outlines each of ECDPM’s five programmes and their planned activities for 2020-2021. This is the final year of the ECDPM 2017-2021 Strategy. That strategy explains the changing global context of our work and the rationale underlying the four key impact areas to which Centre activities contribute.
11 December 2019
Boosting EU climate finance: Mitigate more without neglecting adaptation in poorer countries
EU efforts to boost climate action and finance should focus not only on mitigation, but also adaptation. The European Green Deal will have to live up to this challenge.
09 December 2019
Sewing the pieces together: Towards an EU strategy for fair and sustainable textiles
The global textile industry struggles with poor working conditions and negative environmental impact. Some EU policies try to address sustainability challenges in the private sector – but they are limited, scattered and not always relevant to the textiles industry. How can the EU move towards an integrated EU strategy in support of fair and sustainable textile supply chains?
09 December 2019
Geopolitics for dummies: Big challenges await the new European Commission
Even before the new European Commission took office, the credibility of the EU as a geopolitical player was called into question several times. A more geopolitically aware EU will need to tread carefully to avoid stirring up unwelcome memories in certain parts of the world, most notably Africa.
02 December 2019
Friends, partners or rivals? The UK election manifestos and the space for foreign policy cooperation with the EU
What indications do the UK election manifestos gives us of future foreign policy cooperation with the EU?
29 November 2019
Can the new European Commission be truly geopolitical, innovative and flexible without the right amount of money?
The next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027, will likely be lower than the European Commission’s budget proposal. Some fear budget cuts will fall disproportionately on the part reserved for EU external action – but how can the EU live up to its ambitions without enough money?
25 November 2019
The African Continental Free Trade Area and the politics of industrialisation
Many African governments protect domestic industries from other countries – including African ones. But this runs counter to the logic of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to promote industrialisation by creating an integrated and more competitive African market.
18 November 2019
The potential of the new mining code and partnerships for sustainable mining in the DRC
The DRC is one of the world’s most resource-rich countries, yet it fails to generate enough revenue from mineral exploitation. Gerson Brandao looks at how the new mining code and partnerships could help the country mine more sustainably.
18 November 2019
A necessary shake-up: EU programming for international cooperation
The EU institutions are gearing up for the next phase of programming EU aid and international cooperation for 2021 to 2027. But how ready is the EU to programme according to its own political commitments and ambitions?
04 November 2019
A cross-cutting agenda: Gender, climate change and conflict
Gender equality is crucial to achieve climate justice, to resolve conflict and to maintain peace. Many of the risks and vulnerabilities in the conflict–climate nexus have a clear gender component.
31 October 2019
Climate action as a matter of national security
According to outgoing EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, climate change is a matter of national interest and national security.
31 October 2019
Climate change, conflict and crisis in Lake Chad
Lake Chad is caught in a conflict trap. Climate change and conflict dynamics create a feedback loop. The impacts of climate change seed additional pressure for conflict, while conflict undermines communities’ capacity to cope with climate risks.
31 October 2019
Climate change, conflict and displacement: Sides of the same coin
Climate change is increasing the incidence of extreme weather events with the potential to destroy millions of dollars of personal property and public infrastructure.
31 October 2019
Securitisation without representation: Yet another reason why Africa needs a permanent seat on the UN Security Council
Without permanent representation of Africa on the UN Security Council, the continent is rendered a subject, not an agent, of global climate governance.
31 October 2019
Elements of change: Climate and conflict in Africa
Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects all life on earth. For the first time ever, the entire planet is undergoing a singular climatic transformation.
31 October 2019
Human mobility and climate change: Migration and displacement in a warming world
Migration and climate change have each in their own right become defining global political issues. The links between human mobility and climate change require comprehensive policy approaches that minimise population displacement while facilitating migration as an adaptive force.
31 October 2019
Intergovernmental organisations and climate risks
Intergovernmental organisations, such as the United Nations, are increasingly integrating mitigation of climate risks into their mandates.
31 October 2019
Keep climate change from fuelling conflict
As climate change advances, it is increasingly disrupting peace and security. This could mean a heightened risk of violent conflict for many already fragile countries with high exposure to climate hazards and limited coping capacity.
31 October 2019
The complex link between climate change and conflict - Editorial
This issue of Great Insights looks at climate change not as a global phenomenon but rather at how it is or it isn’t a trigger to violent conflicts.
31 October 2019
The when and how of climate conflict: The case of Mali
Climate change itself is not a direct cause of violent conflict. Yet, extreme changes in climate increase the risk of conflict by exacerbating people’s existing political, economic and social vulnerabilities.
31 October 2019
Water scarcity and conflict: Not such a straightforward link
Water insecurity is increasing worldwide. This raises the chance of competition, conflict and instability in communities, countries and regions everywhere.
31 October 2019
The complex link between climate change and conflict – Volume 8, Issue 4 (Autumn 2019)
Why are climate change and conflict intrinsically linked? In the autumn edition of our Great Insights magazine, contributors from across Africa and Europe answer these questions – and more.
31 October 2019
Mission possible? The Geopolitical Commission and the partnership with Africa
We share recommendations for the new Commission – and particularly for Jutta Urpilainen and Josep Borrell – on how to improve relations with Africa.
28 October 2019
Limburg’s black gold, the move away from it and lessons for other countries
Poorva Karkare and Nadia Ashraf look back at a remarkable event on the difficult transition away from coal mining in the Dutch South Limburg region.
28 October 2019
Spirited away: The fading importance of resettlement in the emergency transit mechanism in Rwanda
Leonie Jegen and Franzisca Zanker take a closer look at the new emergency transit mechanism set up by the government of Rwanda, the UN Refugee Agency and the African Union, and zoom in on the shift away from resettlement.
28 October 2019
Peace and security in Africa: Drivers and implications of North Africa’s southern gaze
Lidet Tadesse Shiferaw analyses Algeria, Morocco and Egypt’s strategic interests when it comes to peace and security on the African continent.
21 October 2019
Elections in Africa – Playing the game or bending the rules?
Martin Ronceray and Bruce Byiers look at who and what shapes election outcomes in African countries.
21 October 2019
The European development financing system: A call for urgent action
Earlier this month, the high-level group of wise persons on the European financial architecture for development published its highly-awaited report with recommendations for the EU. What does the report offer, and what does it fail to address?
18 October 2019
Governance in Africa-Europe relations: Modesty, realism and working politically
This note identifies some of the political and bureaucratic hurdles in dealing with governance in Africa-Europe relations and suggests ways forward.
14 October 2019
The paradox of climate change: How Africa can step up climate action to lighten its vulnerability
African governments should lessen the burden of climate change on Africa, the continent most vulnerable to global warming – but how can they do that?
14 October 2019
Connecting the dots for sustainable food systems in Kenya
We organised a workshop in Nairobi to discuss the first report of our Sustainable Agrifood Systems Strategies (SASS) project that analyses Kenya’s southern Nakuru County food system, and identify what is needed to improve this food system. Koen Dekeyser and Francesco Rampa share their key takeaways.
04 October 2019
Crafting the African response to European external migration policies
How can African countries respond better to European external migration policies that rely on them for implementation?
30 September 2019
Team von der Leyen: Time to speed up the delivery of the 2030 Agenda
With more than ten years to go to achieve the 2030 Agenda, is there any reason for optimism? And what could the new EU leadership do better?
23 September 2019
EU-UN cooperation: Confronting change in the multilateral system
This paper looks at the role of the European Union and its member states in the United Nations and at ways to deepen their cooperation in the years to come.
20 September 2019
Finance to adapt: Making climate funding work for agriculture at the local level
Bethany Tietjen, Francesco Rampa and Hanne Knaepen take a closer look at finance for climate adaptation in the agriculture sector.
13 September 2019
Implementing the global migration compact in EU member states: A long and winding road?
In December 2018, the UN global migration compact was adopted. But what does implementation mean for EU member states?
12 September 2019
Self-financing the African Union: One levy, multiple reforms
A 0.2% levy on eligible imports is one of the key elements in the African Union's strategy to achieving financial independence. But two years down the road, to what extent have member states implemented this decision?
09 September 2019
Fostering the local dimension of blended finance: From principles to practice
Blended finance operations for development must respond to local needs and realities to be effective. This paper highlights some of the principles, approaches and practices that could serve as useful guidance.
06 September 2019
Engage with Africa
20 August 2019
Transforming food systems to combat climate change
15 August 2019
Assessing Gender Inclusion in the Migration Policies of ECOWAS
This policy briefing assesses the gender dimension of the ECOWAS regional framework for migration governance, focusing on regulations and protocols on free movement, specifically the ECOWAS treaty and the ECOWAS gender and migration framework and plan of action.
15 August 2019
Perspectives on the Soft Power of EU Trade Policy
EU trade agreements aim at reducing foreign market access barriers, but also condition the terms of preferential access to the Single Market on regulation in partner countries in areas such as social and labour standards. Is this an effective strategy? Does it come at the cost of attaining economic objectives? This eBook brings together different perspectives on these and other questions.
31 July 2019
Rapport annuel 2018
Ce rapport vous propose une vue d'ensemble de l'année écoulée, en commençant par nos activités les plus remarquables, puis en zoomant sur douze projets passionnants.
30 July 2019
Need for a paradigm shift of regional integration in Africa
The regional integration agenda in Africa is under threat, mainly because of complacency, donor dependency and lack of ownership of the integration agenda by African countries themselves. Our research on the COMESA programme, which exemplifies these problems, has shown that there is a need for a paradigm shift.
26 July 2019
Implementing policy coherence: A challenge inherent to the 2030 Agenda
There was a lot of talk about policy coherence at the 2019 UN High-Level Political Forum, but pursuing it in practice remains a challenge.
19 July 2019
Sustainable food systems through diversification and indigenous vegetables: An analysis of the southern Nakuru County
The performance of the food system in the southern Nakuru County is currently poor in terms of economic, social and environmental sustainability. The booming flower and vegetable export sectors and the strong market position of a few staple crops leave little room and incentives for smallholders to invest in improved and more diversified production and productivity.
17 July 2019
Where aid for trade meets responsible business conduct
15 July 2019
Making sense of regional integration in Africa
07 July 2019
Outcome, learning and evaluation for the Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP)
: Learning and Evaluation Team baseline reports
30 June 2019
ECDPM Annual Report 2018
In our annual report 2018 we provide a bird’s eye view of the past year, starting with our most noteworthy activities and then zooming in on twelve exciting projects.
27 June 2019
Ten years on: Enhancing EU mediation and dialogue capacities – Report on the community of practice meeting on peace mediation
Report on the community of practice meeting on peace mediation
26 June 2019
Path to Zero Hunger: Cash-based programming, human-centred development and localisation
Cash transfers can empower people and nations to tackle the root causes of hunger in line with local preferences and priorities.
24 June 2019
Dear Europe...Letters from around the world – Volume 8 Issue 2&3 Spring/Summer 2019 Special Edition
17 June 2019
Judith Sargentini - Member of the European Parliament Greens European Free Alliance, 2009-2019
17 June 2019
Linda McAvan - Former Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Development
17 June 2019
Letter from Belgium
17 June 2019
Letter from China
17 June 2019
Refresh and reload: EU and Africa working together on research and innovation
This is the second paper on collaboration on research and innovation (R&I) between Europe and Africa. The first one looked at African perspectives on the topic and this second one focuses on the EU.
17 June 2019
Letter from Finland
17 June 2019
Letter from France
17 June 2019
Letter from Germany
17 June 2019
Letter from India
17 June 2019
Letter from Italy
17 June 2019
Letter from Japan
17 June 2019
Letter from Nigeria
17 June 2019
Letter from Poland
17 June 2019
Letter from Serbia
17 June 2019
Letter from South Africa
17 June 2019
Letter from Switzerland
17 June 2019
Letter from the Netherlands
17 June 2019
European Elections: a choice for change - Editorial
In this special edition of Great Insights magazine, contributors from all over the world share their thoughts on the steps the EU needs to take to remain an influential global player.
17 June 2019
Letter from the United Kingdom
17 June 2019
The complexities of tackling illicit financial flows in practice: The example of Tanzania
The issue of illicit financial flows (IFFs) in the mineral sector of African countries has been the recent focus of African regional and national policy discussions. Research and analysis by institutions like the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), aimed at building an understanding of IFFs, is still ongoing.
10 June 2019
Domestic ripples, regional waves? The future of Ethiopian reforms and their regional implications
03 June 2019
Sexual and reproductive health and rights: Opportunities in EU external action beyond 2020
Twenty-five years have passed since the International Conference on Population and Development that laid the foundation for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). In this paper, we review the place of SRHR in future EU policies, partnerships and funding.
03 June 2019
First thoughts on the European elections and development policy
27 May 2019
The political economy of Africa’s regional ‘spaghetti bowl’ – Synthesis report
This report synthesises the findings of a two-year research project on the political economy dynamics of regional organisations (PEDRO). It aims to explain why African countries join multiple, often overlapping, regional organisations despite the complications this ‘spaghetti bowl’ of agreements creates; and what drives and constrains the regional agendas and processes of these organisations.
27 May 2019
L’approche de continent à continent ne fait pas recette: Messages contradictoires des deux rives et aucun enthousiasme en Afrique du Nord
Dans cet article, nous analysons le rôle des États d’Afrique du Nord dans les relations Afrique-Europe et en quoi ce rôle est influencé par les acteurs politiques des deux continents.
06 May 2019
Investing in Europe's global role: The must-have guide for the negotiations of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027
In 2019, a new European Parliament, new European Commission and new President of the European Council will have their hands full with the negotiations of the 2021-2027 budget. They will need to agree on the amount and the focus of billions of euros and on how to distribute these along different political priorities. There is still all to play for and these negotiations may well run late into 2020.
29 April 2019
An AU-EU alliance to defend multilateralism
It is time for the African Union and European Union to strengthen multilateralism more proactively – and peace and security could be a good place to start.
08 April 2019
Sustainable livestock value chains in West Africa: Can regional organisations rise to the challenges?
08 April 2019
Youth unemployment and the role of regional organisations: The case of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Youth unemployment is one of the biggest challenges that the African continent is facing. Regional organisations are addressing this challenge through regional frameworks, but are in practice often thrown over by domestic priorities of member states.
08 April 2019
Who’s interested in the EU’s open invitation to join a post-Cotonou Agreement?
29 March 2019
Migration and the next EU long-term budget: Key choices for external action
The rising number of asylum seekers and irregular migrants has influenced the European Commission proposal for the 2021-2027 budget. In this paper, Anna Knoll and Pauline Veron explore the positions and issues at stake in the ongoing negotiations. What are the options and risks linked to the different possible decisions?
29 March 2019
Assertive, appreciative and aloof: South Africa, Cabo Verde and Ghana reflect on EU research and innovation collaboration
Research and innovation (R&I) is a key ingredient of sustainable development. It is also an asset that the EU wishes to leverage to create more horizontal, mutually beneficial and multi-actor partnerships with middle-income countries (MICs). Our study presents the perspectives on R&I cooperation with the EU in Cabo Verde, Ghana and South Africa.
29 March 2019
Africa-EU relations and post-Cotonou: African collective action or further fragmentation of partnerships?
The EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states formally kicked off negotiations for a new partnership agreement in the margins of the September 2018 UN General Assembly. The EU has proposed a complex hybrid formula based on continuity through a common foundation for all ACP countries, as well as deeper regionalisation by means of three distinct regional protocols with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific respectively.
29 March 2019
A smart mix for responsible business conduct: Due diligence legislation and multi-stakeholder initiatives
There is an increasing awareness of the need to embed corporate responsibility for preserving human and labour rights as well as minimising environmental damage in the move towards responsible business conduct.
25 March 2019
Responsibly sourcing minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas: Lessons from the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals
In 2021, the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation will enter into force. It implies that importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten, their ores and gold from conflict-affected and high-risk areas into the EU will have a legal requirement to ensure supply chain due diligence. Furthermore, to enhance the impact of the regulation, certain ‘accompanying measures’ have been envisaged, including a multi-stakeholder initiative, the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM).
25 March 2019
Regional peace architectures in Africa: A reality check
The African Union and its formally-recognised regional organisations spend substantial financial resources and human capital on peace efforts in Africa to silence the guns by 2020. Over the last two decades, they have stepped up their efforts on peace and security, and the continental peace architecture is now well established, mostly operating with regional and sub-regional peace architectures.
18 March 2019
Rhetoric and real progress on the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Africa
This paper looks at how the European Union and the African Union promote the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Africa.
18 March 2019
The uncharted path towards a European Peace Facility
This paper analyses the proposal for the creation of a European Peace Facility (EPF), which would allow the EU to deploy military operations more effectively and to finance peace support operations led by other international actors, as well as build its partners’ military capacities.
18 March 2019
Getting to grips with the regional politics of water in Africa
For World Water Day, we draw from seven ECDPM studies on regional water management in Africa to propose directions for more pragmatic and effective approaches.
17 March 2019
Entre coopération et contestation: Les intérêts maliens dans la gestion des fleuves transfrontaliers du Sahel
Cette étude examine les intérêts et incitations qui influencent le positionnement du Mali dans la gouvernance des eaux transfrontalières en Afrique de l’Ouest, à la fois sur son territoire et au travers d’organismes de bassin dont il est membre. Elle vise à expliciter les dynamiques en cours, comprendre les constructions de barrages et identifier les points d’entrée pour l’appui externe.
11 March 2019
Think local. Governance, humanitarian aid, development and peacebuilding in Somalia
This study seeks to understand the incentives and interests – or lack thereof – for collaboration and coordination across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors, as the call for a ‘nexus approach’ grows louder. It does so by looking at the practical experiences of the international community, including non-traditional donors in Somalia.
11 March 2019
Aborder le développement régional autrement – note methodologique
11 March 2019
A generational divide in the fight against climate change
Hanne Knaepen looks at the new leaders on climate action: young people in Europe and in Africa. ‘To move towards long-term solutions’, she argues, ‘African and European governments need to find solutions together that will include the voice of the young people.’
04 March 2019
Four opportunities to give to gender the importance it deserves in EU policy and external spending
Many think that changing the direction of the EU policy ‘oil tanker ship’ is virtually impossible and that it’s much easier to hook initiatives onto the direction it’s already heading in instead. This is also the case when trying to give greater importance to gender equality in the EU’s future international and development cooperation spending.
04 March 2019
Civil society & business: pulling in the same direction? Volume 8, Issue 1. Winter 2018/2019
28 February 2019
Civil society & business: pulling in the same direction? - Editorial
28 February 2019
Engaging with companies: pragmatic idealism
28 February 2019
Moving beyond conflict: the critical role of collaborative partnerships in tackling abuses in minerals supply chains
28 February 2019
Seven principles for effective and healthy multi-stakeholder partnerships
28 February 2019
Non-profits and business team up for land governance in Sierra Leone
28 February 2019
Multi-stakeholder platform delivers 'a minor miracle'
28 February 2019
Sustainable Business for Africa (SB4A): a platform for improving the investment climate through dialogue between governments, businesses and civil society
28 February 2019
The sustainability dilemma in competition law
28 February 2019
Africapitalism and partnerships for the SDGs: what we can learn from the Unilever-GBF partnership in Nigeria
28 February 2019
Partners for good: what two African dairy companies can teach us about partnership with NGOs
28 February 2019
Partnerships for sustainable development: the monitoring and evaluation challenge
28 February 2019
Leveraging the next EU budget for sustainable development finance: The European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+)
In the European Commission proposal for the next long-term budget 2021-2027 of the European Union (EU), the proposed Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) Regulation introduces an innovative unified financial architecture to crowd in private sector investment outside the EU, based on three pillars: the European Fund for Sustainable Development-plus (EFSD+), a unified budgetary guarantee – the External Action Guarantee (EAG), and financial assistance.
18 February 2019
African power pools: Regional energy, national power
Despite the continent’s natural resource endowment of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) suffers from huge deficits in the supply and distribution of energy. While there is a need for improved electricity generation capacity and transmission infrastructure within African countries, greater cross-border trade in electric power is a potentially cost-effective way of connecting excess capacity in one country or region with (peak) demand in another. This is why power pools were established in Central, Southern and Eastern Africa.
18 February 2019
The African Continental Free Trade Area: The hard work starts now
Three more African countries signed the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while at least three others deposited instruments of ratification of the Agreement. Outgoing AU Chair announced that entry into force of the AfCFTA Agreement is “only weeks away”.
15 February 2019
Dynamiques régionales des filières d’élevage en Afrique de l’Ouest: Étude de cas centrée sur la Côte d’Ivoire dans le bassin commercial central
Le secteur de l’élevage en Afrique de l’Ouest illustre la dimension régionale du développement des chaînes de valeur. Il repose principalement sur des échanges commerciaux de bétail entre les zones de production sahéliennes et les centres de consommation côtiers. Mais des changements économiques, sociaux et environnementaux ont déstabilisé ce système régional complexe. L’offre de viande régionale peine à satisfaire une demande dynamique tirée par la croissance économique et l’urbanisation.
13 February 2019
Botswana: One of Africa’s most stable democracies, but where are the women?
While the new level of party competition and fair conduct of the recent election seem to confirm Botswana’s place as one of Africa’s most thriving and stable democracies, the level of representation, especially of women, remains a challenge.
12 February 2019
Nigeria and South Africa: Shaping prospects for the African Continental Free Trade Area
In March 2018, African leaders signed an agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This was an important step towards the longstanding goal of African economic integration, but there is a long way to go before an integrated continental market exists. Beyond concluding and ratifying the deal, African states will need to fully implement the AfCFTA Agreement to enjoy its benefits. Their record on implementing regional trade arrangements is not encouraging.
11 February 2019
The reform engine of the African Union has started - Over to Egypt to keep it running
Two years ago, Rwandan President Paul Kagame kickstarted reforms to the African Union. As he hands over the chair to his Egyptian successor el-Sisi, many wonder what will happen to this reform agenda. Unlike previous rounds of AU reforms, there is a fair chance that parts of the reform agenda will continue to be pursued.
11 February 2019
Financing the African Union – on mindsets and money
With 55 member countries, an elaborate institutional architecture, a broad policy agenda, and a high dependency rate on its former colonisers and main donors, the African Union (AU) is probably the world’s largest and most complex regional partnership configuration.
04 February 2019
Mixed messages from Europe and Africa stand in the way of an intercontinental deal – North Africa's double pursuit: Part II
European and African leaders have underlined the merits of a hypothetical fully-fledged continent-to-continent partnership on several occasions, most recently in a EU-AU Joint Communiqué of January 2019. But in practice, they are sending mixed signals or even acting dividedly and divisively.
04 February 2019
Europe and migration in 2019: Tough choices, conflicting priorities and existential questions
Anna Knoll discusses how migration considerations are likely to take centre stage in a number of European policy processes in 2019, how it influences the relations with African partners and what trends we expect for 2019.
04 February 2019
Dérives continentales dans un monde multipolaire – Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-Europe en 2019
Comme chaque année, le présent document tente de cerner les principaux débats attendus en 2019 et au-delà, et d’en esquisser la toile de fond. Le but est d’apporter un éclairage sur les processus de changement en cours en Europe et en Afrique et leur incidence sur les relations entre les deux continents.
28 January 2019
Looking north and moving south: Little enthusiasm for a continent-to-continent approach – North Africa's double pursuit: Part I
In a two-part paper, we look at the role North African states play in Africa-Europe relations, and how political actors on both continents are influencing this role.
28 January 2019
Win-win-win: Africa and Europe in 2019 should move towards solutions that benefit migrants too
Amanda Bisong looks at what trends we can expect to witness in Africa concerning migration issues. ‘To move towards long-term solutions’, she argues,‘African and European states need to find solutions that will focus on wins for all parties – including migrants.’
28 January 2019
Finding a new point of departure for the future of UK-EU development cooperation after Brexit
On Tuesday 15 January, the draft withdrawal agreement – the result of 18 months of intense negotiations between British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and the European Union – was flatly rejected by the UK Parliament. This also appeared to be the nail in the coffin for the related draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK (known as the ‘Political Declaration’).
21 January 2019
Continental drifts in a multipolar world – Challenges for Africa-Europe relations in 2019
ECDPM’s annual Challenges Paper seeks to identify this year’s important debates and to sketch the backdrop against which these will unfold. The aim is to offer perspectives on the change processes at play in Europe and in Africa and the impact on their relations.
14 January 2019
ECDPM Work Plan 2019-2020
19 December 2018
ECDPM Strategy Implementation Plan 2018-2021
19 December 2018
EU competition law and sustainability coming together
Multi-stakeholder initiatives can be a great tool to achieve social and environmental sustainability, but companies risk coming into conflict with the EU competition law, argues Jeske van Seters.
17 December 2018
Preserving ecosystems in Africa: Reflections from COP24
Natural ecosystems can provide direct protection measures against climate impacts. Although there is a growing consensus on the relevance of the restoration of terrestrial or coastal forested areas, the realisation of ecosystem-based adaptation is challenging.
17 December 2018
The European Union and the United Nations need each other more than ever
At a time when commitments to multilateralism are eroding, it is more important than ever to have a strong EU and UN working with each other.
17 December 2018
The political economy of regional industrialisation strategies
17 December 2018
What has thinking and working politically ever done for us?
Development practitioners and researchers joined forces to try and get policymakers to take account of political economy dynamics. Five years on, what can we say about its impact?
10 December 2018
Methodological guidance for 5 private sector development indicators
How can we assess good practice in the monitoring of donor-funded private sector development initiatives? This report provides guidance on how to measure five key indicators.
05 December 2018
Governing a new broad instrument for EU external action: The ins and outs of the institutional power struggle
03 December 2018
African river basin organisations: From best practice to best fit
Transboundary river basin organisations are key to negotiating the conflicting interests and competing claims of states around a shared water resource, but their current influence is limited. Alfonso Medinilla argues that adopting a more problem-driven approach could help to focus on areas where change is feasible and collective action can be built.
03 December 2018
How to spend €89.2 billion: Early developments in international cooperation programming
26 November 2018
Small changes, big world: An inspiration for Europe and middle-income countries fighting climate change
The COP24 in Katowice is just around the corner. Ahead of this event, we look at how Europe and middle-income countries have done so far in their joint fight against climate change. Leaders should be inspired by the actions of ordinary people.
26 November 2018
Industrialising Africa one nut at a time
Focusing on the example of the cashew sector in Côte d'Ivoire, Bruce Byiers and Jeske van Seters illustrate how contradicting regional and national agendas are weakening the development of value chains, hampering job creation and economic growth.
22 November 2018
What just happened? On Africa, EU aid, trade and Brexit – Seven key questions answered
Last week, the UK Cabinet backed May’s proposal for the withdrawal of the country from the European Union. Many are the questions that still remain unanswered. We clarify seven points on what could be expected in relation to Africa, EU aid and trade.
19 November 2018
Morocco and Algeria in European migration policies
08 November 2018
International support for economic reform in Tunisia: can it work with the grain?
08 November 2018
Does ‘the economy, stupid’ still apply in North Africa?
08 November 2018
Defusing the terrorist mindset: a Maghrebi tale?
08 November 2018
Deepening democracy in transitional Tunisia: a new chapter for local governance
08 November 2018
Charting the way forward for local women mediators in Libya
08 November 2018
What is left for civil activism in Tunisia?
08 November 2018
Strengthening private sector engagement in job creation in North Africa: challenges and responses
08 November 2018
North Africa, hope in troubled times - Editorial
08 November 2018
New departures in Egypt’s relations with sub-Saharan Africa
08 November 2018
North Africa, hope in troubled times – Volume 7, Issue 4 (Autumn 2018)
06 November 2018
A tale of several stories: EU-North Africa relations revisited
06 November 2018
The state of transitions in North Africa
06 November 2018
Supporting peacebuilding in times of change: Case study Sweden
05 November 2018
Capitalisation des expériences et acquis de la Côte d’Ivoire en matière de politiques publiques, de structuration et de gestion de la filière anacarde
31 October 2018
Promoting gender in the EU external response to migration: The case of the Trust Fund for Africa
22 October 2018
De EU als reddingsboei: prioriteiten voor een positief multilateralisme
Op 17 and 18 oktober 2018 organiseert ECDPM samen met de andere leden van de European Think Tanks Group en het Europees Parlement een conferentie in Brussels rondom het thema 'innovatie in ontwikkelingssamenwerking en de toekomst van internationale samenwerking van de EU'. De directeuren en voorzitter van de European Think Tanks Group delen vijf prioriteiten voor een positief multilateralisme.
16 October 2018
The EU to the rescue: priorities for a positive multilateralism
On 17 and 18 October 2018, ECDPM, together with the other members of the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) and the European Parliament, is organising a conference on innovation in development and the future of EU international cooperation in Brussels. Ahead of the conference, the five think tank directors and the ETTG chairperson share five priorities for a positive multilateralism.
16 October 2018
Philanthropy and Africa’s demographic growth: Finding allies to support the potential of young people
Philanthropists are aware that the demographic growth in Africa has added strain on economies and infrastructures, and that it will continue to do so if the potential of the young African population will not be met. Will they ally with political and religious leaders to face a growing and increasingly young African population? And can family planning be a solution?
15 October 2018
Documentary: Towards a #ZeroHunger future with Africa’s forgotten treasures
The growth of the world’s population from seven to nine billion by 2050 and the worrying effects of climate change increase the vulnerability of the global food system. Our SASS (sustainable agrifood systems strategies) project contributes to efforts for more sustainable food systems, highlighting the benefits of indigenous vegetables and crops. ECDPM’s Philipp Sanderhoff went to Naivasha, Kenya to give you an insight into our work.
09 October 2018
SADC industrialisation: Where regional agendas meet domestic interests
08 October 2018
Working with the grain of African integration
28 September 2018
The ice is broken, what’s next? How the EU and middle-income countries work together on climate change
More advanced and middle-income developing countries (MADCs and MICs), some of which are major emitters of greenhouse gases, have come under increasing pressure to do their part on climate change. Mariella Di Ciommo, Sanne Thijssen and Meritxell Sayós Monràs look at the EU’s attempts to find a common ground with these countries in the fight against climate change.
28 September 2018
Supporting peacebuilding in times of change: Case study Germany
27 September 2018
Making markets work for indigenous vegetables in the Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya
25 September 2018
Advancing the impossible? Progress of the joint African, European and international response to the migration crisis in Libya
24 September 2018
Supporting peacebuilding in times of change project (2017-2018)
What drives support for peacebuilding in the EU institutions, Germany, Sweden and the UK? Is this likely to change as the geopolitical order and domestic politics shift? And how should the peacebuilding community respond to these changes? This project aims to answer these questions. We've analysed the significant and recurrent factors that influence support to peacebuilding in Europe – and how these impact the engagement of the peacebuilding community in the years to come.
17 September 2018
Supporting peacebuilding in times of change: A synthesis of four case studies
What factors influence support to peacebuilding in Europe? How will these impact the future engagement of the peacebuilding community? This report on the changing nature of support to peacebuilding in Europe is the result of 1.5 years of research carried out by ECDPM.
17 September 2018
Tackling the triggers of violence-induced displacement – The contribution of the African Peace and Security Architecture and African Governance Architecture
10 September 2018
A crucial week for Africa and Europe beyond 2040 – A continent-to-continent approach: The African momentum
10 September 2018
Radioscopie du Plan d’investissement extérieur de l’UE
04 September 2018
Le Plan d’investissement extérieur européen : défis et prochaines étapes pour changer la donne
04 September 2018
Aiming high or falling short? A brief analysis of the proposed future EU budget for external action
The European Commission’s proposal for the next EU budget puts forward some ambitious changes – particularly on future funding for external action. What could the implications of these changes be?
03 September 2018
Theresa May’s charm offensive in Africa does not consider the full impact of a cliff-edge Brexit
What if the United Kingdom and the EU do not agree on a withdrawal agreement? How would this impact African trade? While the UK should detail a comprehensive contingency plan, Africa would also benefit from more clarity on a possible transition between the EU and the UK.
03 September 2018
Policy coherence for agricultural transformation in African least developed countries (LDCs): Aligning agriculture and trade policymaking processes
23 August 2018
Rapport Annuel 2017
01 August 2018
ECDPM Annual Report 2017
In our annual report 2017 we provide a bird’s eye view of the past year, starting with our most noteworthy activities and then zooming in on twelve exciting projects.
02 July 2018
Tous ensemble ? La coopération des institutions de l’UE et des États membres face à des situations fragiles et de crises prolongées
29 June 2018
Good enough coherence? Six lessons from good governance for policy coherence and the 2030 Agenda
27 June 2018
Understanding illicit financial flows and efforts to combat them in Europe and Africa
25 June 2018
The ACP group and the African Union in the post-Cotonou negotiations: Survival of the fittest?
The great celebration over last month’s adoption by the ACP of their negotiating mandate hides what is actually a conservative document, unfit for a world post-2020. And certainly, it did not manage to reduce the intra-African tensions over who should represent the continent’s interests at the negotiating table with the EU at the end of August. The outcome of next week’s African Union summit in Mauritania could turn out to be another spoilsport.
25 June 2018
Beyond Brexit – Volume 7, Issue 3 (Summer 2018)
21 June 2018
European Commission slides related to Brexit choices
20 June 2018
The Brexit negotiations: Who thinks what
20 June 2018
Increased uncertainty for a changing Caribbean
20 June 2018
How ‘to trade or not to trade’ is the question for third countries after Brexit
20 June 2018
Developing countries’ agri-food trade after Brexit
20 June 2018
Brexit could make UK migration control in the Mediterranean even harder
20 June 2018
Europe’s gender action beyond Brexit
20 June 2018
High stakes: Brexit, security, and defence
20 June 2018
Will UK leaders engage more with Africa?
20 June 2018
Beyond Brexit - Editorial
20 June 2018
Africa, Europe, and Britain after Brexit
20 June 2018
The Brexit Box
20 June 2018
Breaking away? The developing world and the future of multilateralism
20 June 2018
Africa’s relations with the UK: Negotiating a post-Brexit landscape
20 June 2018
Choice matrix: Future EU-UK collaboration on international cooperation
20 June 2018
Time to close a deal is running out
20 June 2018
To the point: UK-EU coordination for the poor
20 June 2018
The impact of Brexit on aid: Divorce or marriage of convenience?
20 June 2018
Wanted: A new alliance to defend the neighbourhood and the world in the next EU budget
On 14 June, the European Commission published its detailed proposals for the ‘Neighbourhood & the World’ heading of the next EU budget. This part of the EU budget, also known as Heading VI, covers the majority of European spending beyond its borders. The Commission proposed €123 billion for the heading, yet it will take a robust defence and a new collective alliance to protect this part of the budget from cuts in the upcoming negotiations.
18 June 2018
Gender as a top EU priority according to President Juncker and Commissioner Mimica: Now comes the difficult part
This year’s edition of the European Development Days saw several EU representatives, including President Juncker and Commissioner Mimica, reiterating their commitment to making gender a priority for the EU’s external relations and a key driver for achieving sustainable development. A challenging commitment that requires inputs on many fronts. Will European policymakers be able to keep the promises they made last week?
11 June 2018
Tunisia’s migration dilemma
Last week, over 100 people died in what probably represents Tunisia’s deadliest migrant shipwreck. This tragic accident re-opens the debate on irregular migration from Tunisia and reignites discussions on future EU-Tunisia cooperation on migration.
11 June 2018
What does it really mean to be pan-African in the 21st century?
In the third and last blog of our series inspired by and dedicated to Africa Day, which marks the anniversary of the creation of the African Union, Dalil Djinnit shares his wish for the African continent to make use of its true potential.
04 June 2018
All together now? EU institutions and member states' cooperation in fragile situations and protracted crises
04 June 2018
Did pan-Africanism die with our founding fathers?
In the second blog of our Africa Day series, Kesa Pharatlhatlhe explains what being African means to her, and why pan-Africanism is important for Africa’s future generations.
28 May 2018
European development finance and the EBRD model
24 May 2018
Faire grandir une entreprise agro-alimentaire en Afrique de l’Ouest : Quand affaires riment avec développement durable
24 May 2018
FAO’s promotion of sustainability criteria for leveraging finance in agriculture
24 May 2018
Growing a food company in West Africa: When business means sustainable development
24 May 2018
Leveraging private investment for sustainable development – Volume 7, Issue 2 (Spring 2018)
24 May 2018
It takes a village: Why the compact with Africa might just work
24 May 2018
Leveraging private investments for sustainable development - Editorial
24 May 2018
Leveraging private sector finance: Lessons from philanthropy
24 May 2018
MDB Private Finance Operations: Lenders or Mobilisers?
24 May 2018
Multinationals: Local adaptation key to sustainable development
24 May 2018
Policies to Mobilise the Private Sector: Open Your Mind
24 May 2018
Breaking new ground: Deploying risk capital in frontier markets
24 May 2018
Reshaping the EU ‘private finance for development’ landscape
24 May 2018
Chevron’s corporate social enterprise in Nigeria
24 May 2018
The EU’s External Investment Plan: Creating sustainable jobs for poverty eradication in countries near the EU and in Africa
24 May 2018
DFIs’ commitment to mobilising private finance for the SDGs
24 May 2018
The reality of achieving sustainable supply chains: a private sector perspective
24 May 2018
Doing business right in Ethiopia
24 May 2018
The price of oil? Extractive development and conflict risk in Kenya
24 May 2018
Engaging the private sector in blended finance
24 May 2018
EU leadership to promote responsible business conduct in global value chains
24 May 2018
ACP-EU negotiations and the next EU budget: Six crucial weeks to understand which way the wind is blowing
The upcoming six weeks will be critical for the future of ACP-EU relations and for the next EU budget. We help you understand what will happen and what is at stake.
22 May 2018
What being African means to me
Ahead of Africa Day, our Lidet Tadesse explains what being African means to her.
22 May 2018
International crimes during apartheid: Why Cyril Ramaphosa is still paying South African debt to foreign banks
We now know how the apartheid regime could continue to buy arms after the global mandatory arms embargo in 1977. But the South African government still has to pay for the wrongdoings of the past regime.
14 May 2018
The EU budget proposal for external action: How much, what for, and what we still don’t know
After reading last week’s proposal by the European Commission for the next EU budget and, in particular, the details related to external action, we have put together the key points on how much will be spent on what, and a list of important elements to watch out for in the proposal.
07 May 2018
Local authorities in EU external action after 2020: Strategic actors or distant voices?
A new buzzword has appeared in the richly endowed development jargon: multi-actor partnerships. It reflects the gradual realisation that central governments alone cannot deliver the goods. Effective collaboration with other actors, including civil society, the private sector as well as local authorities, is key to transform economies, galvanise societies and ensure better governance.
07 May 2018
Three ingredients for a future-proof funding for migration
When it comes to migration, the next EU budget is an important occasion to look back at what has been done so far and transform it into lessons for the future.
30 April 2018
Starting afresh: The Maghreb’s relations with sub-Saharan Africa
30 April 2018
Breaking or making the Commission’s ambition to streamline EU external action
Increasing the impact of EU external spending is high on the agenda. Commission President Juncker and High Representative/Vice President Mogherini have several reasons to push for a coherent yet flexible EU external action after 2020, when the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) starts.
27 April 2018
Time for leaders and youth to shape the Africa they want, together
To find a solution to youth exclusion in the development of Africa, leaders and youth need to share responsibilities and look for effective ways to address the issue.
20 April 2018
Can the 0.2% levy fund peace in Africa? A stronger AU-UN partnership in accordance with WTO rules
Part of the African Union’s 0.2% import levy is meant to finance peace support operations on the continent. Although there was no legal challenge, the question among some members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is whether the levy breaches WTO regulations.
16 April 2018
Breaking the silence on North Africa: A new EU-Africa partnership after 2020
This op-ed for EURACTIV underlines that clarifying North Africa’s involvement in the post-Cotonou negotiations from the start is key for the future of the EU-Africa partnership after 2020.
03 April 2018
What is the European External Investment Plan really about?
30 March 2018
The European External Investment Plan: Challenges and next steps for a game changer
30 March 2018
Sailing new waters in international cooperation – On the way to framing future EU engagement with more advanced developing countries
30 March 2018
Is the EU ready to renew its engagement with more advanced developing countries?
Some middle-income countries (MICs) have made substantial development progress and yet still face many challenges. In this blog, the authors make the case for the EU to take bold steps and be ready to bring engagement with MICs and more-advanced developing countries to the next level.
26 March 2018
Artisanal gold mining in DRC: Time to get down to earth?
While the hazardous working conditions and environmental pollution in artisanal and small-scale mining often attract international attention, the employment opportunities of the sector – currently supporting the livelihood of 10 to 15 million miners worldwide – are mostly overlooked. Karim Karaki illustrates the challenges in the eastern provinces of DRC and draws out implications for development partners.
26 March 2018
Evaluation of the implementation of the African Peace Facility 2014-2016
20 March 2018
Multi-stakeholder initiatives on garments and textiles in Germany and the Netherlands: Towards achieving collective impact?
19 March 2018
EU external action and development cooperation in the next EU budget: One instrument to play many tunes
A recent letter signed by Commission President Juncker and Budget Commissioner Oettinger sheds more light on the next EU budget. Among the various proposals emerges the idea of a single instrument for EU external action as well as the need for a more strategic and efficient use of fewer resources.
12 March 2018
The UK proposes a ‘win-win opt-in’ on international cooperation
At a recent EU Foreign Affairs Council on development, the UK circulated a non-paper outlining its perspective on EU-UK cooperation in the field of development after Brexit. The UK and European actors are beginning to informally position themselves in specific policy domains. In the non-paper, the UK suggests it can contribute to EU development policies with its expertise, resources, or both. In return, it asks for flexible development instruments, consideration for its priorities, and a seat at the table.
05 March 2018
Les relations entre l’UE et les pays d’Afrique, Caraïbes et Pacifique (ACP) après 2020
28 February 2018
Do we expect too much from election observation missions?
We identify four reasons why it is wise to deploy election observation mission if they are accompanied by tempered expectations and carefully implemented.
26 February 2018
The Sustainable Development Goals, the EU and member states: Getting their act together and acting together
The EU was a driving force in the run-up to the 2030 Agenda but is still reflecting on how to implement the Sustainable Development Goals at the European level. The EU, together with the member states, needs to step up its game and break silos if it wants to show real leadership.
19 February 2018
Lessons from promoting market access for Beninese value chain actors to Nigerian markets
19 February 2018
Morocco’s accession to ECOWAS: Building bridges or rocking the boat?
Only two months after its re-admission to the African Union, Morocco announced its bid to join the West African regional organisation ECOWAS. But while the final decision has been postponed, there are some who question whether Morocco should join at all.
19 February 2018
A rapier not a blunderbuss: Why the EU must do better in supporting African job creation
16 February 2018
Forced displacement and mixed migration challenges in the IGAD region
05 February 2018
Gendered effects of corruption on the Central Mediterranean route
05 February 2018
EU financing and private investments: Time for a quantum leap
Negotiations on the future of the EU finances after 2020 are a unique occasion to reconsider the financial instruments of the European Union, for both internal and external actions. San Bilal argues that the upcoming challenge, to reach the SDGs on a tighter budget under a new MFF, will have to shift the focus to better leverage private finance.
05 February 2018
Helping refugees become self-reliant: the Ugandan model
05 February 2018
Leveraging migration for progress towards the 2030 Agenda
05 February 2018
Migration is not an emergency
05 February 2018
Focus on Migration: Moving backward, moving forward? Volume 7, Issue 1 (Winter 2018)
The contributors of this Great Insights on migration looked at policy frameworks and processes, existing realities and ongoing initiatives, as well as possible ways forward. The issue explores not only the complex challenges but also the potential that human mobility holds for development.
05 February 2018
Migration policies and development: The dilemma of Agadez
05 February 2018
Aligning ARD and trade policies to improve sustainable development impact
05 February 2018
Migration and development: A virtuous circle
05 February 2018
Regional governance regimes to foster labour mobility and development
05 February 2018
Shift the paradigm, from charity to crypto space
05 February 2018
Storm in the Central Mediterranean: European priorities, Libyan realities
05 February 2018
The AU-EU Summit, migration, mobility and youth
05 February 2018
The EU’s migration agenda - what about legal migration pathways?
05 February 2018
Building resilience, creating new opportunities in the EU neighbourhood
05 February 2018
Focus on Migration: Moving backward, moving forward? - Editorial
05 February 2018
Une occasion de faire les choses bien : Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE 2018
31 January 2018
Charting the course to 2020: Fundamental choices for the negotiation of a future ACP-EU partnership
Negotiations for the future of ACP-EU relations are due to start later this year. Between now and 2020, several internal and external negotiations coincide that will define the future shape of EU foreign relations. How to redesign a future ACP-EU agreement with regional partnerships in this context? What are the fundamental political choices to be made in the upcoming negotiations?
29 January 2018
Global Flows Migration and Security
23 January 2018
Beyond symbolic progress: UK contribution to EU development aid until 2020
Last month, the first phase of the Brexit negotiations ended. Now there is greater clarity on what Brexit might mean for EU development funds.
22 January 2018
How Brexit may affect ACP-EU relations: an historical perspective
19 January 2018
Negotiating a new agreement with the ACP post-2020: What is at stake in the coming months
On 12 December 2017, the European Commission presented its recommendation to the Council for negotiations with the ACP countries. We lay out three challenges to refine the Commission's proposal in the coming months and ensure a much-needed modernisation of EU external action partnerships.
15 January 2018
Les relations UE-Afrique peuvent-elles être approfondies? Une perspective sur les relations de pouvoir, les intérêts et les incitations
12 January 2018
A chance to get it right: Challenges for Africa-Europe relations in 2018
04 January 2018
The perfect development storm: Do the EU and member states have what it takes to stay dry?
18 December 2017
The dynamics of EU budget negotiations for external action - Towards a ‘single’ instrument?
A wide range of political economy analytical frameworks and tools have been developed for country and sector level analyses, for problem driven approaches, and for better understanding the effects of global dynamics on the domestic political economy. Yet regional processes of cooperation and integration have largely been overlooked.
18 December 2017
The year of new crises for Africa’s youth
11 December 2017
What we can learn from Sweden on promoting sustainable peace
11 December 2017
ECDPM work plan 2018-2019
11 December 2017
Women and mediation in Africa under the APSA and the AGA
Women play a key role before, during and after conflicts. Africa is making progress in recognising this important role, in particular in involving women in mediation processes. Discover how.
11 December 2017
Gouvernance de l’Union Africaine en matière de migrations : l’Afrique partagée sur la question
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de l’Union africaine (UA) et des parties prenantes nationales à l’égard de la gouvernance des migrations et des défis y afférents, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
L’Agence du NEPAD : Comment concrétiser une vision ?
L’Agence du NEPAD : Comment concrétiser une vision ?
09 December 2017
Architecture de gouvernance africaine et Charte de la démocratie, des élections et de la gouvernance de l’Union africaine
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de l’Union africaine (UA) et des parties prenantes nationales à l’égard de l’Architecture de gouvernance africaine (AGA) et de la Charte africaine de la démocratie, des élections et de la gouvernance (CADEG) ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
L’Autorité du bassin du Niger : concilier les intérêts en amont et en aval sur le fleuve Niger
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de l’Autorité du bassin du Niger (ABN/NBA) et de ses acteurs à l’échelle nationale à l’égard des intérêts liés à la gestion de l’eau, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les bailleurs de fonds désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
CEEAC et CEMAC : Intégration ardue dans une région aux structures complexes
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique centrale (CEEAC) et de la Communauté économique et monétaire de l’Afrique centrale (CEMAC), à la fois dans leur collaboration entre elles et avec leurs États membres. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
La Commission internationale du bassin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha (CICOS) au fil de l’eau : de la navigation au financement climatique en moins de 20 ans ?
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de la CICOS (Commission internationale du bassin Congo- Oubangui-Sangha) et des parties prenantes nationales à l’égard des intérêts liés à la gestion de l’eau et au changement climatique, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les bailleurs de fonds désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
IGAD : Diplomatie de haut niveau et pragmatisme dans une région turbulente
Ce document analyse les tenants et aboutissants de l’Autorité intergouvernementale pour le développement (IGAD) et de ses parties prenantes au niveau national, dans les deux domaines spécifiques de l’intégration économique et de la prévention et résolution des conflits. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
La Commission du bassin du lac Tchad (CBLT) : l’eau et la sécurité au carrefour des régions
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de la CBLT (Commission du bassin du lac Tchad) et de ses acteurs à l’échelle nationale à l’égard des intérêts liés à la gestion de l’eau et à la, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les bailleurs de fonds désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
IGAD : Sécurité alimentaire et résilience. Quels intérêts communs régionaux dans un environnement défavorable?
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de l’Autorité intergouvernementale pour le développement (IGAD) et de ses parties prenantes au niveau national, dans le domaine spécifique de la sécurité alimentaire. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
L’IGAD et l’agenda de gouvernance : la région ne peut pas toujours être un catalyseur
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de l’Autorité intergouvernementale pour le développement (IGAD) et des parties prenantes nationales à l’égard de la promotion des réformes en matière de gouvernance, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
COMESA et industrialisation : Intégration régionale, coopération ou apprentissage ?
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement du Marché commun de l’Afrique de l’Est et de l’Afrique australe (COMESA, pour Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa en anglais) et de ses parties prenantes au niveau national, au sujet de la politique régionale d’industrialisation. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
Le Marché commun de l'Afrique de l'Est et de l'Afrique australe (COMESA) : Vers une réforme institutionnelle ?
Ce document analyse le Marché commun de l’Afrique de l’Est et de l’Afrique australe (COMESA en anglais, pour Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) et le positionnement de ses parties prenantes au niveau national. Une attention particulière est portée aux questions d’intégration économique et commerciale et du commerce d’électricité dans le cadre du Pool énergétique de l’Afrique l’Est (EAPP – Eastern African Power Pool). Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
CEDEAO : Adhésion politique à la plus ancienne organisations régionales africaine
Ce document analyse la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) et ses parties prenantes au niveau national et régional. Il s’intéresse plus particulièrement à l’adhésion politique dont bénéficie la CEDEAO dans deux domaines spécifiques de son programme régional, à savoir d’une part les conflits violents et les transferts non constitutionnels de pouvoir, et d’autre part la sécurité alimentaire et l’agriculture. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
CEDEAO : Industrialisation et emploi des jeunes. Une valeur ajoutée au niveau régional ?
Ce document analyse le positionnement de la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) et de ses parties prenantes au niveau national, dans les domaines spécifiques de l’industrialisation et de l’emploi des jeunes, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
CEDEAO : Commerce et facilitation des échanges. Faire avancer l'intégration économique pas à pas ?
Ce document analyse le positionnement de la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) et des parties prenantes nationales, dans les domaines spécifiques du commerce et de la facilitation des échanges ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
CEDEAO et énergie : Intérêts nationaux, marchés régionaux et accès à l'énergie
Ce document analyse le positionnement de la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) et de ses parties prenantes au niveau national, dans les domaines spécifiques des marchés régionaux et de l’accès à l’énergie, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
CEDEAO : Comprendre les efforts pour promouvoir un agenda de gouvernance
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de la CEDEAO (Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest) et de ses parties prenantes nationales à l’égard de l’agenda de la gouvernance régionale, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
SADC : Comment cohabiter avec un puissant voisin ?
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de la Communauté de développement de l’Afrique australe (CDAA ou SADC) et de ses parties prenantes au niveau national. Il s’intéresse plus particulièrement aux programmes régionaux relatifs à l’industrialisation et à l’énergie. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
Politiques de la CDAA dans les domaines du commerce et du transport : consolidation et couloirs de développement
Ce document analyse le positionnement de la CDAA (Communauté de développement de l’Afrique australe, SADC en anglais) et des parties prenantes nationales vis-à-vis de la politique régionale concernant le commerce et le transport, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
L'Union africaine : Comment se renforcer pour remplir sa mission ?
Ce document analyse le fonctionnement et l’évolution de l’Union africaine (UA), afin de proposer une grille de lecture pour mieux comprendre les positions des organisations régionales et de leurs parties prenantes au niveau national. Il aborde plus particulièrement les questions de paix et sécurité, de développement des infrastructures transnationales, ainsi que de sécurité alimentaire. Il conclut par une analyse des implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
L’agenda de la SADC concernant l’eau : gérer ou exploiter les ressources hydrauliques régionales ?
Ce document analyse le positionnement de la SADC (Communauté de développement de l’Afrique australe) et des parties prenantes nationales en matière de ressources hydrauliques partagées, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les bailleurs de fonds désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
09 December 2017
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre: the complexity of combining national ownership, a regional mandate and international support
This policy brief analyses why the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) operates as it does, particularly in relation to national level stakeholders.
08 December 2017
Interactive guide: The political economy dynamics of regional organisations in Africa
What blocks or drives regional integration in Africa? And what role do regional organisations play in this? Discover our new interactive guide that allows you to explore the history, priorities and members of 17 regional organisations in Africa, as well as our research.
05 December 2017
ECCAS and CEMAC: Struggling to integrate in an intertwined region
This policy brief analyses why the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Communauté Economique et Monetaire de l’Afrique Centrale (CEMAC) operate as they do in their engagement with each other and their member states.
04 December 2017
SADC: Living with a powerful neighbour
This policy brief analyses why the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do, with illustrations from the regional industrialisation and energy agendas.
04 December 2017
The Eastern African Standby Force: A regional mechanism without a political home
This policy brief analyses why the Eastern African Standby Force and its national level stakeholders operate as they do.
04 December 2017
SADC Trade and transport policy: Consolidation and corridors
This policy brief analyses why the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do on regional trade and transport.
04 December 2017
Understanding ECOWAS efforts in promoting a governance agenda
This policy brief analyses why the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and national level stakeholders operate as they do on the regional governance agenda.
04 December 2017
The Southern African Development Community: Peace and security - how to fight old and new demons?
This policy brief analyses why the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its national level stakeholders operate as they do in the policy area of peace and security.
04 December 2017
ECOWAS Energy: From national interests to regional markets and energy access?
This policy brief analyses why the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and national level stakeholders operate as they do on regional markets and energy access.
04 December 2017
La Conférence internationale sur la région des Grands Lacs (CIRGL) : davantage qu’une conférence ?
Ce document vise à expliquer le fonctionnement de la CIRGL (Conférence internationale sur la région des Grands Lacs) et des parties prenantes nationales, ainsi que les implications qui en résultent pour les partenaires institutionnels désireux de soutenir cette organisation.
04 December 2017
ECOWAS Industrialisation and youth employment: Adding value at a regional level?
This policy brief analyses why the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and national level stakeholders operate as they do on industrialisation and youth employment.
04 December 2017
The African Union: How to become fit for purpose?
This policy brief analyses the African Union (AU), to better inform stakeholders about why regional organisations and national level stakeholders operate as they do. It looks in particular at peace and security, transnational infrastructure development, and food security.
04 December 2017
ECOWAS: Political traction with Africa’s oldest regional organisation
This policy brief analyses why the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its regional and national level stakeholders operate as they do. It looks at the political traction of ECOWAS in two specific regional agendas, namely on violent conflict and unconstitutional transfers of power as well as on food security and agriculture.
04 December 2017
AU migration governance: non-aligned views on migration governance in Africa
This policy brief analyses the approaches of the African Union (AU) and national level stakeholders to migration governance and related challenges.
04 December 2017
ECOWAS trade and trade facilitation: Advancing economic integration one hurdle at a time
This policy brief analyses why the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and national level stakeholders operate as they do on trade and trade facilitation.
04 December 2017
The AU-EU Abidjan Summit: Is there life beyond migration?
04 December 2017
The African Union: the African Governance Architecture and the Charter for Democracy, Elections and Good Governance
This policy brief analyses why the African Union (AU) and national level stakeholders operate as they do, looking at the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Good Governance (ACDEG).
04 December 2017
The International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR): More than a conference platform?
This policy brief analyses why the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and its national level stakeholders operate as they do.
04 December 2017
EAC industrialisation and youth employment: Regional rhetoric, national drive
This policy brief analyses why the East African Community (EAC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do on regional industrialisation and youth employment.
04 December 2017
IGAD Food security and resilience: Common regional interests in a harsh environment?
This policy brief analyses why the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and national level stakeholders operate as they do for the case of food security.
04 December 2017
EAC food security: Private sector ambitions facing political headwinds
This policy brief analyses why the East African Community (EAC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do in the area of agricultural development and food security.
04 December 2017
IGAD and the governance agenda: The region may not always be a catalyst
This policy brief why the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and national level stakeholders operate as they do in promoting governance reforms.
04 December 2017
The East African Community: Informal adaptation in regional trade and transport cooperation
This policy brief analyses why the East African Community (EAC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do, for the case of regional trade and transport cooperation.
04 December 2017
IGAD: High-level summitry and pragmatism in a region of persistent turbulence
This policy brief analyses why the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and national level stakeholders operate as they do in the areas of economic integration and conflict.
04 December 2017
The East African Court of Justice: The hard road to independent institutions and human rights jurisdiction
This policy brief analyses why the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) and national level stakeholders operate as they do.
04 December 2017
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC): Water and security at an inter-regional cross-roads
This policy brief analyses why the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do around managing water and security related interests.
04 December 2017
The International Congo Ubangui Sanga Commission (CICOS): Going with the flow – from navigation to climate finance in less than 20 years?
This policy brief analyses why the International Congo-Ubangui-Sanga Commission (CICOS) and national level stakeholders operate as they do around managing water and climate change related interests.
04 December 2017
The Nile Basin Initiative: Balancing historical rights, national needs and regional interests
What blocks or drives regional integration in Africa? And what role do regional organisations play in this? To answer these questions, we have dug deeper into the political economy dynamics of 17 regional organisations in Africa.
04 December 2017
COMESA industrialisation: Regional integration, cooperation or learning?
This policy brief analyses why the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and national level stakeholders operate as they do around regional industrialisation policy.
04 December 2017
The NEPAD Agency: How to translate vision into practice?
This policy brief analyses why the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency operates as it does, highlighting the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the case of NEPAD support for fisheries in Guinea.
04 December 2017
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa: Incentive-based institutional reform?
This policy brief analyses why the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and its national level stakeholders operate as they do. It does so by looking at trade and economic integration, and electricity trade through the East African Power Pool (EAPP).
04 December 2017
The Niger Basin Authority: Reconciling upstream and downstream interests on the Niger River
This policy brief analyses why the Niger Basin Authority (NBA/ABN) and its national level stakeholders operate as they do around managing water related interests.
04 December 2017
The Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC): Global ambitions and hidden gains
This policy brief analyses why the Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC) and its national level stakeholders operate as they do.
04 December 2017
The SADC Water Agenda: Managing or developing regional water resources?
This policy brief analyses why the Southern African Development Community and national level stakeholders operate as they do around the SADC agenda on shared water resources.
04 December 2017
Analysis of the implementation of the African Union's 0.2% levy: Progress and challenges
27 November 2017
How North Africa’s look towards the south can shake up AU-EU relations
Now that North Africa is looking south and moving closer to African organisations, it is time to understand how this will affect AU-EU relations.
27 November 2017
Au delà des discours : l'Afrique et l'Europe vont-elles mobiliser ensemble les investissements pour le développement ?
San Bilal insiste sur la coopération entre l'Europe et l'Afrique pour mobiliser des investissements, plutôt que de dépendre des initiatives propres de l'UE.
27 November 2017
Can Africa and Europe jointly walk the talk on investment mobilisation?
Ahead of the AU-EU Summit, ECDPM’s San Bilal urges Europe and Africa to work together to mobilise investment, rather than solely rely on EU own initiatives.
27 November 2017
Can EU-Africa relations be deepened? A political economy perspective on power relations, interests and incentives
21 November 2017
Can the EU prioritise both the African Union and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific group?
20 November 2017
EU-Africa: Breaking the silence and the vested interests
16 November 2017
From walls to calls: Africa and Europe can shape the future
16 November 2017
How to renew the EU-Africa Partnership through transcontinental youth networks
16 November 2017
Radical innovation or muddling through?
The European Partnership Agreements, under conclusion or negotiation with the European Union, will help to stimulate inclusive growth, but only if governments, business and centres of learning put in place the right framework conditions.
16 November 2017
Shared values? Maybe. But how effective are they?
Since 2007, the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) have pursued the joint Africa-EU strategy (JAES), which “reflects the Euro-African consensus on values, joint interests and common strategic objectives”. At a time when both partners are working to replace the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) in 2020 and on the eve of the 5th Africa-EU Summit, it is a good moment to reflect on the effectiveness of shared values.
16 November 2017
Technology to empower society: The BarefootLaw experience
A new generation of young African entrepreneurs are taking on the major challenges in their society, using technology and innovative thinking applied to their local context. They are providing a potential blueprint for solving other problems across the continent.
16 November 2017
Africa-Europe relations: Time to reboot – Volume 6, Issue 5 (November/December 2017)
'To rebuild mutual trust, both Europe and Africa will have to design new and more effective types of partnerships and shake off past habits and practices.'
16 November 2017
The AU-EU partnership for peace and security
The European Union (EU) has been a long-standing partner for peace since the African Union (AU) came into existence. As the AU marks its 15th year, it is useful to reflect on what the partnership between the two continents and organisations has achieved and to identify specific initiatives for the future in terms of ongoing cooperation.
16 November 2017
The race to close the gateway to Europe
As irregular migration to European countries continues, both the EU and its Member States have stepped up their efforts to reach a solution through the transit points in North Africa.
16 November 2017
Union africaine – Union européenne : comment rendre la coopération plus efficace et plus avantageuse ?
16 November 2017
The world is changing: The relationship needs changing too
Rapid and significant changes in the global arena are reshaping Africa’s relations with the rest of the world. As emerging global players are expanding their footprint in Africa, European countries cannot rely on their shared history with the continent to guarantee their place under the sun.
16 November 2017
‘Africa rising’ means taking ownership of its knowledge production
16 November 2017
A dialogue of the deaf?
16 November 2017
Ensuring a more effective and beneficial cooperation
16 November 2017
EU-Africa relations - Editorial
16 November 2017
Beyond slogans: Challenges to local empowerment in transitioning Tunisia
13 November 2017
Time to strengthen strategic partnerships for peace and security in Africa
13 November 2017
West African cement - Stuck between politics and economics?
This blog takes the example of cement as a sector where policy ambitions and private sector activities seem to align. Yet, it also identifies challenges.
09 November 2017
The EU’s financial instruments for access to energy in sub-Saharan Africa
06 November 2017
Finding the middle ground: Is the EU changing its engagement with middle-income countries?
According to the EU, traditional development cooperation will no longer do the trick for middle-income countries (MICs). What will be the alternative?
06 November 2017
Trade and food security in West Africa
Blog on the issue of facilitating trade in West Africa. It explains how trade barriers are often a key source of livelihoods for those operating at borders.
30 October 2017
What the Dutch iron lady has in store for Europe and Africa
Sigrid Kaag has been appointed as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands. What can Europe and Africa expect from her?
30 October 2017
A message to African and European leaders: ‘More of the same is not good enough’
23 October 2017
‘Making Africa work’ - What not to do
16 October 2017
Ending hunger and malnutrition: The role of public-private partnerships
13 October 2017
Negotiating the next EU budget: A unique opportunity for EU foreign and development policy
09 October 2017
Relations ACP-UE après 2020 : se tourner vers l'avenir ou prolonger le passé ?
05 October 2017
Sectoral multi-stakeholder initiatives at EU level: quo vadis?
29 September 2017
Strategically financing an effective role for the EU in the world: First reflections on the next EU budget
29 September 2017
Don’t expect perfection but progress! Multi-stakeholder initiatives to foster responsible business conduct
28 September 2017
Interactive map: Mapping regional organisations in Africa
The interactive map covers 40 African organisations for regional cooperation and integration. Discover which countries belong to which organisations and navigate the complex landscape of overlaps.
18 September 2017
Hard Brexit proposed for EU development
Andrew Sherriff and Helene Vanvolsem comment on the UK government‘s paper on the future of EU-UK relations concerning development aid after Brexit.
18 September 2017
Policy Coherence in 2017: Lessons from the United Nations High Level Political Forum
The 2017 UN High Level Political Forum showed that there is a broad consensus on the need for policy coherence, even though defining it is still a challenge
18 September 2017
Regional organisations in Africa - Mapping multiple memberships
15 September 2017
Bring NUS back to the table!
NUS, or Neglected and Underutilized Species, are wild, cultivated or semi-domesticated non-commodity crops at the margin of mainstream agriculture. Their contribution to tackling food and nutrition insecurity and climate change vulnerability is huge and can no longer be overlooked. They might not be ‘neglected’ for much longer.
12 September 2017
Policy coherence across the food system for nutrition: from challenge to opportunity?
Policy coherence occurs when policy actions across sectors and stakeholders are actively aligned towards meeting agreed objectives. Policies that affect the food system are currently not aligned towards improved nutrition outcomes. Yet there are opportunities for greater coherence. Identifying priorities for action will require careful analysis.
12 September 2017
Virtuous emulsification of business and nutrition
The title ‘Virtuous Emulsification of Business and Nutrition’ signals the need for emulsification of business and nutrition: they can’t be treated as oil and water indefinitely. We need more emulsifiers.
12 September 2017
What role for informal markets in achieving sustainable and inclusive food systems?
The informal economy is the main route for food to reach consumers in much of the global South. Its dominance and dynamism challenges our understanding of what constitutes a sustainable and inclusive food system.
12 September 2017
Voluntary standards and institutional innovations – the right path to sustainable and inclusive food systems?
Enabling consumers to identify products as being produced sustainably is fundamental to incentivising farmers to market their products in this way. In this article, we reflect upon what we know about efforts to link sustainable production with responsible consumption both within global value chains and within domestic markets in developing countries.
12 September 2017
How can a bank’s financial services and networks contribute to the sustainability of food systems?
Finance can play a role in moving towards more sustainable food systems. ECDPM’s Paulina Bizzotto Molina and Jeske van Seters explore this topic with Maarten Biermans and Alain Cracau of Rabobank, an agricultural cooperative bank founded nearly 120 years ago in the Netherlands. What do you see as the main challenges, risks and opportunities in making food systems more sustainable and what is the particular role of Rabobank in this challenge?
12 September 2017
I couldn't believe that in Africa we export what we produce, and import what we eat!
The objective of Marie Diongoye Konaté’s company, Protein “Kissèe–La”, is to transform local grains into a high nutritional value product for adults and children, thus improving nutrition, adding value to local products and creating local jobs. “I knew from the beginning that it would be hard work,” she says in this interview with ECDPM guest editor Carmen Torres. “But I also knew people would eventually recognise the quality and the value of the product.” And they did.
12 September 2017
Sustainable food systems – Volume 6, Issue 4 (September/October 2017)
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development puts sustainability at the heart of a wide range of human activities. Agriculture, and more broadly activities in our current food systems, are no exception. This issue of Great Insights magazine explores how we can achieve greater sustainability and inclusiveness.
12 September 2017
Food challenges and opportunities in Nairobi
ECDPM's Hanne Knaepen interviews Dr. Diana Lee-Smith, co-founder of the Kenya NGO Mazingira Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, about the food challenges Nairobi faces. Hanne Knaepen: What are the major challenges that the city food system in Nairobi faces, amidst competing claims on scarce natural resources such as land and water that can become more acute under increasing population pressure and climate change?
12 September 2017
The right evidence to guide integrated investments for food security in Laikipia County, Kenya
Mapping food flows, coupled with ecological, social, and spatial data, helped create a “dashboard” that will strengthen the impact of the next five-year county integrated development plan.
12 September 2017
Towards more sustainable food systems - Editorial
The UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, as a universal agenda, provides a valuable framework to put sustainability at the heart of a wide range of human activities. Agriculture, and more broadly food system activities, are no exception.
12 September 2017
Investing in agricultural transformation to achieve sustainable food systems
ECDPM’s Francesco Rampa interviewed H. E. Mrs. Josefa Sacko about the critical challenges and tremendous opportunities African agriculture faces, linking development to nutrition, food security and broader climate issues.
12 September 2017
Minister Martina and Italy's experience in green farming policies
12 September 2017
A panoply of policy instruments to promote sustainable food systems in West Africa
ECDPM’s Carmen Torres interviews ECOWAS Director Alain Sy Traoré, on how his organisation is seeking to use its new agricultural policy, ECOWAP 2015-2025, and various other policy tools, to promote agricultural development, food and nutrition security and the sustainability of food systems in West Africa.
12 September 2017
Challenges and perspectives for supporting sustainable and inclusive food systems
This article outlines prospects for enhancing sustainability, resilience and inclusiveness in food system development and indicates strategic pathways to address the different interlinked challenges.
12 September 2017
Diversification for sustainable food systems and the role of ECDPM
12 September 2017
Why are sustainable food systems paramount to the World Health Organization’s nutrition mission?
For the first time, the WHO recognizes sustainable food systems as paramount to population health with its “Ambition and Action in Nutrition 2016-2025”.
12 September 2017
The odyssey of elections in Africa: A new era of democracy and rule of law?
11 September 2017
Regional markets, politics and value chains: The case of West African cement
07 September 2017
ACP-EU relations beyond 2020: Engaging the future or perpetuating the past?
04 September 2017
Why is it so difficult to develop sustainable tourism in West and East Africa?
Tourism is a sector with great potential and yet it is still struggling to flourish in several African countries. This blog focuses on West and East Africa.
01 September 2017
Options and opportunities to make food value chains more environmentally sustainable and resilient in Sub-Saharan Africa
31 August 2017
An exploratory analysis of measures to make trade facilitation work for inclusive regional agro-food value chains in West Africa
14 August 2017
Recommendations for the development of a future Situational Awareness, Information Exchange and Operation Control Platform (OCP) in EU civilian CSDP missions
31 July 2017
Rapport annuel 2016: Au service des politiques efficaces
24 July 2017
Coherence report - Insights from the external evaluation of the External Financing Instruments
14 July 2017
Between global and hyperlocal: A territorial approach to partnerships in mining
The transformative nature of mining calls for an integrated territorial approach to multi-stakeholder partnerships and a better task division between companies, authorities, civil society and development partners.
10 July 2017
Responsible mining: Partnership to help achieve the SDGs
Partnerships in the mining sector can contribute to sustainable development. A group of large mining companies is working towards such partnerships at a European level.
10 July 2017
On the political economy of reforms in the extractive sector
Poor or inappropriate policies, governance and institutional structures have commonly been blamed for the resource curse that plagues so many developing countries. Instead of focusing on mainly technical remedies, more effort should be dedicated to designing reforms that are incentive-compatible with key stakeholders that can drive or hinder such reforms, and to promoting initiatives that can enhance domestic incentives towards a pro-development path in resource-rich countries.
10 July 2017
African mining, employment and women’s empowerment
Extractive industries can play an important role in economic development in poorer countries, but its effects on gender equality have received little focus. This article discusses findings from recent empirical papers exploring the effect of large-scale mining on women’s empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa.
10 July 2017
From mines and wells to well-built minds: Turning Sub-Saharan Africa’s natural resource wealth into human capital
Sub-Saharan Africa's natural resource-rich countries should invest some of their rents in the foundations of human capital, a smart strategy to convert finite resource wealth into broad-based long-term development.
10 July 2017
Lack of skilled human capital in resource-rich Africa: The real paradox?
The poor level of skills and institutional development in natural resource management observed in most resource-rich African countries comes not only from the lack of incentives to invest in human capital but also from the perverse effects of the international division of labour.
10 July 2017
A global initiative to end support to conflict through mineral production and trade
The OECD, together with other international and regional organisations, the global private sector and civil society, has developed a programme to support companies to increase transparency and integrity and address risks in their mineral supply chains.
10 July 2017
Trade as a vehicle of our values and development: The new EU Regulation on conflict minerals
The new EU Regulation on conflict minerals, which entered into force on 8 June, shows how value-based and responsible trade can help conflict regions develop sustainably.
10 July 2017
Mining for development – Volume 6, Issue 3 (July/August 2017)
This issue of GREAT Insights brings together a wide range of perspectives, taking mining as a starting point to address more fundamental dimensions of the sustainable development agenda.
10 July 2017
EU’s ore and metal import flows and engagement towards responsible sourcing in industry supply chains
Resource-rich countries and the EU are closely connected by complex raw material flows. This article shows the origin of EU metal imports and outlines the related EU responsibility for social and environmental impacts and a higher net-benefit for resource-rich developing countries.
10 July 2017
Embracing the complexity of mining for development - Editorial
Extractive resources have the potential to bring significant wealth to a country. Whether this translates into sustainable development is a totally different ball game. The rich-endowment of natural resources is often a mixed blessing, and at times a genuine curse. In the context of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the extractive sector touches upon most, if not all, the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
10 July 2017
A high price for cheap electronics
Though an important step in the right direction, the accompanying measures to the EU Regulation on the responsible sourcing of minerals from conflict affected and high-risk areas risk failing to adequately tackle challenges on the ground in source countries.
10 July 2017
Mining for Africa’s development
Africa’s all-important mining sector is in crisis. At its root is a lack of trust between mining companies, governments and civil society. A failure to tackle this crisis will result in serious, adverse implications for both economic growth and employment prospects at the very moment the continent’s need for jobs is rapidly increasing.
10 July 2017
From Africa to Country Mining Visions
In implementing country mining to transform their economies, African countries should foster the development of inclusive supply chains and stimulate upstream production linkages, including by tapping on the potential of mining procurement and designing national suppliers’ development programmes.
10 July 2017
When local content requirements meet technological innovations
The robots are coming to the mine nearest you. Technological innovations are shaping our future and changing the old way of doing things, including the productive systems in resource extraction.
10 July 2017
Five key linkages to enable resource-led growth
A robust governance framework in resource-rich countries to promote the linkages to be strengthened for sustainable and diverse economic development is critical to realise the benefits from resource-led growth.
10 July 2017
Blueprints for sustainable industrialisation in West Africa: Lessons from resource-rich Nigeria
Sustainable industrialisation is the key to unlocking inclusive prosperity in West Africa. Nigerian companies like LADOL provide valuable examples of how the private sector can drive development in these resource-rich, high-growth, low-income markets.
10 July 2017
Local communities can reap better benefits from mining if market and fiscal channels are strong
Transforming resource wealth into well-being remains an important issue in Africa’s resource-abundant economies. Most benefits from extractives in Africa are likely to flow through national treasuries. But do local communities situated close to extraction sites gain any additional benefits?
10 July 2017
Gestion des conflits dans le cadre de l'Architecture africaine de la paix et de sécurité (APSA)
06 July 2017
Étude sur la cohérence des politiques pour le développement agricole et la sécurité alimentaire : le cas de l'agriculture et du commerce au Burkina Faso
06 July 2017
G20 in Hamburg and the migration agenda: How changing US policies are affecting global discussions
Ahead of the G20 in Hamburg, Noemi Cascone and Anna Knoll discuss how changing US policies are affecting global discussions.
06 July 2017
ECDPM Annual Report 2016
ECDPM's 2016 Annual Report is out! Find out more about our work in 2016 at ecdpm.org/ar16.
29 June 2017
Time to move to an interest-driven Africa-EU political partnership (part two)
Geert Laporte lays out eights ways for the partnership between Africa and Europe to work better ahead of the EU-Africa Summit in November this year.
26 June 2017
Time to move towards an interest-driven Africa-EU political partnership (part one)
Geert Laporte elaborates upon the reasons why, in his opinion, the partnership between Africa and Europe has failed to meet the hype and hope of the JAES.
19 June 2017
The impact of Economic Partnership Agreements on the development of African value chains
15 June 2017
UK election and Brexit: No clarity in sight for development and trade
11 June 2017
Investing in culture and creativity: Reflections from the European Development Days
Greta Galeazzi takes stock of the talks that took place during the session on investing in creativity at the European Development Days 2017.
09 June 2017
Rethinking Germany’s peace policy: From crisis management to sustainable peace?
09 June 2017
Europe's response to violent conflict: Shifting priorities in a changing world?
The world is undergoing major changes: how is Europe adapting to these in the field of peacebuilding? Blog and interviews.
29 May 2017
Tunisia’s decentralisation process at a crossroads
24 May 2017
The nexus between food and nutrition security, and migration: Clarifying the debate and charting a way forward
19 May 2017
Gender budgeting in sub-Saharan Africa
Rwanda and Uganda are two sub-Saharan African countries that have achieved success with gender budgeting—an initiative to use fiscal policy and administration to address gender inequality and women’s and girls’ advancement. This short article highlights their efforts.
16 May 2017
Illicit financial flows and promoting gender equality through tax systems
Tax has historically been seen as an overly technical issue reserved for experts in the field. However, it is clear that it can be used to address inequalities and especially gender inequalities, and so it is an area that must be recognised as a feminist issue.
16 May 2017
Gender equality essential to confront climate change impacts
Involving men and women equally in decision-making processes results in more sustainable climate action. CARE’s community-based projects prove that through capacity-building efforts, men and women can play complementary roles.
16 May 2017
Women's struggle in food value chains
Women are structurally disadvantaged at the various stages of the dairy value chain. Although positive stories are emerging, more efforts are needed. Yet this is not a women’s struggle alone; involving men in consultation processes and implementation is crucial.
16 May 2017
Engaging men and boys for gender equality... What do women have to do with it?
We can do it! An insider’s feminist view on Sonke Gender Justice – Can a “men’s organisation” become an inclusive organisation implementing the strategy of engaging men and boys for gender equality?
16 May 2017
She drives change – Volume 6, Issue 2 (May/June 2017)
This issue of GREAT Insights brings together many perspectives and insights on the varied and innovative approaches related to gender equality.
16 May 2017
She drives change - Editorial
No regions, countries or communities can meet the challenges of the 21st century without fully and equally involving women and men, girls and boys.
16 May 2017
'SheTrades' and we all benefit
To generate the economic transformation required to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030, trade will have to be shaped to account for the needs of the poor, the majority of whom are women.
16 May 2017
No sustainable improvements in nutrition unless women and girls are empowered as agents of change
ECDPM’s Carmen Torres talks to Gerda Verburg, SUN Movement Coordinator and Assistant UN Secretary-General.
16 May 2017
Women, peace and security: Making sure that the voice of the voiceless is being heard
ECDPM Guest Editor Sophie Desmidt talks to H.E. Bineta Diop, the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission Chairperson.
16 May 2017
Gender considerations in efforts to prevent the spread of radicalisation and violent extremism
In the fight against violent extremism, women are still operating informally, in the margin of official decision-making. It is time for a more inclusive approach that promotes women’s participation in these efforts.
16 May 2017
Humanitarian crises are not temporary, nor are sexual and reproductive health needs
Women and girls are disproportionately affected in humanitarian crises and face multiple sexual and reproductive health challenges in these contexts.
16 May 2017
Conflict management under the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA)
21 April 2017
Sealing the leak: Addressing financing around the 2030 Agenda
In order to finance the Sustainable Development Goals, it is important to address the issue of illicit financial flows at all levels.
19 April 2017
Mapping of EU funding for culture in the ENP
14 April 2017
Corruption: A complex method of tax dodging in Africa
Luckystar Miyandazi looks at the link between corruption and tax dodging in Africa and highlights initiatives to counter corruption on the continent.
31 March 2017
What does the European Parliament say about the EU’s international cultural relations?
Greta Galeazzi explains how, in a moment of existential crisis for the EU, culture and values need to be at the heart of the debates in Europe.
24 March 2017
Will the new Communication on resilience help to make EU external action more effective?
In this blog, Volker Hauck casts light on the term 'resilience" and its implications for EU external action in situations of fragile and protracted crisis.
17 March 2017
Egypt under the spotlight: Can it be a safe third country? – Blog 3
This is third blog from our series dedicated to how the EU is seeking collaboration with North Africa to curb migration towards Europe. Focus on Egypt.
17 March 2017
Policy coherence and the 2030 Agenda: Building on the PCD experience
This paper sheds light on the new concept of PCSD (policy coherence for sustainable development) and discusses which useful lessons can be learned from past experiences with policy coherence for development (PCD) in promoting the even more ambitious PCSD agenda.
16 March 2017
EU-Tunisia cooperation on migration: Conflicting agendas? – Blog 2
In this blog we take a closer look at the way the European Union (EU) and Tunisia are collaborating in the field of migration.
15 March 2017
The EU's migration cooperation with North Africa: will the carrot and stick approach work? – Blog 1
This blog looks at the rationale and objectives behind the EU’s wish to collaborate with North Africa on migration: what type of cooperation is envisaged?
10 March 2017
Is the Nile Basin Initiative a ‘regional sailboat’ in choppy geopolitical waters?
This blog looks at political economy dynamics of the Nile Basin Initiative, a ten-country organisation facilitating cooperation around the Nile River Basin.
03 March 2017
The European External Investment Plan and sustainable development - don't reinvent the wheel, just realign it
Addressing Africa’s infrastructure gap has become a key priority for development practitioners and policy-makers, but do the various initiatives align?
03 March 2017
Do values still matter in the Europe-Africa partnership?
Europe and Africa are at a crossroads: either both continents pull back on democracy or they make it again an essential component of their partnership.
24 February 2017
Revisiting EU assistance in crisis situations: What place for humanitarian aid?
The EU needs to renew its approach to crises response and to better combine humanitarian aid with long-term development. Will it manage to do so in 2017?
23 February 2017
Des moyens à la hauteur des priorités : Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE en 2017
23 February 2017
Youth: a shared priority for Europe and Africa
Youth in Europe and Africa is a shared priority on both continents. This blog explores the hopes and concerns expressed by some the young Europeans.
23 February 2017
Building competences for partnering: How donors can ensure multi-stakeholder partnerships succeed
23 February 2017
Animation: Policy coherence for sustainable development
By 2030, all nations must deliver on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and its 169 targets. Yet, this will be possible only if policies work in harmony across different domains. Goal 17 therefore calls for policy coherence for sustainable development. Our animation explains what policy coherence is – and how can we achieve it.
22 February 2017
The multi-faceted dimensions of job creation for youth in fragile states - Editorial
This issue of GREAT Insights brings together a range of perspectives on the pressing question of how better to promote youth employment in fragile and conflict-affected countries.
21 February 2017
Complex paths: Supporting mixed livelihoods in fragile states
As in most fragile states, traditional concepts of ‘employment’ as a singular state do not apply in Liberia. Instead, many young people navigate complex livelihoods, earning income from multiple sources. The implications of these ‘portfolios of work’ are outlined below.
21 February 2017
Youth employment for resilience in fragile and conflict-affected states
The Pacific region is attempting to use strategic partnerships to address the growing challenge of youth unemployment in an environment with limited opportunities for sustainable development.
21 February 2017
When money finishes, people remain: The challenges of youth unemployment in Nigeria
The need to tackle rising youth unemployment is clear to all. Nigeria needs to develop a coordinated, overarching youth employment policy, approved at the highest level of government, to guide all the interventions.
21 February 2017
Employing ex-combatants in fragile and conflict-affected countries
While specific employment programmes have been developed to facilitate the reintegration of ex-combatants, policy makers in post-conflict societies need to give equal priority to employment programmes for both ex-combatants and ordinary civilians, bringing them together.
21 February 2017
Youth employment in fragile countries – Volume 6, Issue 1 (February/March 2017)
The latest issue of our magazine GREAT insights brings together a range of perspectives on the pressing question of how better to promote youth employment in fragile and conflict-affected countries.
21 February 2017
Agricultural value chains and their potential for youth employment in fragile and conflict-affected contexts
As agriculture is one of the most promising sectors in most fragile and conflict-affected environments, this article explores some of the key challenges and obstacles agricultural value chain development poses for youth employment.
21 February 2017
Youth employment opportunities in African agrifood systems
Rapidly transforming agrifood systems has the potential to drive the expansion of youth employment and broad-based economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. Focusing on Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania, this article highlights the most promising opportunities and needed policy and programme changes.
21 February 2017
Do jobs aid peace? The impact of employment interventions on peace, security and stability
The idea that jobs build peace is the backdrop to many employment interventions, yet despite promising theories of change, weak systematic knowledge leaves the concept reliant on hope and assumption.
21 February 2017
Youth employment in fragile states: Building the foundations first
High and persistent youth unemployment only reinforces fragility. IFC’s approach to supporting youth employment in fragile and conflict-affected countries is to help tackle structural issues in those economies, through an innovative ‘fragility and conflict lens’.
21 February 2017
A New Deal is needed for youth
The New Deal offers crucial principles for fragile states, but political commitment is lacking and youth populations could be left behind in development. Leaders must recommit to prevent future conflict.
21 February 2017
What is the new European Consensus on Development for?
While the new European Consensus on Development moves aways from "business as usual", there are still many open questions that need to be solved.
17 February 2017
Animation: Empowering women in Africa – A crucial step to achieving food security
Girls and young women represent a crucial invisible labour force in the developing world. They play a key role as producers of food, managers of natural resources, income earners, and main caregivers of their families and communities. Nevertheless, gender-based discrimination denies rural women and girls equitable access to productive resources and opportunities. In this animation we explain why empowering women in Africa is a crucial step to achieving food security.
06 February 2017
Did the 28th African Union summit meet its hype and hope?
In this blog, ECDPM researchers reflect upon the outcomes of the 28th African Union summit, the new AU leadership and the proposed reforms.
03 February 2017
EU support to democracy: a new endowment first, a strategy to follow?
03 February 2017
Making Waves: Implications of the irregular migration and refugee situation on Official Development Assistance spending and practices in Europe
01 February 2017
Stratégie de l'ECDPM 2017-2021
31 January 2017
De-securitising conflict responses in Africa: What prospects for a structural conflict prevention approach?
27 January 2017
Taking steps ahead: Towards a new vision for migration in 2017
ECDPM’s Anna Knoll explains why the EU should adopt a long-term thinking towards the issue of migration in 2017.
20 January 2017
Eight notable moments for Europe and Africa: Looking back at 2016 and ahead to 2017
As we’ve entered a new year, we look back at some notable moments from 2016 – a turbulent time for international cooperation and global development. What were some of the highlights, particularly in Europe and Africa? What did we have to say about them? And what will 2017 have in store?
13 January 2017
Matching means to priorities: Challenges for EU-Africa relations in 2017
09 January 2017
ECDPM Code of Governance
Good governance is essential for the functioning and wellbeing of any organisation. Our code of governance sets out ECDPM's governance policy and provides guidelines for effective cooperation, supervision and accountability.
01 January 2017
Does the EU have the right instruments to finance assistance in protracted crises and the needs of the upper middle income countries?
23 December 2016
The EU engagement in protracted crises: Towards a comprehensive approach?
23 December 2016
African perspectives on trade and the WTO
22 December 2016
From regionalism to cross-regionalism
22 December 2016
Trade agreements can substantially boost exports
22 December 2016
Do international trade rules prevent local content policies?
22 December 2016
A simple and targeted trade policy for developing countries after Brexit
22 December 2016
Investment promotion for sustainable development: The roles of DFIs and export credit agencies
22 December 2016
Global trade slowdown and SDGs
22 December 2016
The CFTA clock is ticking …
22 December 2016
Links between trade and gender in the African services sector
22 December 2016
CSR in international trade and investment agreements
22 December 2016
Labour standards in EU free trade agreements: Working towards what end?
22 December 2016
The EU trade policy approach to human rights and sustainability: The case of EPAs
22 December 2016
Shifts in trade development – Volume 5, Issue 6 (December 2016/January 2017)
22 December 2016
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 5, Issue 6 (December 2016 / January 2017)
22 December 2016
EU trade policy: Gender-sensitive or gender blind?
22 December 2016
Shifts in trade development - Editorial
19 December 2016
Hopes for a global approach to Tax Avoidance in 2017
Uzo Madu from 'What's in it for Africa' reflects upon the steps taken by the EU in 2016 to face tax avoidance, and the impact of the latter for Africa.
16 December 2016
Blending 2.0: Towards new (European External) Investment Plans
16 December 2016
Living apart together: EU development cooperation and humanitarian aid in situations of fragility and protracted crisis
15 December 2016
Donor coordination and transport in West Africa - towards people, partnership and prosperity?
Lowering transport costs along key transport corridors is increasingly being taken as an approach around Africa. West Africa is not to be left behind.
09 December 2016
Should Europe pay to enhance military capabilities in Africa?
Mr. Lars-Erik Lundin from SIPRI explores issues of security between the EU and Africa in a guest blog ahead of ECDPM's Challenges Paper 2017.
09 December 2016
Local content, trade and investment: Is there policy space left for linkages development in resource-rich countries?
09 December 2016
Promoting regional trade in pulses in the Horn of Africa
09 December 2016
Development for Policy Coherence? How migration took over EU-Africa relations
MEP Judith Sargentini looks at the challenges posed by migration to EU-Africa relations. This blog is the first of a series ahead of ECDPM Challenges Paper.
02 December 2016
Stronger together: Amplifying partnerships to finance the SDGs in Africa
The African Union is to look for partnerships based on equality to finance the SDGs implementation, while trying to achieve financial independence.
30 November 2016
Donor agencies and multi-stakeholder partnerships: Harnessing interests or herding cats?
30 November 2016
ECDPM work plan 2017-2018
30 November 2016
ECDPM strategy 2017-2021
30 November 2016
The impact of regional integration on poverty in developing countries – Policy brief 1
29 November 2016
Regional integration and poverty in the EAC – Policy brief 2
29 November 2016
Preliminary analysis of the EU Communication on a renewed partnership with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific
This week, the European Commission published a Communication on a new partnership with the ACP. ECDPM presents a preliminary analysis of the Communication.
25 November 2016
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater: Why Policy Coherence for Development still has a role to play
This blog discusses Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development and explains why Policy Coherence for Development is still pivotal for development.
24 November 2016
Stuck in the middle: Agriculture and climate change at COP22
While keeping up the momentum for the global climate movement is a good result in itself, COP22 did not deliver sufficient concrete outcomes.
23 November 2016
Understanding African and European perspectives on migration: Towards a better partnership for regional migration governance?
22 November 2016
CSO-business partnerships for development: Key insights
21 November 2016
A ‘how to’ note: Doing regional development differently – A political economy analysis framework for identifying drivers and constraints to regional integration
18 November 2016
I say yes, you say no: Interpreting international cooperation
This blog addresses the importance of language and interpreting within international cooperation, and what it means for European external action.
18 November 2016
Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris agreement: One year on – Why a joined-up approach to achieve environment and development goals is crucial
How to overcome the challenge of bringing together development and environmental issues? Reconciling development and environmental concerns through the SDGs
17 November 2016
Regional integration, poverty and the East African Community: What do we know and what have we learnt?
This paper considers the available evidence on the poverty impact in the context of the East African Community (EAC).
15 November 2016
The International Criminal Court, Africa and the African Union: What way forward?
With South Africa and Burundi withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and indications that other African countries may follow, Philomena Apiko and Faten Aggad analyse the underlying reasons behind the current relationship between the ICC and the African Union.
11 November 2016
Debate on the future of European development policy - Conference report
On 28 October, ECDPM organised a public debate in The Hague on the future of European development policy with European Commissioner Neven Mimica.
11 November 2016
Jemna: The challenge of local empowerment in the Tunisian hinterland
This blog presents the controversial debate over the Jemna oasis in Tunisia. Locals are claiming ownership over the land but are meeting state resistance.
10 November 2016
COP22: Spotlight on agriculture, Africa and action
COP22 focuses on Africa, agriculture, and action. Clime-smart agriculture (CSA) is a crucial element for the implementation of climate action plans.
10 November 2016
Explorer les scénarios pour l'avenir de la coopération ACP-UE : un outil d'analyse pour des choix informés
31 October 2016
Why do we need the African Union?
21 October 2016
Managing European talent in EU external action: Hasn’t Brexit already served as a wake-up call?
In his third blog ahead of the implementation plan of the EU’s Global Strategy, Damien Helly explains how the EU could better manage European talent.
21 October 2016
Les dynamiques d’économie politique des organisations régionales en Afrique – projet PEDRO (2018-2020)
Qu’est-ce qui bloque ou favorise l’intégration régionale en Afrique ? Quels rôles y jouent les organisations régionales ? Quels sont les facteurs d’attractivité et les dynamiques de pouvoir qui les animent ? Notre dernier projet sur la dynamique de l'économie politique des organisations régionales en Afrique (PEDRO) tente de répondre à cette question en examinant pas moins de 17 organisations.
18 October 2016
The political economy of regional organisations in Africa – PEDRO project (2018-2020)
What blocks or drives regional integration in Africa? What role do regional organisations play in this? What are the incentives and power dynamics at play? Our latest project on the political economy dynamics of regional organisations in Africa (PEDRO) tries to answer this question by looking at no less than 17 organisations.
18 October 2016
There is more to the African Union than meets the eye
This blog highlights past, present and future challenges and opportunities of the African Union. It features a guide to the AU in the international arena.
14 October 2016
Rapport annuel 2015 : Des politiques efficaces pour des solutions mondiales durables
10 October 2016
EU Global Strategy blog series: Towards a European external human resources management system
Series of blog posts ahead of the publication of the implementation plan of the EU’s Global Strategy or Foreign and Security Policy by ECDPM’s Damien Helly
07 October 2016
The European External Investment Plan: An innovative new chapter
06 October 2016
Agro-industrial parks key for Ethiopia's industrial policy
06 October 2016
SDGs changing the way we engage with the private sector
06 October 2016
Mobilising private capital for sustainable development
06 October 2016
Supporting private sector with development funds: Putting the cart before the horse?
06 October 2016
Diaspora contribution to achieving the SDGs
06 October 2016
SMEs' competitiveness for sustainable value chains
06 October 2016
Working with partners to upscale sustainable agriculture
06 October 2016
Women and entrepreneurship in Africa
06 October 2016
The future of EU support to peace and security in Africa: What implications for the African Peace Facility beyond 2020?
06 October 2016
Sustainability principles for public-private partnerships
06 October 2016
A territorial approach to multi-stakeholder partnerships
06 October 2016
Africa's growing tech hubs and smart cities
06 October 2016
2030: Smart engagement with business – Volume 5, Issue 5 (October/November 2016)
06 October 2016
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 5, Issue 5 (October/November 2016)
06 October 2016
Promoting private sector development by development partners
06 October 2016
2030: Smart engagement with business - Editorial
06 October 2016
Mobilising the private sector for sustainable industrialisation
06 October 2016
Fast-tracking connectivity solutions through private-public partnerships in Africa
03 October 2016
Who will implement the EU Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy?
30 September 2016
Sharing is caring? Making public-private partnerships more sustainable
Can sustainability principles and criteria make public-private partnerships more ‘developmental’ so that sharing really means caring?
22 September 2016
How serious is the EU on aid fragmentation?
22 September 2016
Civil society meetings in EU trade agreements: Recommendations and lessons for EPAs
19 September 2016
Evaluation of the Instrument for Stability - Crisis Response Component (2007-2013): Final report
15 September 2016
Sustainability and human rights in EPAs: A comparative analysis between the Caribbean and African EPAs
13 September 2016
Empowering women in Africa: The only way to achieve food security
A slight increase in women’s assets, education and income has immediate effects such as increased agricultural productivity and reduced child malnutrition.
09 September 2016
Exploring scenarios for the future of ACP-EU cooperation: An analytical tool for informed choices
ECDPM’s new analytical tool critically interrogates four possible scenarios for the future of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) - EU partnership.
09 September 2016
Améliorer les perspectives pour le commerce et les investissements régionaux en Afrique de l'Ouest : la solution à la sécurité alimentaire, au développement économique et à la stabilité dans la région
31 August 2016
ECDPM submission to the European Commission's Public Consultation on revising the European Consensus on Development
31 August 2016
Diaspora organisations and their development potential: An analysis of Ghanaian diaspora organisations in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands
31 August 2016
Improving the perspective for regional trade and investment in West Africa: The key to food security, economic development and stability in the region
31 August 2016
Universality, integration, and policy coherence for sustainable development: Early SDG implementation in selected OECD countries
30 August 2016
Is the African Union’s financial independence a possibility?
The African Union searches for alternative, adequate, stable, and predictable funding. Can the recently adopted declaration on AU financing be a solution?
24 August 2016
How will Brexit affect the Caribbean? Overview and indicative recommendations
In this paper, Errol Humphrey - former ambassador of Barbados to the EU - explores how Brexit will affect the Caribbean.
18 August 2016
European Development Days 2016: Focus on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
ECDPM participated in the EDDs as moderators or panellists at several sessions on issues including trade and development, climate, culture, and others.
22 July 2016
Implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the European Union: Constructing an EU approach to Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development
19 July 2016
The EIB's innovative role in ACP countries under the Cotonou Agreement: Options beyond 2020
15 July 2016
A glass half full: East African dairy farmers see potential in regional cooperation
How can regional cooperation improve the situation of smallholder dairy farmers in East Africa? This blog shows potentials and challenges of cooperatives.
15 July 2016
Improving the perspective for regional trade and investment in West Africa: the key to food security, economic development and stability in the region
15 July 2016
Make regional integration in Africa work… better
14 July 2016
Cautious optimism for regional integration in sub-Saharan Africa
14 July 2016
The diversity of African regionalisms
14 July 2016
Why aiding regional integration in Africa does not work
14 July 2016
The EU’s new approach to funding regional cooperation
14 July 2016
New AU-RECs relationship needed for integration
14 July 2016
Civil society role in SADC integration: A missed opportunity
14 July 2016
Indigenous business for regional dynamics in Africa
14 July 2016
Principles for public-private partnerships - towards sustainability? Lessons from SAGCOT, healthcare in Lesotho, and Better Factories Cambodia
14 July 2016
A collaborative platform promoting regional integration
14 July 2016
Promoting business 'un'usual for food security
14 July 2016
Railway rivalry in the East African Community
14 July 2016
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 5, Issue 4 (July/August 2016)
14 July 2016
Regional integration dynamics in Africa – Volume 5, Issue 4 (July/August 2016)
14 July 2016
Regional integration dynamics in Africa: Editorial
14 July 2016
Regional integration journey in Africa
14 July 2016
Overview of trade and barriers to trade in West Africa: Insights in political economy dynamics, with particular focus on agricultural and food trade
13 July 2016
Culture in EU development policies and external action: Reframing the discussion
This paper looks at the role and place of culture in EU diplomacy and development policies, in an environment strongly influenced by the Global Goals.
08 July 2016
Brexit: First post-referendum thoughts
What impacts might Brexit have for Europe and Africa? Several ECDPM experts present initial views and ask for your input to help guide our future work.
01 July 2016
Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture: A renewed research and dialogue agenda is needed
27 June 2016
Strengthening the migration-development nexus through improved policy and institutional coherence
17 June 2016
ECDPM Annual Report 2015: Making policies work for sustainable global solutions
Want to know what ECDPM has been doing in 2015 and how we have aimed to contribute to making the Global Goals reality? Find out in our annual report.
16 June 2016
Prospects for supporting regional integration effectively: An independent analysis of the European Union's approach to the 11th European Development Fund regional programming
10 June 2016
A new EU strategic approach to global development, resilience and sustainability
09 June 2016
Making agriculture in Africa climate-smart - Work with ECDPM!
08 June 2016
Matching businesses, public support and sustainability ambitions
31 May 2016
Soutenir une intégration régionale efficace ? Ce que nous apprend la programmation du 11ème FED
31 May 2016
Evaluation of EU support to Research and Innovation for development in partner countries (2007-2013)
26 May 2016
Local content policies in mineral-rich countries: An overview
25 May 2016
Mining and community-based agribusiness for development: Multi-stakeholder partnerships in the gold sector in Ghana
23 May 2016
Sustainable rural employment or corporate social responsibility? An analysis of dairy partnerships between business and civil society organisations in Tanzania and Kenya
22 May 2016
Partnerships or patronage for development? Business-Civil Society Organisations (CSO) partnerships in the mining sector in Madagascar
21 May 2016
Supporting effective regional integration? What the 11th EDF programming tells us
20 May 2016
Blurred lines: Cases of EU development and commercial instruments for matchmaking
20 May 2016
Beyond aid in private sector engagement
19 May 2016
EU contributions to take warming below 2°C
18 May 2016
The Paris Agreement and African agriculture
18 May 2016
Linking responses to climate change and conflict
18 May 2016
How the WTO can implement the Paris Agreement
18 May 2016
EIB climate action - Putting the Paris Agreement to work
18 May 2016
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 5, Issue 3 (May/June 2016)
18 May 2016
From climate commitments to action: Editorial
18 May 2016
Paris Agreement - Gateway to a decarbonised global society
18 May 2016
From climate commitments to action – Volume, 5 Issue 3 (May/June 2016)
18 May 2016
Translating climate cooperation into action
18 May 2016
Paris Agreement: A pact of solidarity for developing countries?
18 May 2016
South Africa, Europe and Africa: Building bridges across barriers?
13 May 2016
Development diplomacy in the #EUGlobalStrategy: No slip of the tongue
How should development diplomacy feature in the EU Global strategy, and how prominently? The author of this blog addresses this questions.
12 May 2016
Tanzania and the East African Community: A comparative political economy
12 May 2016
Making agriculture in Africa climate-smart
11 May 2016
Ready for change? Global Goals at home and abroad
03 May 2016
CAADP's future? Focus on informal private sector and politics!
CAADP needs to focus on results in Africa's regions and countries, so that the private sector and smallholder farmers are the heroes of this transformation.
29 April 2016
Intercultural integration and communication: An agenda for Europe
As the EU is about to adopt a strategy on culture in external relations and a Global strategy on foreign and security policy, we argue that both documents would be stronger with the explicit mention of intercultural communication as key vehicle to (re)build trust with the world.
21 April 2016
Secteur extractif à Madagascar : quel appui à la société civile ?
21 April 2016
Réduire les inégalités régionales en Tunisie
21 April 2016
The future of EU External Action: Towards integrated policy responses for global sustainable development?
14 April 2016
The European Union’s Global Strategy: Making support for democracy and human rights a key priority
This new ETTG paper argues that it will be difficult to get clear EU commitment to make democracy and human rights a key priority in EU external action.
14 April 2016
Monitoring and reporting on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development: The example of Switzerland
07 April 2016
Four ideas to give Africa its place in the EU Global Strategy
The framework of traditional EU-Africa relations has become obsolete. Four ideas on why the new EU Global Strategy should modernise its link with Africa.
05 April 2016
Tackling regional inequalities in Tunisia
01 April 2016
The Arab Spring, an 'unfinished revolution' in Tunisia’s regions
There are serious spatial inequalities in Tunisia. In order to end economic and social disparities within the regions, the country needs to decentralise.
01 April 2016
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 5, Issue 2 (March/April 2016)
30 March 2016
Debunking myths on due diligence in mineral trade
30 March 2016
L’OMC à Nairobi : le réalisme l’a-t-il emporté sur l’ambition ?
30 March 2016
Partnerships with business for development: Editorial
30 March 2016
Towards a governance of trust: Leading collectively in multi-stakeholder partnerships
30 March 2016
Corporate-NGO inclusive business partnerships: Why they work and why they don't
30 March 2016
Waste management driving green growth
30 March 2016
Innovative partnerships: The COLEACP model
30 March 2016
Deconstructing partnerships
30 March 2016
Four tips for effective corporate-NGO partnerships
30 March 2016
Community engagement in extractive industries
30 March 2016
Partnerships with business for development – Volume 5, Issue 2 (March/April 2016)
30 March 2016
Diamonds for development
30 March 2016
Partnerships for institutional development - Think big, start small
Multi-stakeholder partnerships may offer an alternative in fostering development when there's a lack of interest from the institutions.
25 March 2016
Le mot juste : pour une terminologie positive dans le développement
18 March 2016
Using the right word: The case for positive wording in development
A negative wording seems to be increasingly used in narratives on individuals and human societies as well as economic, social and cultural development.
18 March 2016
Peacebuilding, conflict prevention and conflict monitoring in the African Peace and Security Architecture
This note looks at how the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) aims to implement effective peacebuilding and conflict prevention in Africa.
16 March 2016
Promoting inclusive business models
14 March 2016
A balancing act: EU's development and commercial goals in North Africa
Everybody is talking about it, from the European Commission and its EU member states to the Agenda 2030: business needs to be better engaged in development.
11 March 2016
Corridors, clusters, and spatial development initiatives in African agriculture
ISPC, NEPAD and ECDPM stimulated discussion between agricultural researchers and corridor stakeholders on their contributions to inclusive and sustainable development.
11 March 2016
Agricultural growth corridors: Mapping potential research gaps on impact, implementation and institutions
01 March 2016
Post-Cotonou: Preliminary positions of EU Member States
Negotiations about the Cotonou Partnership Agreement after 2020 started before the summer of 2015. This paper explores the preliminary positions of EU Member States at the very start of the negotiation process, which is now well on its way.
25 February 2016
ECDPM Institutional Evaluation 2012-2016
This report captures the findings of an institutional evaluation of the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), conducted between October 2015 and February 2016 by a team of four Agulhas evaluators with expertise in ECDPM’s key policy domains.
25 February 2016
Comment évaluer les partenariats de développement OSC-secteur privé
La référence croissante aux partenariats OSC-secteurprivé en tant que « modalité » du développement accroît l’importance d’une bonne compréhension des processus sous-tendant ces partenariats et de leurs implications en termes de politiques.
22 February 2016
Thinking beyond the resource boom: African countries must avoid procrastination
In Africa, the status quo of exporting raw materials and jobs is not an option anymore.
12 February 2016
Dealing with protracted crises: No time for short-term thinking – Challenges series 2016
Ahead of the World Humanitarian Summit this May, Matthias Deneckere explores some of the critical issues in dealing with long-term crises.
05 February 2016
Les Européens, l’UE : une longue adolescence stratégique
Dans notre série de blogs sur les grands défis à venir en 2016, Damien Helly passe en revue les obstacles à une renaissance stratégique de l’action mondiale de l’Europe. Aux prises avec une adolescence qui dure, les Européens atteindront peut-être la maturité … ou commettront un suicide politique.
05 February 2016
Prosperity for peace – Volume 5, Issue 1 (February 2016)
04 February 2016
Talking Points Blog Highlights – Great Insights, Volume 5, Issue 1 (February 2016)
04 February 2016
Prosperity for peace: Editorial
Addressing the root causes of fragility will be critical to realising the Global Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
04 February 2016
Bread and peace: Linking economic development with peacebuilding
Economic development and peace are both needed by the 1.4 billion people living in fragile, conflict-affected countries. The good news is, economic development initiatives can easily be designed to integrate peacebuilding.
04 February 2016
A delicate balance: Economic development and job creation in fragile states
While economic development - and specifically employment - hold the potential to contribute to peace- and state-building, initiatives focused on growth do not necessarily innately support these goals and, in certain circumstances, even hold the potential to exacerbate conflict.
04 February 2016
Regional economic integration in the Horn of Africa: Wishful thinking or a basis for peace?
Peacebuilding and economic integration are both long-term gradual processes that must evolve together, with an important regional dimension. No one regional organisation can take full responsibility for this, but by being adaptive and opportunistic, building on bilateral processes and growing economic interdependence while supporting peace resolution, the role for an organisation like IGAD will only grow.
04 February 2016
Making international standards on responsible business fit for purpose and prosperity in fragile and conflict affected environments
Most international standards for responsible business conduct are voluntary and place no obligation on companies and governments to implement them. With this in mind, the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding together with SOMO developed a brochure which consolidates and distils those standards most relevant to conflict affected and fragile contexts.
04 February 2016
The challenge of economic reintegration of ex-militants in Nigeria’s Niger Delta
Reintegration of ex-combatants in the economy can be a key driver for stability. The experience in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region suggests however that reintegration and training of ex-militants must target sectors with high employment potential, such as agriculture, and not mainly the oil industry.
04 February 2016
Breaking the vicious circles of illicit financial flows, conflict and insecurity
Illicit financial flows (IFF) not only thrive on conflict and insecurity but exacerbate both, by undermining the financial and political prospects for effective states to deliver and support development progress. Policies to meet the Sustainable Development Goals’ target of curtailing IFF will also promote peace and security.
04 February 2016
Integrating economic development approaches into peacebuilding in the Central African Republic
The BêkouTrust Fund, the first ever European Trust Fund, has been established to go beyond humanitarian assistance and stimulate economic recovery as well as strengthen stability in Central African Republic.
04 February 2016
Business as driver for development and peace
As multinational companies increasingly seek new business opportunities in fragile environments the question arises: How to do good business while contributing to economic development and peace?
04 February 2016
Catalysing investment in the most fragile countries
The European Investment Bank supports EU policies around the world, something which is extended to those fragile countries that need investment the most. The Bank takes a proactive approach to its projects, showing adaptability and flexibility in the financial products it offers, but also devising new instruments such as the Impact Financing Envelope to reach further than ever before. The Sustainable Development Goals adopted in September 2015 by the United Nations set ambitious targets, and we are matching those ambitions.
04 February 2016
The EU Trust Fund for Africa: A new EU instrument to accelerate peace and prosperity?
EU Trust Funds have been recently set up to deliver more flexible, swift, comprehensive and effective joint EU support in response to emergencies, fragility and other thematic priorities. Yet, expectations need to be managed, with regards to what impact can be realistically achieved with a little extra cash.
04 February 2016
Business and conflict in fragile states: The case for pragmatic solutions
International policy debates caught up in old ways of looking at business, conflict and fragility are for the most part ignoring violence reduction and conflict management approaches that can mitigate today’s growing conflicts.
01 February 2016
Mobilising African resources for Agenda 2063: A question of capacity – Challenges series 2016
Discussions for the UN Agenda 2030 have set high expectations for domestic resource mobilisation as a self-sustaining development finance strategy.
29 January 2016
The European Union's global strategy: Putting sustainable development at the heart of EU external action
The drafting of the European Union Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy is a unique opportunity for the EU to reposition itself as a global leader
27 January 2016
Plan de travail 2016 de l'ECDPM
26 January 2016
How to assess CSO-business partnerships for development
The growing reference to CSO-business partnerships as a 'modality' for development raises the importance of understanding the processes underlying these and their policy implications.
25 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – The East African Community (EAC)
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? This case study looks at EAC, and focuses on transport, infrastructure, gender and trade.
15 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? This case study looks at IGAD, and focuses on peace and security, infrastructure, and trade.
15 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa - The African Union
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? This case study looks at the AU, and focuses on peace, gender, climate, infrastructure and food.
15 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – The Southern African Development Community (SADC)
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? This case study looks at SADC, and focuses on infrastructure, gender, energy and conservation.
15 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? This case study looks at ECOWAS, and focuses on peace and security, food security and gender.
15 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? This case study looks at COMESA, and focuses on trade, energy and gender.
15 January 2016
The political economy of regional integration in Africa: What drives and constrains regional organisations? Synthesis report
What drives and constrains regional integration in Africa? And what role do regional organisations play? Find out in our PERIA study.
14 January 2016
Growing pains? The long teenage years of European strategy
Will 2016 be the year we witness the beginning of a renaissance in European strategic global action?
08 January 2016
The future of ACP-EU relations: A political economy analysis
The EU and the ACP are engaged in a soul-searching exercise and this complex policy process deserves a broad and evidence-based debate.
07 January 2016
Galvaniser les efforts en faveur des objectifs mondiaux : Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE en 2016
Cette entame de 2016 marque le début d’une nouvelle ère de la coopération internationale où le temps joue contre nous. La crise des réfugiés et des migrants, le terrorisme local et mondial, la violence et la fragilité dans les pays voisins ou plus lointains de l’UE – avec les effets manifestes du changement climatique comme facteur déclenchant ou aggravant – nous rappellent avec force qu’une action sur plusieurs fronts ne peut plus être différée.
05 January 2016
Galvanising action for the Global Goals: Challenges for EU-Africa relations in 2016
The start of 2016 leads us into a new era in international cooperation, but time is not on our side.
04 January 2016
WTO in Nairobi: Did realism win over ambition?
21 December 2015
What you shouldn’t have missed in 2015 – A chance to catch up
The year 2015 was a big year for international development and ACP-EU and Africa-EU relations. In this end-of-year blog, we share the key highlights of 2015 and what we had to say about them.
18 December 2015
Stepping up? Best practice in joint programming and prospects for EU joint cooperation strategies
EU Joint Programming Strategies have the potential to give the EU and Member States a more effective say in international cooperation
18 December 2015
COP21: A historic, but still fragile milestone for climate change
The Paris climate deal is a clear step in the right direction, and gives hope on the ability of the world leaders to organise collective action to address global threats.
18 December 2015
Challenges to a comprehensive EU migration and asylum policy
There are fundamental structural reasons for the failure to deliver a comprehensive and effective EU approach to the refugee crisis.
18 December 2015
A pragmatic review of the European Neighbourhood Policy that leaves some key dilemmas untackled
The EU has reviewed its main framework for bilateral relations with the countries of the North Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus
17 December 2015
Le ROAC s'engage pour le développement des marchés céréaliers et pour la souveraineté alimentaire en Afrique de l'Ouest
16 December 2015
Partnerships to deliver food security in Africa – Challenges series 2016
Delivering food security in Africa will not depend upon declarations of good intent but the willingness to innovate and drive change.
16 December 2015
Fonds fiduciaires de l’UE – Vers une action extérieure plus intégrée ?
Les fonds fiduciaires accordent la possibilité à l’UE et ses États membres de répondre conjointement à des situations d’urgence ou de fragilité ou à des priorités thématiques de manière plus souple, plus intégrée et plus efficace.
10 December 2015
Migration and development – Challenges series 2016
Commissioner Neven Mimica shares his perspectives on the challenges for sustainable development in 2016 and beyond - migration in particular.
09 December 2015
From looking good to doing good: Mapping CSO-business partnerships
This paper highlights the enormous heterogeneity in CSO-business partnerships, ranging from pure philanthropy to market-based shared-value models.
04 December 2015
Climate finance in developing countries - Reconciling the different views
This paper reflects on climate finance in developing countries, and asks if we can reconcile the different views.
04 December 2015
Can cities pave the way towards a sustainable future? – Challenges series 2016
In 2016 we have an opportunity to promote a new model of urban development that is able to integrate all facets of sustainable development.
03 December 2015
Le secteur privé, un groupe hétéroclite aux intérêts divergents : Le cas de la filière riz au Sénégal et en Côte d’Ivoire
En Afrique de l’Ouest, le développement de la filière riz est une priorité régionale et nationale pour chaque État membre. Le secteur public peut jouer un rôle..
03 December 2015
Making global supply chains sustainable: The case of the gold sector
Access to raw materials is critical to industries and to society in general. Gold, in particular, is essential for industrial use.
01 December 2015
Business and human rights: Towards a German action plan and EU trade and investment agreements
Evita Schmieg gives a personal view on the German discussion on human rights and EU trade and investment agreements in the process of putting up a national action plan.
30 November 2015
Sustainable value chains – Volume 4, Issue 6 (December 2015/January 2016)
30 November 2015
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 4, Issue 6 (December 2015/January 2016)
30 November 2015
Sustainable value chains: Editorial
With the Nairobi Ministerial Conference (MC10) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) coming in December for the first time on African soil, the intricate nexus between trade and development is attracting special attention for good reason. With the globalisation of production processes, economies and their trade are increasingly interconnected: 70% of global trade is in intermediate goods and services. Global and regional value chains (GVCs) have taken centre stage.
30 November 2015
Upgrading Africa's participation in global value chains requires international rules to evolve
H. E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry speaks to ECDPM’s Isabelle Ramdoo, Deputy Head of Programme Economic Transformation and Trade.
30 November 2015
Implementing sustainable business through EU aid and trade policies
During its EU Presidency over the first half of 2016, The Netherlands will seek to enhance the coherence of EU trade and development policies and their contribution to sustainable development, in particular by enhancing the sustainability of global value chains.
30 November 2015
Sustainability in global value chains: Closing the gap between ambition and action
How to close the gap between the ambitions for more sustainable global value chains and the current adaptation of businesses? While there are many opportunities for private and public sector to collaborate, misunderstandings and lack of collaborative actions that are properly financed prevent tangible results.
30 November 2015
Who captures the value in global value chains? A perspective from developing countries
Perspectives on the developmental impacts of global value chains vary substantially, and so do policy recommendations and strategic choice the developing countries face over their stance towards MNCs and GVCs. In defining elements of their industrial strategy, governments should minimize political barriers to trade and consider the importance of the institutional quality and governance structure in their country.
30 November 2015
GVC trade and the case for domestic economic policies
Today’s trading patterns are marked by global supply or value chains (GVCs) which forces policy makers to focus more and more on domestic economic policies that lie outside the traditional scope of trade barriers.
30 November 2015
Tracing sustainability in global food chains
This article briefly discusses the different systems for tracing sustainability in global food chains and pays particular attention to the marketisation of sustainability through certificates.
30 November 2015
Global value chains and resource corridors: The nexus is regional integration
To be more involved in the global value chains, sub-Saharan African countries should intensify their regional integration efforts. A first step in this direction can be implementing cross-border resource-based development corridors.
30 November 2015
The GVCs train should not crush poor economies under its wheels
In order to upgrade on global value chains (GVCs) in the extractives sector, Africa should ensure that the WTO ceases to be a war machine.
30 November 2015
Aid for Trade works
The 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) offers an opportune moment to take stock of the substantial achievements of the Aid for Trade Initiative, which has been largely successful, and reflect on how to continue its relevance in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals.
30 November 2015
Has Aid for Trade helped African economies achieve structural transformation?
While some changes have occurred in patterns of exports from Africa, it cannot credibly be attributed to Aid for Trade, nor are there signs that AfT has helped switch employment from agriculture to industry.
30 November 2015
Trade liberalisation and poverty: Did we learn anything in the last ten years?
Recent research reinforces the evidence that trade liberalisation boosts growth but potentially hits people in import-competing sectors. Labour mobility is key to sharing the gains from liberalisation equitably. Women seem to gain more than men from trade liberalisation.
30 November 2015
Mapping the potential of cross-border cooperation in West Africa
Mapping the socio-economic potential of border regions can provide great insights as to where cross-border co-operation could be intensified in West Africa.
30 November 2015
Combining forces for more sustainable global value chains: A European perspective
The EU should take a lead role in enhancing the sustainability of global value chains. It has some of the leverage and many of the instruments to do so. It should strengthen and scale up its efforts, ensure stronger synergy and coherence between its instruments, and encourage multi-stakeholder engagement for more responsible business.
30 November 2015
Innovative partnerships for agricultural research and development: Examining the Africa-Brazil agricultural innovation marketplace
Brazil has increased its engagement across Africa, and with an alternative approach to international aid is contributing to the changing landscape of development cooperation.
26 November 2015
Climate change: The European Union towards COP21 and beyond
This latest briefing from the European Think Tanks Group looks at the challenges and opportunities for EU climate action at COP21 and beyond.
26 November 2015
Extractives and global value chains: Where does Africa stand?
Extractive resources accounted for 70% of Africa’s intermediate input exports in 2013. Yet, the continent’s value added participation in GVCs remains very low. Upgrading is therefore a necessary consideration to capture a bigger share of global markets.
24 November 2015
#VallettaSummit Part 2 – The EU’s new Trust Fund for Africa
The Summit was held under a panicked ‘crisis-response’ mood that did not forge any visionary action on migration and mobility governance.
20 November 2015
EU Trust Funds - Shaping more comprehensive external action?
This paper outlines the detailed workings of EU trust funds - a new EU external action instrument for more flexible and effective joint support in response to emergencies and fragility.
20 November 2015
CSO-business partnerships - bringing mozzarella to the masses?
Can commercial approaches such as the the Africa Milk Project address poverty when the poorest households are often the most isolated from markets?
19 November 2015
Assessing Policy Coherence for Development: A Pilot Study on the Impacts of OECD Countries’ Policies on Food Security in Tanzania
18 November 2015
ECDPM Work Plan 2016
Contrary to ECDPM’s usual practice of two year Work Plans this one covers only 2016, the last year of the Centre’s current Strategic Plan for 2012-2016. A Mid-Term Review of the Strategy was conducted in 2014, which confirmed that by and large ECDPM was on track to deliver on this Strategy, although a more concerted effort was required in a few areas.
17 November 2015
#VallettaSummit Part 1 – A bond or a knot between Europe and Africa?
Power politics were at play this week at the historic Valletta Summit where African and European leaders met to discuss cooperation on migration and asylum.
13 November 2015
The development politics of the Sahel – The slow delivery of a promised integrated approach
Solutions to the complex challenges facing the Sahel region are not about money or platforms - It is about political leadership and informed decisions.
13 November 2015
Making migration beneficial to Europe and Africa
This seminar on migration brought together representatives from the AU, the EU, the UN and civil society ahead of the Valletta Summit in November 2015.
12 November 2015
Le riz : grande star de la conférence de Dakar
La politique agricole de l'Afrique de l’Ouest, ECOWAP/PDDAA, vise à éradiquer la dépendance alimentaire de la région à travers le développement de certaines filières stratégiques, dont celle du riz.
06 November 2015
Words into deeds on governance for peace and prosperity – African leaders at the 70th UN General Assembly
The 70th UN General Assembly could see movement beyond declarations to strategies that strengthen institutions and ensure good governance.
05 November 2015
Making agriculture in Africa climate-smart: From continental policies to local practices
05 November 2015
The future of financing for development in Africa: Insights from the Annual Meetings of the AfDB in May 2015
To effectively raise finance for development African governments will need to create conditions for inclusive economic growth.
23 October 2015
The regional economic communities and implementation of the African Governance Architecture (AGA)
This paper assesses the level of readiness of the regional economic community IGAD to take up the governance agenda as set out in the AGA framework.
23 October 2015
The new EU trade and investment strategy: The proof of the pudding is in the eating
On 14 October 2015, the European Commission has released the new EU trade and investment strategy. Its catchy title – “Trade for All” – is very auspicious as well as ambitious and the strategy contains promising elements for global development. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating: how will the strategy be put into practice?
16 October 2015
Bringing us back to the larger questions: Why do we need a revised model for assessing fragility and what would it need to look like?
Now that the OECD is undertaking a series of consultations - Do we need a revised model for assessing fragility, and what would it need to look like?
16 October 2015
#EUGlobalStrategy 2016: A wider scope beyond security and closer to citizens?
The consultation on a new EU global strategy lead by Federica Mogherini will need a holistic multidisciplinary approach, with both security and development.
16 October 2015
A governance practitioner’s notebook: Alternative ideas and approaches
The OECD notebook provides space for experts to speak on today’s governance issues: politics, public sector reform and stakeholder engagement.
09 October 2015
Multi-stakeholder partnerships in the post-2015 development agenda: Time to get down to earth?
09 October 2015
Synergising and optimising mineral infrastructure in regional development strategies
The mineral “super cycle” of the past decade, as a result of exceptionally high prices of commodities, has encouraged many mining companies to embark on very large mining projects, including in “frontier” countries `once considered too distant or too risky to invest in.
06 October 2015
Nutritious regional value chains: The final step is what matters
There is considerable potential for implementing effective policy solutions to poor nutrition and health. To influence the environment in which African households make their food choices and therefore influence their food and nutrition security conditions, we need to work on the upstream policies of the food system.
01 October 2015
One foot on the ground, one foot in the air: Ethiopia’s delivery on an ambitious development agenda
Despite starting out with one of the lowest levels of human development in the world in the 1990s, Ethiopia is one of the few African countries on track to meet most of the Millennium Development Goals.
24 September 2015
Implementing the Agenda for Change: An independent analysis of the 11th EDF programming
The 11th European Development Fund is a critical test for the EU's Agenda for Change and its ability to deliver high impact aid.
22 September 2015
Implementing the Agenda for Change: An independent analysis of the 11th EDF national programming (key findings)
The 11th EDF programming exercise is a critical test of the ability of the EU’s external action structure and current development policy (the Agenda for Change) to achieve high impact aid. Moreover, the 11th EDF will unfold in a changed post-2015 context and its assessment will provide important lessons for future ACP-EU relationship beyond 2020.
22 September 2015
La mise en œuvre du Programme pour le changement : une analyse indépendante de la programmation nationale du 11e FED (conclusions principales)
L’exercice de programmation du 11e FED est un test critique de la capacité du système d’action extérieure de l’UE et de sa politique de développement actuelle (le Programme pour le changement) à améliorer l’impact de l’aide européenne. De plus, le 11e FED sera déployé dans un contexte post-2015 radicalement différent et son évaluation jouera un rôle crucial dans la réflexion sur l’avenir des relations ACP-UE au-delà de 2020.
22 September 2015
Recent developments in the dairy sector in Eastern Africa: Towards a regional policy framework for value chain development
22 September 2015
Africa beyond 2015: The Africa Forum's 3 main takeaways
For the first time in history, the International Economic Forum on Africa did not take place at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s headquarters in Paris but in Germany. This are the three main takeaways from a day full of discussions and keynotes.
17 September 2015
After Addis, the road to New York lies ahead – The post-2015 development agenda and the EU’s role in shaping it
17 September 2015
Resource-based industrialisation in Africa: Optimising linkages and value chains in the extractive sector
Industrialisation is key to Africa's economic transformation. The key question therefore is not whether countries should conduct industrial policies but rather how to implement policies in an efficient and pragmatic way.
16 September 2015
Une planète en apnée – Développement et environnement : même combat
11 September 2015
Unpacking local content requirements in the extractive sector: What implications for the global trade and investment frameworks?
Developing countries are placing an increasing emphasis on the need to derive more benefits from their resource wealth. To do so, a series of reforms have been undertaken to capture more gains from extractive resources.
11 September 2015
De ademnood van een planeet – Ontwikkeling en milieuzorg, één en ondeelbaar
Decennialang leefden ze broederlijk naast elkaar: milieuactivisten en ontwikkelingswerkers. Ze deelden een verlangen naar een betere wereld, maar richtten voorts hun pijlen op eigen doelen en tapten uit verschillende vaatjes. Vandaag liggen hun kaarten op één hoop. Milieuzorg ís ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Omdat het oude verhaal niet langer klopt.
11 September 2015
The to-do list: How developing countries can benefit from their resources
Developing countries are placing an increasing emphasis on the need to derive more benefits from their resource wealth. How do the measures put in place for this fit into the international trade and investment frameworks?
10 September 2015
Last, but not least: Culture in the spotlight of development agencies
After years of dismissal from too many development and foreign affairs professionals, the EU finally seems to be taking culture seriously.
08 September 2015
What is the EU's added value in supporting the private sector?
The EU’s potential value added in supporting the private sector for development relates to its economic scale and business potential as an economic actor, its role as the main provider of development cooperation assistance in the world, and its network of institutions that might be used to support these towards the creation of more and better jobs.
07 September 2015
Private sector matters – Volume 4, Issue 5 (August/September 2015)
Private sectors matters for development! The good news is that this is now explicitly recognised and embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
07 September 2015
Private sector matters: Editorial
Private sector matters for development! The good news is that this is now explicitly recognised and embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
07 September 2015
Thinking and working politically
ECDPM Meeting on Thinking and Working Politically in Development Post-2015
07 September 2015
To set our priorities in action, the region needs the private sector
ECOWAS countries have made progress in many areas but there are still many challenges to attract more investment. To this end, the new strategy for private sector and the new strategy of industrial development were adopted to better address priorities and engage the private sector.
07 September 2015
Engaging with business for agricultural growth: Opportunities and risks
This article briefly presents how the European Union intends to engage the private sector in agriculture and food and nutrition security development in the coming years, in particular with its new Agriculture Financing Initiative, AgriFI.
07 September 2015
Innovative financing for development: As if social returns, incentives, and value for money really mattered
Rather than subsidising inputs or reducing risk to leverage private finance for development, it would be more effective for public sector actors such as donors to provide subsidies linked to a firm’s success or performance in terms of development impact.
07 September 2015
How to involve the private sector in development cooperation
As businesses hold an important key to tackling poverty, development cooperation initiatives designed by donors need to be implemented with the private sector, by the private sector and for the private sector.
07 September 2015
International private finance for development: Risky business?
Policy debates on development finance have been dominated by how to ‘leverage’ international private capital flows for development projects, even though existing mechanisms do not have a great track record.
07 September 2015
Public support to business: Combining commercial and development approaches?
With the increased recognition of the private sector's role in development, public actors should actively seek to combine their approaches to business support. Under the universality principle of the SDGs, they should strive to increase the coherence and synergy of their business support instruments that pursue commercially-oriented economic diplomacy objectives, with those that have development objectives.
07 September 2015
Export promotion and private sector development in Africa
Export credit agencies play an important role in providing access to capital. Traditionally mostly supporting public African buyers, there is a growing number of transactions with private businesses. But to support private sector development, a comprehensive policy framework is crucial.
07 September 2015
How Africa can succeed Asia, according to Helen Hai
Africa can replace Asia as the world’s factory floor. Having established one of Africa's biggest shoe factories, businesswoman Helen Hai knows how.
07 September 2015
A public-private single window initiative
Public-private close cooperation is key to facilitate trade. The public-private joint venture for a single window solution in Ghana illustrates some of the benefits, as well as challenges, from such partnerships.
07 September 2015
Business development through smallholders farmers in East Africa
The teamwork involved in growing East Africa’s economies - from the government, to TMEA, to the private sector, to the producers, such as smallholder farmers - is vital for achieving their poverty reduction objectives. For Faustini, Jane and Japhet, it is already showing results: as their business competitiveness and incomes increase so too does their drive to continue the process.
07 September 2015
The higher returns of development: MIGA's catalytic role
The returns on investing in developing economies are high, but perceived risks are inhibiting many from entering these markets, to the loss of both countries and investors. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) can assist.
07 September 2015
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 4, Issue 5 (August/September 2015)
07 September 2015
Economic Partnership Agreements: What has Africa gained and what can it lose?
ECDPM’s Isabelle Ramdoo writes that ACP countries were required for the first time to negotiate reciprocal, though asymmetric trade agreements, with a major – and developed – trading partner, the EU, giving birth to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
01 September 2015
The challenge of measuring peace and security: What role for African regional frameworks in Goal 16?
What role is there for African regional frameworks in measuring SDG Goal 16? The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) could provide an answer....
18 August 2015
From universality to European reality? Is the EU up to the job of sustainable consumption and production?
Europe will have to think hard on how to translate the post-2015 goals and targets into ambitious, meaningful and fair national and regional policies.
29 July 2015
Ask the right questions, get the right answers – The EU’s response to migration and its focus on root causes
While the EU has ambitions for comprehensive action on migration, the framing of 'root causes' has done little for a balanced view of a very complex issue.
29 July 2015
From one grain to another: The rise of rice in West Africa
If agricultural development and food security are to be achieved in West Africa, the under-tapped potential for regional collaboration and integration has to be unlocked.
22 July 2015
Rapport annuel 2014 : Promouvoir la gouvernance économique et le commerce pour une croissance inclusive
20 July 2015
FFD3 – a steady start to a rocky road ahead?
If the degree of consensus achieved in the FFD3 Conference is anything to go by, the omens look good for the post-2015 agenda.
17 July 2015
The ACP and WTO: Ambitions in trade and development
In the negotiating rooms and corridors of the WTO there is very little talk about unity and solidarity, and even less about partnership with the EU.
16 July 2015
Improving the business climate in developing countries: A realistic goal or another holy grail?
The Dutch policy in support of private sector development in developing countries puts the private sector where it ought to be: at the Centre. But it also demands that businesses take responsibility beyond their own development.
15 July 2015
Five key facts on Financing for Development
As experts convene in Addis Ababa for the Third UN Financing for Development conference, we bring you 5 key facts about ‘Financing for Development’
09 July 2015
Aid for Trade – not just about aid, nor trade...
The fifth Global Aid for Trade review last week was good on people but not so great on content.
09 July 2015
Towards a new European Neighbourhood Policy
Contribution by ECDPM in reply to the official consultation on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) by Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn
08 July 2015
Aide de l'UE et la société civile dans le Sahel
Dans cette deuxième partie, l’analyse porte sur le financement société civile par l’Union européenne (UE), la question sécuritaire et le Plan d’action de l’UE en faveur du Sahel notamment.
07 July 2015
Does resilience enrich peacebuilding?
03 July 2015
Coordonner la coopération dans le Sahel
«Chaque gouvernement du Sahel coordonne sa coopération internationale au niveau national et local»
02 July 2015
The role of Aid for Trade in trade agreements – Looking beyond reducing costs
As the international community gathers for the 5th Global Review of Aid for Trade (AfT) at the WTO in Geneva from 30 June to 2 July 2015, the merits of the 10-year old AfT initiative are no longer at stake. We have now shifted to questions of ‘how’ – ‘How much?’, ‘How to address various trade-related challenges?’ and ‘How effectively?'
29 June 2015
Capacity development beyond aid
Sustainability and empowerment are the core ideas behind capacity development thinking and practice.
26 June 2015
Le renforcement des capacitiés au-delà de l'aide
Capacity.org est, depuis 1999, une ressource comprenant un site Web et une revue professionnelle destinée aux praticiens intervenant dans le domaine du renforcement des capacités de par le monde
26 June 2015
European Development Days 2015: A paradigm shift or bursting the Brussels ‘bubble’?
ECDPM's Rhys Williams reflects back on the 2015 European Development Days and asks some burning questions on its future role.
19 June 2015
Temptations of protectionism, too hard to resist: The cost for poor countries
“It’s hardly a surprise the fact that many countries did not resist the temptation of protectionist pressures," writes ECDPM's San Bilal. "What is surprising is that that least developed countries (LDCs) have been disproportionately affected”.
19 June 2015
The future of African farming? Regionally integrated, climate-smart, public-private and properly-financed
The future of African farming needs to be more integrated within RECs, environmentally sustainable, supported by inclusive public-private-partnerships (PPP) and more oriented to smallholders and their access to credit.
19 June 2015
African Economic Outlook 2015: Thinking regional to foster Africa's structural transformation
African economies need to liberate the potential of their many regions to foster endogenous growth and accelerate structural transformation by adopting regional approaches to development - multi-sectoral, place-based and participative - and building on specific local resources.
18 June 2015
Namibia decentralisation and the Parliamentary oversight process
Transparency, inclusiveness and a close local, national and regional nexus are key ingredients of legitimacy and accountability of a development process in which Parliament must play a central role.
18 June 2015
Promoting regional development in a world of global production networks and global value chains
The world economy is now characterised by increasingly interdependent economic activities organised through cross-border value chains and production networks. This article looks at how regional development becomes more dependent on these global production networks in East Asia.
18 June 2015
Territorial development – Volume 4, Issue 4 (June/July 2015)
Too often, development approaches adopt a specific thematic or sectoral focus. In doing so, they tend to abstract from the territorial dimension and localisation level of development. A more transversal approach, taking into account the various levels of interventions - supranational (global, continental, regional), cross-border, national and subnational (country’s regions and local, urban, rural) levels, is however necessary to better apprehend the transformation dynamics and development potentials at stake.
18 June 2015
Stopping urban migrants no solution for urban poverty
Rural migrants are often a disproportionate share of the urban poor, but stopping them does not address the root causes of income and non-income urban poverty. Inclusive urbanisation requires informed and proactive planning accountable to all groups.
18 June 2015
What is territorial development?
A national policy on territorial development may provide the missing link between politics-driven decentralisation and development. This article advances a policy-relevant definition of territorial development and outlines a strategy to promote it.
18 June 2015
EU's new thinking on decentralisation and territorial development
How the EU is going about recognising the developmental role of local authorities as expressions of local political constituencies in a given territory and supporting decentralisation as an instrument for better results.
18 June 2015
Changing demographics pulling up agriculture
Examining population dynamics – its growth and spatial distribution – can provide new perspectives on West Africa’s agricultural performance and future prospects.
18 June 2015
Corridors as industrial policy? Linking people, policies and places
This article discusses the origins and key characteristics of some important corridor initiatives as well as the main policy issues that emerge around them.
18 June 2015
G8 New Alliance threatening land rights?
What is the New Alliance really promising to the 50 million Africans it hopes to take out of poverty by 2022? Should we accept taking people’s land and voice away as par for the course for agricultural transformation?
18 June 2015
Talking Points Blog highlights – Great Insights, Volume 4, Issue 4 (June/July 2015)
18 June 2015
European aid and development policies in a changing world: Some personal reflections
The global economic balance is moving from the members of the OECD towards the East and the South.
18 June 2015
Balancing sustainability goals and economic integration in the EAC
The regional integration efforts in the East African Community have focused mainly on promoting the free movement of capital, goods, and services. However, such efforts have failed to address economic development disparities among member states.
18 June 2015
Territorial development: Editorial
Too often, development approaches adopt a specific thematic or sectoral focus. In doing so, they tend to abstract from the territorial dimension and localisation level of development. A more transversal approach, taking into account the various levels of interventions - supranational (global, continental, regional), cross-border, national and subnational (country’s regions and local, urban, rural) levels, is however necessary to better apprehend the transformation dynamics and development potentials at stake.
18 June 2015
ECDPM Annual Report 2014: Promoting economic governance and trade for inclusive growth
We are pleased to present ECDPM’s Annual Report 2014, which highlights the activities of the Centre over the past year. The report presents an overview of a wide range of policy processes in which the Centre engaged, primarily through its five core programmes.
10 June 2015
OECD’s ‘States of Fragility’ report: Some discomfort around the indicators
The report's proposed framework for assessing fragility misses out on a number of key risks and key building blocks for resilience in fragile states.
05 June 2015
Industrial policies in lower-middle-income countries
Lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) are heterogeneous countries with various economic experiences. Many underwent different types of structural transformation from agriculture to manufacturing and services.
05 June 2015
Situation au Sahel
Interview de Damien Helly Chef-Adjoint du programme "Renforcement de L'Action Extérieure Européenne" auprès de l'ECDPM
05 June 2015
A five lenses framework for analysing the political economy in regional integration
Regional cooperation and regional integration are often complex processes with seemingly intractable obstacles and drivers.
19 May 2015
Africa and Europe combatting climate change: Towards a common agenda in 2015
18 May 2015
Costs if you do, costs if you don't: Promoting responsible business and reporting - challenges for policy makers
The growing interest from developing country governments, donors and businesses in linking business and development raises questions about how host and home country governments can encourage and/or ensure responsible business practices of international firms.
17 May 2015
The challenge of measuring SDG 16: What role for African regional frameworks?
Measuring Sustainable Development Goal 16 provides an opportunity to better understand the relationship between governance, peace, security and development.
07 May 2015
Taking fragility seriously in financing the SDGs
If we want to meet the post-2015 goals we need to take fragility very seriously. The FfD Conference in Addis Ababa could be a step forward.
06 May 2015
European Report on Development 2015 – Combining finance and policies to implement a transformative post-2015 development agenda
Finance alone will not be sufficient to promote and achieve the post-2015 development agenda. Policies also matter. Indeed, they are fundamental. Appropriate and coherent policies will ensure that finance is used effectively to achieve results and that it is not wasted or underused.
04 May 2015
Industrial Policies in a Changing World: What Prospects for Low-Income Countries?
Following the remarkable success of global powers such as China, there is an emerging consensus among leaders about the relevance of industrial policies
01 May 2015
APE : quels gains pour l’Afrique et que peut-elle perdre ?
Après douze longues années de laborieuses négociations, le régime commercial non-réciproque vieux de 50 ans entre l’Europe et ses partenaires d’Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique a pris fin le 1er octobre 2014.
28 April 2015
Civic space and the post-2015 framework
23 April 2015
Empowering citizens in the extractive industry: Make contracts public
23 April 2015
Tackling third term bids: Lessons from Burkina Faso
The popular insurrection of 30-31 October 2014 that led to the resignation of the president of Burkina Faso shed light on a recurrent trigger for political tensions in many young African democracies: constitutional tinkering by presidents who do not want to leave power.
23 April 2015
Kenya's benefit-less democratisation
23 April 2015
Rising voices in Africa – Volume 4, Issue 3 (April/May 2015)
Without good, effective governance, Africa’s present strong economic momentum will not be sustained, the rewards will be wasted and tension will increase
23 April 2015
Putting into practice the new EU policy on civil society: The case of Madagascar
With the implementation of the Dinika programme, the exchange with EU policymakers and the development of a road map have all helped create a climate of trust between CSOs and the EU.
23 April 2015
Citizen freedom in infographics
23 April 2015
Talking Points Blog Highlights – Great Insights, Volume 4, Issue 3 (April/May 2015)
23 April 2015
Rising voices in Africa: Editorial
“Without good, effective governance, Africa’s present strong economic momentum will not be sustained, the rewards will be wasted and tension will increase”, says Mo Ibrahim in his exclusive contribution to this issue of GREAT Insights. Indeed, African citizens, either organised in the form of civil society organisations or mobilising during key moments such as elections or popular uprisings, have become an important feature of the political landscape in Africa over the last few years. Their voices are growing and they are slowly but surely starting to reshape politics and socio-economic factors in their respective countries.
23 April 2015
Governance and citizenry in Africa
23 April 2015
How is the AU addressing concerns of the African citizen?
23 April 2015
Mobilising and empowering local miners in Africa
23 April 2015
Citizen participation and the promotion of democratic governance in Africa
In an evolving environment, African citizens are increasingly able to effect change by influencing and reshaping governance processes but this transformative mobilisation is not without challenges.
23 April 2015
Can the closing space for CSOs in Africa be reopened?
23 April 2015
Financing for development: The state of the debate in Africa
Against the backdrop of intensive global negotiations on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, the international community needs to pay attention to Africa’s priorities.
17 April 2015
More on financing for African development from the Special Advisor on the post-2015 development agenda at UNECA
Policy-makers need to address the African technology gap with home-grown solutions that support innovation while building strong human and institutional capacities at the same time.
17 April 2015
The 11th CAADP Partnership Platform: Much positive talk, but little walk
The three-day event was marked by much positive “talk”, with proactive participation of over 400 stakeholders. However, I think the PP was somehow a lost opportunity.
10 April 2015
Can ‘Responsible Investment Principles’ de-polarise the debate on agricultural PPPs in Africa?
The use of public-private partnerships to promote agricultural development is becoming increasingly prominent in Africa, but has provoked fierce criticism due to concerns about their impact on local communities.
07 April 2015
Vers une action extérieure de l’UE plus cohérente : quelle place pour les ACP ?
Discuter des relations ACP-UE isolément est un choix risqué ; Jean Bossuyt et Andrew Sherriff expliquent pourquoi.
03 April 2015
L’agenda universel post-2015 – Le partenariat ACP-UE répond-il encore à ses objectifs ?
L’universalité est l’un des aspects clés de l’agenda global post-2015, mais que signifie-t-il pour les relations ACP-UE ? Jean Bossuyt et Niels Keijzer se penchent sur cette question dans ce blog ECDPM.
03 April 2015
Public-private partnerships for development: From principles to practice?
There is a need to readily embrace the complexity and diversity of public-private partnerships and focus on how to translate broad principles into operational tools.
02 April 2015
Regional dynamics in Africa: High stakes for development
Regional cooperation and integration have become key features of our globalised world. This paper explains the relevance of such regional cooperation and integration for problem solving in Africa
25 March 2015
11th CAADP Partnership Platform: “Walking the Talk" on regional cooperation?
The Partnership Platform is the key annual event on the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme. This year is particularly important because it's first one since the Malabo Declaration.
20 March 2015
Is education a hidden shortcut from crisis to stability?
The post-2015 education agenda must be fully integrated with humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives for long-term stability and development.
13 March 2015
The tipping point for African regional integration
Regional integration in Africa is not just about politics, but economics. The former President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka, summarises the key points from their recent Development Report 2014 in this guest blog.
13 March 2015
Working for Economic Transformation
A key challenge for developing countries is to generate more and better employment opportunities while ensuring that all parts of the population are able to access these.
12 March 2015
Sahel Strategies: Why Coordination is Imperative
For the Bamako Ministerial Coordination Platform for Sahel Strategies and Initiatives, ECDPM & ISS Dakar undertook a mapping of Sahel strategies.
12 March 2015
Stratégies Sahel : L'impératif de la coordination
Le Sahel se trouve au centre de l’attention internationale et régionale visant à trouver une solution aux crises multiples qui touchent la région
12 March 2015
Work in Progress: Productive Employment and Transformation in Uganda
Why explore employment in Uganda?
12 March 2015
The universal post-2015 agenda – how fit for purpose is the ACP-EU partnership?
“Universality is fundamental: we should recognise that all countries have common challenges and opportunities for a shared future, and that we all need to make concrete commitments – both global and domestic – to make change happen.”
10 March 2015
Partnering for better quality coffee
While Uganda is one of the world’s largest producers of coffee, the local industry has faced challenges in ensuring the quality of the coffee it produces.
09 March 2015
Food security in infographics
09 March 2015
Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog – Great Insights, Volume 4, Issue 2 (February/March 2015)
09 March 2015
Food and nutrition security: inclusive partnerships – Volume 4, Issue 2 (February/March 2015)
This special issue of GREAT insights covers partnerships for food and nutrition security. It looks at the latest developments in Africa and within the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the evolving global context, and the role of the private sector in ensuring such partnerships are really inclusive.
09 March 2015
Smallholders need a seat at the table too
For agricultural public-private partnerships to be effective, we need another ‘P’ - the participation of smallholders themselves.
09 March 2015
Charting the way for a new decade of CAADP
ECDPM's Francesco Rampa interviews Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO of NEPAD
09 March 2015
Bringing CAADP to the regions
There is much that can be and is being done at the regional level to support CAADP implementation and to promote sustainable agricultural development in Africa.
09 March 2015
Family farming: feeding the world
Almost half of the world’s households depend on family farming for their livelihood. The International Year of Family Farming 2014 had great success
09 March 2015
Partnerships are essential for ending malnutrition
Malnutrition in all its forms has a detrimental affect on society and not all forms are on the decline.
09 March 2015
Making climate-smart also people-smart
2015 is the year in which the alliance for sustainable development needs to be inclusive, robust and visionary.
09 March 2015
European farmers and African food security
The agricultural sector is key to addressing food security and 2015 will be a crucial year for its development.
09 March 2015
From investment principles to action
Investing in agriculture remains the best opportunity to reduce hunger and malnutrition among the 1.5 to 2 billion people worldwide living in poverty.
09 March 2015
Turning agricultural policy into food policy
DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. One of its key focuses is to deliver innovative solutions for food supplements.
09 March 2015
Food and nutrition security: inclusive partnerships – Editorial
The role of agriculture is key for sustainable development, well-being and structural transformation. But it cannot be addressed in isolation: a more holistic approach is needed.
06 March 2015
COMESA fully behind CAADP Vision 2025
ECDPM interviews Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary-General of COMESA
06 March 2015
Universality and differentiation in the post-2015 development agenda
The post-2015 agenda has framed sustainable development as a universal project with common concern to all with challenges at the national and global level.
06 March 2015
Blending or still just mixing?
Blending can be a useful tool in unlocking additional project funds and increase innovative development financing.
04 March 2015
Towards a more coherent EU external action: Where does the ACP fit?
There is a major plank of EU external action up for revision: the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between Europe and the ACP - a group of 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
02 March 2015
Trade Deals and Reforms in West Africa: Implementation Challenges
02 March 2015
Manufacturing Progress? Employment Creation in Sri Lanka
This study aims to explain the employment progress achieved in Sri Lanka from 1990 to 2010. This period has seen a drastic reduction in unemployment, and improved working conditions, particularly for women, accompanied by structural transformation away from agriculture towards manufacturing and services.
02 March 2015
À l'aube de l'ère de l'après-OMD ? Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE en 2015
27 February 2015
Is Mimica holding all the aces? A paradigm shift in international cooperation will need much more than this
A paradigm shift in international cooperation will need much more than this....
24 February 2015
Civil registration and vital statistics in conflict and emergencies – Will the momentum be used to address the right challenges?
Will the momentum be used to address the right challenges?
13 February 2015
A universal global partnership: wishful thinking? First thoughts on the new EU Commission communication
First thoughts on the new EU Commission Communication 'A Global Partnership for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development after 2015'
06 February 2015
Tackling the threat of terrorism and election violence – A challenging year ahead for Africa in 2015
The combination of high-risk elections and the burgeoning violence of terrorist groups could make 2015 a particularly turbulent year for African countries.
06 February 2015
Avant la lettre? The EU's Comprehensive Approach (to crises) in the Sahel
The Comprehensive Approach is already being applied to a significant extent in the Sahel: in that sense what already works should be seen as good practice.
06 February 2015
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – PERIA project (2015-2016)
What blocks or drives regional integration in Africa? And what role do regional organisations play in this? ECDPM aimed to answer these questions by looking at six of Africa’s largest regional organisations: the African Union (AU), COMESA, EAC, ECOWAS, IGAD and SADC.
02 February 2015
O início da era pós-ODM? Desafios das relações África-UE em 2015
Esta publicação procura identificar os debates importantes esperados para o próximo ano e seguintes, delineando o contexto em que estes se desenrolarão.
30 January 2015
Is EU external action up to the challenge of Boko Haram?
The EU needs to work urgently to find a regional solution to the threat of Boko Haram before it spirals across borders, and out of control….
30 January 2015
The future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020: An update of my personal reflections
2015 is the year when thorough preparations start regarding the future of relations between ACP group of countries and the EU post-2020.
26 January 2015
Doing more with less – Where EU ambition meets sobering reality
Will Federica Mogherini be able to meet the ambitions of EU foreign policy in the 21st century? There are at least four challenges.
23 January 2015
Use of PCD indicators by a selection of EU Member States: A brief analysis and overview
PCD monitoring systems.
22 January 2015
Do EU evaluations lead to better results? The importance of uptake
Development cooperation is probably one of the most intensively evaluated policy domains. The EU alone produces an impressive stream of evaluations every year.
22 January 2015
L'avenir des relations ACP-EU après 2020 : Un tour d'horizon des analyses de l'ECDPM
21 January 2015
De la division à l'intégration de l'Afrique : réflexions sur le rôle de l'Europe
Evolution de l'intégration du continent africain depuis l'indépendance et le rôle que l'Europe a exercé sur ce processus
08 January 2015
The dawn of the post-MDG era? Challenges for Africa-EU relations in 2015
The year 2015 will bring global development cooperation to a threshold, with both Europe and Africa playing a pivotal role. What challenges lie ahead?
08 January 2015
Governance in the 2014-2017 Africa-EU Roadmap: First Strategic and Technical Meeting on the Operationalisation of the Africa-EU Roadmap’s 2014-2017 Governance Priority
First Strategic and Technical Meeting on the Operationalisation of the Africa-EU Roadmap’s 2014-2017 Governance Priority
07 January 2015
Gaps Between Comprehensive Approaches of the EU and EU Member States
What differences arise in the approaches to comprehensiveness in EU external action, with particular focus on conflict, crisis and post-conflict transition.
30 December 2014
2014 in review: 20 blogs and publications to read again
19 December 2014
Diaspora engagement in a constricted political space: The case of Ethiopian diaspora organisations in the Netherlands
This paper examines the implications of a restricted political space in the country of origin for collective diaspora engagement and participation, taking the case of Ethiopian diaspora in the Netherlands as an illustration.
19 December 2014
The political economy of official statistics: Implications for the data revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa
The ‘Data Revolution’ aims to step up reform efforts for improving the capacity of statistical organisations and systems using recent technological solutions
18 December 2014
Infrastructure in Africa: on technical fixes and politics – Lessons from the annual meeting of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa
17 December 2014
Innovation and development: Going to Mars, and more
Will Ethiopia go to Mars any time soon? The answer is probably not, even if history has shown that we should be prepared for miracles
17 December 2014
What Europe can and should do for global development
A new European parliamentary term and Commission team come at a crucial time for international cooperation for development.
17 December 2014
Dutch priorities for its contribution to global food security taking shape
12 December 2014
3 priorities for a successful 2015 Financing for Development Conference
How to make it a success. Beyond aid, incentives and beyond finance. Blog on development finance.
12 December 2014
Public-private cooperation for development: A working-together-apart relationship – View from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Netherlands has a policy of using aid, trade and investment to achieve three aims in international cooperation
11 December 2014
Square pegs in round holes – Creating more synergies between CSDP missions and EU development programmes
Beyond strategies and action plans, there is a need for EU institutions and instruments to work together in a more structured manner.
10 December 2014
Leaving no one behind
2015 should be a critical year in shaping national and international action to end poverty by 2030 – and ensuring that we leave no one behind.
10 December 2014
Regional integration (part 2) – Ubuntu in a cui bono world?
The recent University of Cape Town Building Bridges workshop on regional integration raised the importance of taking a political economy approach
05 December 2014
Finishing the job and building bridges to the future – Sustainable development from an African perspective
Through the Common African Position and Agenda 2063, African leaders underscore vital principles for development Post-2015
05 December 2014
The Future of ACP-EU Relations Post-2020: An Overview of Relevant Analysis by ECDPM
This ECDPM guide brings together, in a quick summary, various ECDPM resources relevant for ACP-EU Relations and the Cotonou Partnership Agreement
05 December 2014
What have we learned about capacity development so far?
05 December 2014
Rule of Law is a Game of Thrones
justice and security is having a development ‘moment’. Our understanding of what makes an effective intervention needs sharpening before the rule of law is abandoned - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Fostering Private Sector Development in Fragile States: Why Public-Private Dialogue is Part of the Recipe
Private sector development is playing a crucial role in post-conflict economic development and poverty alleviation strategies in fragile states - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Building Peace in the Sahel: A Regional Perspective
Sahelian countries are all vulnerable having a strong “governance” component, focusing on security force and legal system reforms - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Further Thematic Reading – GREAT insights Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2014/January 2015)
04 December 2014
Peacebuilding and Statebuilding: Editorial
It is time to look at the efforts undertaken by Europe, African institutions, as well as globally, in promoting peace and security - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
EPA Update December 2014/January 2015
Following the conclusion of EPA negotiations in three African regions the attention is shifting to implementation matters for EPAs already in place - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Construire la paix au Sahel, une perspective régionale
Les pays sahéliens sont des pays fragiles. La stratégie « gouvernance » porte sur la réforme des forces de sécurité et de la justice et les droits humains - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Peacebuilding and Statebuilding – Volume 4, Issue 1 (December 2014/January 2015)
Today, violent conflict and insecurity affect more than 1.5 billion people globally. This issue of GREAT Insights is our first ever issue on peacebuilding and statebuilding - it includes contributions from Joelle Jenny, Director for Conflict Prevention and Security Policy at the EEAS, Dr. Khabele Matlosa, Director for Political Affairs at the AUC, Habib Ur Rehman Mayar, g7+ Secretariat Specialist and various other consultants and advisors.
04 December 2014
Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog
04 December 2014
The Growing Role of Conflict Prevention in Support of the EU’s Efforts in Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
The concurrent crises, inter-locking conflicts, new violent actors, geo-political rivalry and nationalism are all challenges for the EU - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
The African Union’s African Governance Architecture Linkages with the African Peace and Security Architecture
The AU has undergone a paradigm shift from the doctrine of non-interference to to non-indifference to human rights abuses - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Youth Unemployment in the Great Lakes Region: A Challenge for Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development
Youth unemployment is increasingly recognised as a driver of instability and violence in many African countries - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
The Role of the New Deal in Supporting Countries Transition out of Fragility: A G7+ Perspective
Conflict and crisis drive countries in the state of fragility of institutions, which further complicates the vicious circle of poverty - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Cautions against Conflation: Peacebuilding and Statebuilding as Distinct and Complimentary Policy Agendas
Peacebuilding and statebuilding have been merged as policy agendas. They form an interrelated process with similar problems - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
How does Africa speak with one voice? Africa's evolving positions on aid effectiveness, climate change and the post-2015 goals
How Africa formulates a common position on key global issues like aid effectiveness, climate change and the post-2015 development framework
04 December 2014
Why did the New Deal Compact in South Sudan Fail to get Signed?
Implementing the New Deal in South Sudan is exemplary for a growing concern about the practice of development targets as conditions for agreements GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Promoting Governance and Inclusive Development
Work done on conflict, security and development found across countries that strengthening governance diminishes risks of future conflict - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Development with Chinese Characteristics: Ten Lessons for Policymakers
Countries all over the developing world are looking to China as a model for how to launch and manage rapid economic growth - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
The Role of Justice in Peacebuilding: Lessons from Transitional Justice
Transitional justice initiatives are often undertaken in societies emerging from violent conflict and/or authoritarian rule - GREAT insights Magazine
04 December 2014
Un grand absent au Sommet des chefs d'État africains à Washington : Le casse-tête Afrique, UE, États-Unis
Le Sommet des chefs d’État africains marque un tournant important dans les relations États-Unis-Afrique, et place les États-Unis et l’UE sur deux trajectoires concurrentes - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
Accords de partenariat économique : Bilan et perspectives – Volume 3, numéro 9 (octobre/novembre 2014)
L'aboutissement des négociations sur les Accord de partenariat économique entre l'UE et l'Afrique de l'Ouest et australe a suscité beaucoup d'attention - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
APE : Un accord politique au détriment du développement économique et de la coopération Europe-Afrique
Il convient d’analyser les impacts des APE, les raisons profondes de l’accord et les conséquences sur les relations entre l’Afrique et l’Europe.- GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
Commerce sans compromis
Les accords de partenariat économique (APE) forment une occasion de renforcer l’intégration intrarégionale et interrégionale - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
L'APE de la SADC : Quelles perspectives ?
À l’issue de dix ans de négociations, l‘APE entre la Communauté de développement de l’Afrique australe (SADC) et l‘UE a finalement été paraphé - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
Le Commissaire De Gucht : Son bilan sur les Accords de partenariat économique
Les Accords de partenariat économique (APE) constituent un processus avantageux qui va définir le cadre des relations commerciales ACP-UE - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
Les Accords de partenariat économique : Quelles perspectives pour l'Afrique subsaharienne dans un contexte commercial qui évolue ?
Alors que les APE sont enfin sur le point d’être conclus, le paysage mondial et africain subit un profond changement - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
Les APE : Bilan et perspectives – Éditorial
L'aboutissement des négociations sur les Accord de partenariat économique entre l'UE et l'Afrique de l'Ouest et australe a suscité beaucoup d'attention - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
A New Approach to Investment Governance in Southern Africa
Investment governance is an issue that has become the subject of much debate in policymaking and scholarly circles recently.
01 December 2014
Les perspectives du commerce France-Afrique : L'APE et le secteur privé
Le CIAN expose le rôle que devrait jouer le secteur privé français dans la mise en œuvre des APE en Afrique durant les années à venir - GREAT insights Magazine
01 December 2014
Political Drivers of Africa’s Regional Economic Integration: Lessons from the Maputo and North-South Corridors
01 December 2014
Fiche technique : Questions-réponses sur les APE
01 December 2014
African Development Report 2014: Regional Integration for Inclusive Growth
The theme of the African Development Report 2014, “Regional Integration for Inclusive Growth,” recognizes that regional integration is not an end in itself, but rather a tool for enhancing economic growth
01 December 2014
Regional integration and the girl from Goma (part 1)
Building Bridges got off to an exciting start last week in tackling one key question for Africa’s development: what is holding back regional economic integration?
28 November 2014
Africa’s perspectives on the Post-2015 Development Agenda – How Africa should drive forward peace and security in the new development framework
How Africa Should Drive Forward Peace & Security in the New Development Framework
28 November 2014
Five points to take away from the ICN2
Second International Conference on Nutrition. Need for sustained political leadership; generating political leadership around nutrition is challenging; Holistic and coherent action; trust and transparency; Post 2015
28 November 2014
ECDPM Work Plan 2015-2016
28 November 2014
Behind the facade: Looking deeper into Busan
Major meetings in Busan (2011) and Mexico (2014) re-iterated the key principles for effective development: ownership, a focus on results, inclusive partnerships and transparency and mutual accountability.
21 November 2014
New mega-trade deals: What implications for Africa?
21 November 2014
European contribution to stability and development through external cultural action
A ring of fire instead of a ring of friends: that is what the EU got as a result of its Neighbourhood policy. The EU has failed to create an area of development and stability on its doorstep and has largely disenfranchised many of the populations in the Southern Mediterranean.
21 November 2014
Spatial inclusion in Africa – It’s still political
The 2015 African Economic Outlook will focus on Spatial Inclusion in Africa, so ECDPM were invited to a brainstorm hosted by the OECD, UNDP and AfDB on the topic.
21 November 2014
Celebrating Industrialisation Day in Africa: Twenty-four years on, where are we?
As the African continent celebrates its 24th Industrialization Day today, it is opportune to take a step back to look at how the debate has evolved over the years..
20 November 2014
Development is thinking ahead: A world on its way to Sustainable Development Goals
14 November 2014
From policy to actual implementation – Africa must move from one to the other
07 November 2014
Ministers of Agriculture in Central Africa adopt key strategic regional frameworks
ECCAS have approved the Common Agricultural Policy of the region, when they met in Chad on 23-24 October 2014. At this long awaited ministerial meeting they also endorsed the Regional Investment Programme for Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security as part the regional CAADP process
07 November 2014
Plan de travail 2015-2016 de l’ECDPM
Le Centre est entré dans la deuxième moitié de la période couverte par son actuel plan stratégique, qui a débuté en 2012.
03 November 2014
Assisting regional institutions and farmers’ organisations for inclusive regional value chain development
31 October 2014
A gentle exchange or policy dialogue? Negotiating the implementation of the Agenda for Change in the Sahel
The need to be context-sensitive and compromise are imperative in the Sahel.
30 October 2014
The future belongs to Africa if.. Between 'Afro-pessimism', 'Afro-optimism' and ‘Afro-realism’ – but exactly who is watching what remains somewhat unclear
Between Afro-pessimism, Afro-optimism and ‘Afro-realism’ - but who is watching what remains somewhat unclear
30 October 2014
Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security – We need to do more on nutrition, and multi-stakeholder partnerships are a key part of the solution
We need to do more on nutrition, and multi-stakeholder partnerships are a key part of the solution. A lot is happening on food security, as evidenced by progress on CAADP and the important commitments made by AU Heads of State in Malabo. However, the same cannot be said for improving nutrition on the continent.
30 October 2014
Strengthening policy coherence for development in Switzerland: The case of food security
The case of Food Security. Securing the right to food for all requires coherent action
27 October 2014
A step in the right direction for the EU’s fight against Ebola
24 October 2014
A gentle exchange or agenda for change in the Sahel? The implementation challenges
The practical Implications for aid in the Sahel under the EU's Agenda for Change
24 October 2014
Africa's rising middle class amid plenty and extreme poverty
23 October 2014
EPAs: Frequently Asked Questions
Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) are ‘development-focused’ asymmetric free trade agreements negotiated between the ACP countries/regions and the EU - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog, Great Insights, Volume 3, Issue 9 (October/November 2014)
17 October 2014
Implementation Challenges: Insights from the First CARIFORUM-EU EPA Five-year Review
Since its signing, the EPA between CARIFORUM and the EU has been the subject of scrutiny from academics, civil society and policymakers.- GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Manoeuvering at the Margins of an EPA Deadlock: Will the EAC bow down to EU Pressure?
The EAC-EU EPA was initialed in October 2014. The EAC has been pursuing regional integration through consolidating the common market and the customs union - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Situating Economic Partnership Agreements in Sub-Saharan Africa’s Evolving Trade Landscape
While EPAs are concluded, Africa is freshaped by mega-regional trade negotiations and China’s rapid expansion into the continent- GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the ACP EPA: A Common Fate?
The impact of CETA on the EPA negotiations, conclusion and implementation will certainly be felt in different ways - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
What EU Comprehensive Approach? Challenges for the EU Action Plan and beyond
17 October 2014
The EPA: A Political Agreement Detrimental to Economic Development and Cooperation Between Europe and Africa
ECOWAS represents the first African region to have signed a trade agreement with the EU, at a decisive moment for West Africa - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
The Limits to Selling Free Trade: From Distributional to Normative Conflicts in EU Trade Policy
The increasing presence of normative rather than distributional conflicts in EU trade policy is challenging the defence of free trade - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Economic Partnership Agreements and Beyond – Volume 3, Issue 9 (October/November 2014)
This special issue of GREAT insights on EPAs came out just as the EPA with the East African Community was initialed on 16 October. With exclusives from EC Trade Commissioner, Karel De Gucht, South Africa's Minister for Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, ROPPA's Executive Secretary, Kalilou Sylla and more, we bring you the latest views from political, economical, and academic representatives from all around the globe.
17 October 2014
The Missing Link in President Obama's Africa Leaders Summit: Addressing the African, EU, US Conundrum
The Africa Leaders Summit marked a welcome turning point as trade and investment became a top priority in US-African relations - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
The SADC EPA and Beyond
After ten years of preparations and negotiations, the EPA between the SADC EPA Group and the EU was finally ‘initialed’ - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Trade Prospects Between France and Africa: The EPA and the Private Sector
The approval of the EPA between the EU and West Africa introduces fundamental changes to the prospects for trade relations - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Trade without Trade-offs
17 October 2014
Economic Partnership Agreements and Beyond: Editorial
The challenge remains to identify the type of trade regimes that best promote longer term sustainable development objectives - GREAT insights Magazine
17 October 2014
Shaping a real European foreign policy: Challenges ahead for Federica Mogherini – A new HRVP and what it could mean for EU-Africa, development cooperation and policy coherence
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Commission Vice-President (HRVP)-designate Federica Mogherini enters her job with a full plate.
10 October 2014
How can intra-African agricultural trade be tripled?
Tripling intra-African agricultural trade needs collective action, say experts at an ECDPM side-event at the AUC HQ, responding to Malabo Declaration and CAADP
10 October 2014
Commissioner De Gucht on Economic Partnership Agreements
EPAs are a mutually beneficial process that will frame the ACP-EU trade relations in the 21st century and anchor this in the global scene - GREAT insights Magazine
09 October 2014
A gentle exchange or an Agenda for Change in the Sahel? Implementation challenges of EU development policy
For the European development professionals we interviewed in the Sahel, the 2011 EU Development Policy the Agenda for Change (AfC) is one overarching policy document amongst hundreds of other guideline papers sent by Brussels
09 October 2014
The EU Commission's Private Sector Communication – Communicating with whom?
As European Commission Communications go, “A stronger role for the private sector in achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in developing countries” is pretty good.
09 October 2014
Is Rising Africa marginal in Malmström’s thinking on European trade policy?
Negotiations with major developed countries and emerging markets are likely to dominate the European trade agenda in coming years.
03 October 2014
Predicting the future of EU international cooperation and development – First indications from Jean-Claude Juncker’s new Commission
What are the recurring themes likely to be the focus of the new Commission for EU’s international development priorities in 2014 – 2019?
03 October 2014
Where is the ‘A’ in ‘BRICS’? African engagement with emerging global powers
The BRICS certainly want to engage with Africa yet the consensus is that the continent must determine how it wants to navigate the international system
03 October 2014
Planting seeds and breaking eggs: EU Delegations dealing with peace and security - the Sahel case and beyond
03 October 2014
Not the climate hero that the EU and the world needs to win the battle against climate change
The European Parliamentary hearing of Miguel Arias Cañete allowed the public to get a glimpse of his vision for climate change action and energy.
03 October 2014
EU engagement with the private sector for development: Setting up a one-stop-shop?
01 October 2014
L'UE sollicite la participation du secteur privé au développement : création d'un guichet unique ?
01 October 2014
Commodities and the extractive sector: Can transparency foster prosperity, progress and development in the EU and Switzerland?
29 September 2014
Run-up to 2015: A moment of truth for EU external climate action?
Two major international agreements will be signed: a new legally binding global treaty on climate change and a new sustainable development framework to replace the MDGs.
23 September 2014
How to Harness the Global Capital Markets for the Sustainable Development Goals
22 September 2014
Should Sovereign Wealth Funds Finance Domestic Investment? The Opportunities and the Risks
22 September 2014
Illicit Financial Flows from Africa: Signs of a Poor Integration into the Global Economy
22 September 2014
Public Funds to Mobilise Commercial Capital: The Example of the IFC Catalyst Fund
22 September 2014
Development Finance – Upside Down
22 September 2014
EPA Update September 2014
22 September 2014
Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog, Great Insights, Volume 3, Issue 8 (September 2014)
22 September 2014
Financing Development – Volume 3, Issue 8 (September 2014)
This issue of GREAT insights aims to address the unabating question of developing countries: How to finance development? We asked AfDB's Chief Economist Prof. Ncube, EIB's president Werner Hoyer, NEPAD's Director of Corporate Services, as well as representatives from OECD, ODI, World Bank, AFRODAD and others to give their opinions and ideas on how to tackle this development finance question.
22 September 2014
Prospects and Policies for Ensuring Public Debt Sustainability in Africa
Africa has the potential to become a growth pole. However, vast infrastructure and human capital gaps constrain Africa’s development - GREAT insights Magazine
22 September 2014
Maximising the ‘Beyond Aid’ Approach: Mobilising Domestic Financial Resources for Africa’s Transformation
Africa’s growth propels the aspiration that the continent could serve as a growth pole for global prosperity and the next investment frontier - GREAT insights Magazine
22 September 2014
More and Better Financing for Development
22 September 2014
4 messages on governance and water in Mali and Niger – From development practice to policy-making
From Development Practice to Policy-Making : 4 Messages on Governance and Water in Mali and Niger
19 September 2014
A safer entrance than Lampedusa? Will Juncker’s new Commission find good solutions for migration and development in EU external action
A safer entrance than Lampedusa? Will Juncker’s new Commission Find Good Solutions for Migration and Development in EU External Action?
19 September 2014
Financing Development: Editorial
How to finance development is the challenge developing countries have been confronted with for decades and it is taking new dimensions - GREAT insights Magazine
18 September 2014
Why a new Dutch Food and Nutrition Security Policy should invest more in improving governance
16 September 2014
New European Commission structure should lead to more effective EU global action
12 September 2014
The top jobs in Commissioners' private offices – Planning fantasy football with your team
The Commissioner portfolios have now been allocated, but there are still a few jobs up for grabs in the private offices. These private offices known as Cabinets of the Commissioners for Trade - Cecilia Malmström, Development – Neven Mimica, Humanitarian Affairs - Christos Stylianides, Enlargement - Johannes Hahn and the High Representative/Vice President (HRVP) - Federica Mogherini, play a highly influential role in the EU’s international effectiveness.
12 September 2014
Financing a Transformative Post-2015 Agenda: Where are the Current Discussions Taking Us?
12 September 2014
ECOWAS and SADC Economic Partnership Agreements: A comparative analysis
After 12 years of hard talks, the EPAs finally concluded with ECOWAS and SADC this year were made possible, largely due to the strong political leadership shown on
12 September 2014
Petit répertoire des expertises sur le Sahel : Diplomatie, sécurité et développement
La région du Sahel connaît une mobilisation internationale historique : des milliards d’euros sont promis au Mali et à ses voisins, tandis que des dizaines d’agences internationales se pressent
11 September 2014
Secteur extractif : Perspectives africaines – Editorial
08 September 2014
Secteur extractif : Perspectives africaines – Volume 3, numéro 7 (juillet/août 2014)
08 September 2014
The Post-2015 Challenge for Development: A New EIB Instrument to take on Riskier Projects
As the post-Millennium Goals development agenda takes shape, the importance of ensuring adequate financing for development has been identified as a major issue - GREAT insights Magazine
08 September 2014
How can the Netherlands most effectively contribute to achieving sustainable food systems?
A review of Dutch food security policy is underway. By the end of this year, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs will send a joint food security policy paper to the Dutch Parliament.
02 September 2014
Our Collective Interest: Why Europe’s problems need global solutions and global problems need European action – European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) Report 2014
This report from the European Think Tanks Group calls for a new understanding of the EU’s global role, and in particular, a new approach to international development.
01 September 2014
Accords de partenariat économique CEDEAO et SADC : une analyse comparative
Les pays de la CEDEAO et de la SADC conservent une certaine marge de manœuvre pour protéger leurs économies au cas où les importations risqueraient de porter atteinte à leurs industries nationales.
01 September 2014
Financements et mise en œuvre des stratégies Sahel - Première partie
Mise à jour sur le financement et la mise en œuvre des stratégies existantes pour le Sahel, sur la base de sources ouvertes.
27 August 2014
Financements et mise en œuvre des stratégies Sahel - Deuxième partie
Notre série de blogs sur les stratégies internationales dans le Sahel
27 August 2014
Breaking heads over questions of change – The approach is commendable, but we might ask whether the tools presented would be used by those elites that are in the position to use them effectively
We might ask whether the tools presented by Seth Kaplan would ultimately be used by those elites that are in the position to use them effectively
27 August 2014
Assessing the Uptake of Strategic Evaluations in EU Development Cooperation – Study on the Uptake of Learning from EuropeAid's Strategic Evaluations into Development Policy and Practice
EuropeAid commissioned an ‘uptake study’ with two very clear objectives: (i) to collect evidence of the translation of knowledge from strategic evaluations into EU development policy and practice, and on that basis (ii) to make recommendations for strengthening uptake in EuropeAid and the wider EU external action system.
26 August 2014
Le point sur les APE juillet/août 2014
25 August 2014
Réforme réglementaire du secteur minier libérien : trouver le juste équilibre
25 August 2014
Quelle place pour l’intégration régionale dans le développement des filières ?
25 August 2014
Extraction de l’or et partage des valeurs : Soutenir le développement et les communautés
21 August 2014
Miser sur l’industrie extractive en Afrique pour une transformation économique inclusive
21 August 2014
La place de l’industrie extractive dans la transformation industrielle de l’Afrique
19 August 2014
Ensuring public debt sustainability in Africa: Prospects and policies
This briefing note considers the public debt legacy of the crisis in Africa. It summarises the recent fiscal and external indicators for African countries.
18 August 2014
What China is doing to Africa: Copper beneficiation in Botswana – Guest article
Botswana’s copper and base metals firms are in discussions along with the government over the road ahead for beneficiation in the country. Two things are pretty clear
11 August 2014
Rapport annuel 2013 : Concilier valeurs et intérêts dans l'action extérieure de l'Union européenne
01 August 2014
US – Africa Leaders Summit: Are we up for a New Deal?
The US - Africa leaders Summit is a remarkable shift in the strategic and diplomatic repositioning of the US in Africa.
01 August 2014
Addressing peace, security and state fragility – How can the EU do better?
28 July 2014
Europe and the Sustainable Development Goals – An update on the post-2015 process
From a European perspective, the outcome of the Open Working Group is satisfactory, but there is still much work ahead….
25 July 2014
Madagascar: Laying Foundations for Extractive Industries
Madagascar has become symptomatic of the conditions in which the extractive sector develops in vulnerable countries following the arrival of foreign investors.
24 July 2014
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 7 (July/August 2014)
24 July 2014
Madagascar : Poser les fondements durables des industries extractives
24 July 2014
Developing Value Chains: What Role for Regional Integration?
Since the turn of the century, many African resource rich countries have embraced a fundamental shift in their policies regarding the management of their extractive resources in an attempt to finally reap the benefits from the current resource boom.
24 July 2014
Regulatory Reform in the Liberian Mining Sector: Striking the Right Balance
24 July 2014
Extractive Sector: African Perspectives – Editorial
24 July 2014
The Role of the Extractive Sector in Africa's Industrial Transformation
24 July 2014
EPA Update July/August 2014
According to our sources, the European Commission (EC) has transmitted a document to the European Parliament detailing steps that would allow regions having initialled an EPA to remain within the reach of Market Access Regulation 1528 (MAR 1528) during ACP countries’ domestic ratification processes.
24 July 2014
Legitimacy of Small-scale and Artisanal Mining in DR Congo: The Case of Kivu
This article focuses on the last mining company in Kivu – Sominki, which was wound up on 29 March 1997, granting a portion of its assets to Sakima(2), which itself lacked the resources to resume mining operations. Another portion, consisting primarily of gold mines, was granted to a company called Banro.
24 July 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog, Great Insights, Volume 3, Issue 7 (July/August 2014)
24 July 2014
The Role of Regional Cooperation in the context of West African Oil
Today West Africa is considered one of the continent’s leading oil-producing zones. Indeed, its coastal fringe corresponds to the most extensive part of the Gulf of Guinea, whose importance in the geopolitics of oil at the global level is well known.
24 July 2014
Extractive Sector and Environmental Civil Society in Madagascar
Given the continued plundering of natural resources, in 2009 the associations and NGOs working on the environment decided to create a platform Alliance Voahary Gasy.
24 July 2014
Extractive Sector in the WAEMU: Regional Dynamics as a Driver of Growth
24 July 2014
Gold Mining and Shared Value: Contributing to Development and Communities
24 July 2014
Extractive Sector: African Perspectives – Volume 3, Issue 7 (July/August 2014)
24 July 2014
La légitimité de l'artisanat minier en RDC : Le cas du Kivu
24 July 2014
Le rôle de la coopération régionale dans le contexte petrolier en Afrique de l'Ouest
24 July 2014
Le secteur extractif au sein de l'Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA) – Dynamiques régionales et levier de croissance
24 July 2014
Le secteur extractif et la société civile environnementale à Madagascar
24 July 2014
Leveraging Africa's Extractive Sector for Inclusive Economic Transformation
Africa is endowed with some of the world’s largest mineral reserves, including three-quarters of the world’s platinum supply, half of its diamonds and chromium, and up to one-fifth of gold and uranium supplies.
24 July 2014
Shining a light on the shadowy institutions that dominate the development landscape – Guest article from Eurodad
18 July 2014
5 take-aways from the OECD Global Forum on Development
The Global Forum on Development hosted last week by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development discussed how sustained and inclusive growth could be achieved in development, despite structural development challenges and lagging productivity.
18 July 2014
Making sense of the funding and implementation of Sahel strategies – Part two
17 July 2014
Three take-away messages from the African Union Summit in Malabo on agriculture and food security – Was the recent African Union (AU) Summit theme of Agriculture and Food Security just symbolic in nature?
16 July 2014
Making sense of funding and implementation of Sahel strategies – Part one
An update on the financing and implementation of existing strategies for the Sahel. Tracing and predicting aid flows is an old challenge - not only in the Sahel - and what follows is an attempt to map some of the information available in the public domain.
14 July 2014
可持续农业投资非正式知识平台 第一次研讨会会议报告 - Report on the Informal Knowledge Platform on Sustainable Agricultural Investments
Chinese translation 由于粮食安全问题引起全球的日益关注，再加上国际农业投资（尤其是在非洲）和私有产业的日趋影响， 现有必要进一步提高对相关问题和利益相关者的认识和理解。欧洲发展政策管理研究中心（ECDPM）通过‘可持续农业非正式知识平台’这一网络，汇聚来自非洲、欧洲和中国的感兴趣的人士，探讨多方对话和合作的途径和机制。
09 July 2014
ECDPM Annual Report 2013: Reconciling values and interests in the external action of the EU
ECDPM's Annual Report 2013 highlights the Centre's activities over the past year. The thematic focus of the report is 'Reconciling values and interests in the external action of the EU'.
07 July 2014
Migration and Mobility: Integral Part of Sustainable Development
03 July 2014
Les ACP et l'Europe : Quel avenir pour une relation privilégiée ?
03 July 2014
Financing infrastructure development: Quality over quantity
Finance is not the main constraint, despite the current focus on financing infrastructure development in recent summits and discussions around the new SDGs
27 June 2014
Six modes d’action régionale au Sahel-Sahara – Eviter mirages et bourbiers
Façonnée par la coopération multilatérale, institutionnelle et formelle, elle prend la forme d’accords internationaux entre les Etats.
27 June 2014
AU Summit in Malabo: Moving agricultural development and food security forward
What can we expect to come of the Summit and why would African citizens care? This time around in Malabo, it is expected that the AU leaders will renew CAADP commitment by agreeing on a concrete set of ambitious goals for agricultural development and food security to be reached by 2025.
27 June 2014
Six ways to think and act regionally in the Sahel-Sahara – Avoiding sand castles or being stuck in the mud
25 June 2014
Implementing African development initiatives: Opportunities and challenges to securing alternative financing for the Agenda 2063
This briefing note provides a mapping of Africa’s resources for development and questions some of the assumptions associated with the discussion on financing.
23 June 2014
The Bulletin of Fridays of the Commission - Making EU-Africa Relations Future-Proof
Fridays of the Commission preceded the 4th Africa-EU Summit and saw discussions on social, political and economic dimensions of the EU-Africa Relations
20 June 2014
How will the EU's private sector strategy play out?
The newly launched EU Communication on the topic of private sector development is an important addition to a crowded field.
18 June 2014
Overview of EPA updates
ECDPM's GREAT Insights magazine brings you a monthly Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) update. Read the overview of all EPA updates here.
15 June 2014
Interview with Lapo Pistelli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy
For too long private sector contribution to partner countries’ development has been looked upon with suspicion. But in recent times it has become clearer that "economic growth and development are not two distinct goals, and should not be approached in distinct ways.
12 June 2014
Editorial: Promoting Development through Business
That private sector is a key engine for economic prosperity is stating the obvious in the eyes of business people. For development cooperation actors, the role is a less familiar and more challenging issue.
12 June 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 6 (June 2014)
12 June 2014
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 6 (June 2014)
12 June 2014
EPA Update June 2014
12 June 2014
Advancing Regional Integration in Southern Africa: An evidence-based, forward looking study on regional trade and integration in the Tripartite region, focusing primarily on Southern Africa
This study examines regional trade and integration in the Tripartite region, focusing primarily on Southern Africa. Based on an overview of past experience in supporting regional integration, a mapping of current policies and plans and a horizon scan, the study
12 June 2014
Co-creating New Partnerships for Financing Sustainable Development: The Furntech Partnership Model
12 June 2014
Working with the Private Sector for a Stronger Link between Growth and Poverty Alleviation
In every market-based system the Private Sector is the main engine that powers economic growth. But can the Private Sector also contribute to Poverty Reduction?
12 June 2014
Private Sector for Development: How Private Investments have helped Mining Sector Growth
Today’s widely accepted thesis that the private sector is a key engine of economic growth stands in stark contrast to the model that most post-colonial African countries adopted during the early years of their independence.
12 June 2014
Ending Hunger: Not without the Smallholder Farmers!
Globalisation has many important benefits but there are some unintended externalities as well. Social media today is much more prevalent and communities are no longer living in isolation of each other.
12 June 2014
Private Sector Development: The Role of Food and Agriculture Business Principles
No country can develop without a thriving private sector. Most developing countries have a large share of their GDP in agriculture, feeding the local population and providing important export revenues. So the need for a strong private sector is even greater in agriculture in developing countries.
12 June 2014
Africans Doing Business in Africa: The Impact of a Midsized Private Company on the Ugandan Economy
Uganda is among the fastest growing countries in Africa with average GDP growth of 7% over the last 20 years. The economy was liberalised in 1989.
12 June 2014
Team Finland doing Good Home and Abroad
Team Finland is a network that brings together public bodies and actors who promote the internationalisation of Finnish companies, Finland’s country brand, external economic relations and bringing foreign private investments to Finland.
12 June 2014
The Dutch Approach: Combining Aid and Trade and Working Together for Effective Private Sector Development
In pursuit of a more coherent policy for development cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen was appointed Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in November 2012.
12 June 2014
Beyond the 2014 Summit: Which Way Forward for EU-Africa Relations?
06 June 2014
Bringing policy coherence for development into the post-2015 agenda – Challenges and prospects
The underlying ideas and principles of the concept of ‘Policy Coherence for Development’ are relevant for post-2015 discussions, yet challenges lie ahead.
06 June 2014
How can the EU and member states foster development through diaspora organisations? The case of Ghanaian diaspora organisations in the Netherlands
Integration and participation ‘here’ significantly influence the ability of diaspora organisations to function ‘there’. This derives from diaspora’s dual affinity with and engagement in more than one homeland
06 June 2014
Coordination dans le Sahel : A la recherche d’un leadership collectif
La coordination des bailleurs de fonds et des acteurs de la région peut aider à gérer les questions transfrontalières au Sahel, notamment le crime organisé, la sécurité alimentaire et la gouvernance.
06 June 2014
The alphabet soup of coordination in the Sahel: In search of collective leadership
Coordination from donors and actors from the region itself can help address the Sahel’s cross-border challenges including organised crime, food security and governance to name but a few. Coordination matters if it favours implementation that improves people’s lives. Yet so far, partners in the Sahel are still clinging on to their own little pet projects.
05 June 2014
Inclusive Economic Growth Through Women's Entrepreneurship Promotion: What Works and What Doesn't?
Is entrepreneurship promotion a miracle solution to inclusive economic growth? No, we need to temper our expectations and look for alternative and feminist strategies to overcome issues of gender-inequality that underpin exclusive economic development
28 May 2014
Swedish Experiences of Challenge Funds: Case of Innovations Against Poverty
Sida’s experience of challenge funds covers both funds established by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
28 May 2014
Promoting Development through Business – Volume 3, Issue 6 (June 2014)
26 May 2014
Corporate Sustainability Emerging as Major Driver in the UN’s Post-2015 Agenda
The corporate sustainability movement is growing in every region of the world. Every year, more companies place responsible business practices and sustainability objectives at the heart of their business strategy.
23 May 2014
Will the action plan to implement the EU’s Comprehensive Approach have any bite?
The EU needs to be more comprehensive and coherent in its international action – and not just in response to the crisis in Ukraine
23 May 2014
Les stratégies Sahel en perspective: Troisième conférence des donateurs sur le Mali – Avantages comparatifs ou jungle de coopération internationale ?
La conférence des donateurs sur le Mali et la deuxième réunion de la plate-forme de coordination internationale pour Sahel ont eu lieu cette semaine à Bamako. Des dizaines d'organisations internationales et bailleurs de fonds tentent de mettre en œuvre leurs stratégies Sahel pour répondre aux menaces complexes de sécurité et de développement dans la région.
21 May 2014
European development finance post-2015: Public meets private?
Continuing ODI's financing progress series with a look to post-2015, Florian Krätke looks at the increasing importance of private finance and how European public aid is working alongside it - do private and public sources of finance see development in the same way?
21 May 2014
Sahel strategies compared: Third donors conference on Mali – Comparative advantages or international cooperation jungle?
The third donors’ conference on Mali and the second meeting of the international coordination platform for Sahel took place this week in Bamako. Dozens of international organisations and donors are trying to implement their Sahel strategies to respond to the complex security and development threats in the region.
16 May 2014
African funds for African development? The relevance of curtailing illicit financial flows
The Relevance of Curtailing Illicit Financial Flows | The African Union Commission (AUC) has turned the spotlight back on Africa’s responsibility for its own development and efforts to curb illicit financial flows (IFFs) are firmly on the map. Illicit financial flows are part of Africa’s significant untapped resource potential. If efforts to tap into these resources are to gain real traction, the relevant continental and international partners need to be engaged in the process, with real incentives to tackle this challenge.
15 May 2014
New EU communication on the private sector – Navigating the narratives on business partnerships for development in Africa
13 May 2014
Economic Transformation in Mauritius: A Heterodox Journey
08 May 2014
The Return of Industrial Policy in Africa
06 May 2014
Value Chains and Industrialisation – Volume 3, Issue 5 (May 2014)
06 May 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM’s Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 5 (May 2014)
05 May 2014
Editorial: Value Chains and Industrialisation
05 May 2014
Are Global Value Chains Good News for Africa’s Industrialisation?
International trade is changing. Modern communication technologies and falling transport costs have led to the emergence of global value chains (GVCs).
05 May 2014
Paved with Good Intentions: Global Value Chains and Industrialisation in Africa
Despite the divergent views on what it means and what it should and should not imply, “Global Value Chains” is a concept that strongly emerged in recent years especially at the World Trade Organization.
02 May 2014
Global Value Chains in Perspective
02 May 2014
EPA Update May 2014
02 May 2014
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 5 (May 2014)
02 May 2014
Understanding Who Benefits from Gold Mining
01 May 2014
The Global Game Has Changed – What Role for Europe-Africa Relations?
The ambitious implementation of a partnership between equals and taking Africa-EU relations to a new strategic political level remain largely unfulfilled. The need for a mindset
01 May 2014
Can Africa Learn from East Asian Production Networks?
01 May 2014
Constructing Markets through Value Chains: For whose Benefit?
01 May 2014
Transforming Africa through Agricultural Sophistication
01 May 2014
De-coding public-private partnerships for development
Objectives, interpretations, practices and incentives of public and private partners are often diverse, leading to the question of who leads whom, and how?
25 April 2014
Migration and mobility in the Africa-EU partnership: A breakthrough or more of the same?
For the migration and mobility partnership between Africa and the EU to lead to real results, cooperation needs to include genuine plans for mobility and overcome a focus on the ‘root’ cause argument to fight irregular migration. Three challenges need to be overcome to make the partnership an actual breakthrough.
18 April 2014
New Deal for fragile states needs time and political commitment to flourish
17 April 2014
Development assistance in a multipolar world
17 April 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT insights, Volume 3, Issue 4 (April 2014)
GREAT insights, Volume 3, Issue 4 (April 2014)
11 April 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT insights, Volume 3, Issue 2 (February 2014)
GREAT insights, Volume 3, Issue 2 (February 2014)
11 April 2014
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 4 (April 2014)
11 April 2014
Are Africa and Europe turning a new page in their relationship?
The 4th EU-Africa Summit planted the seeds for a potentially stronger, more balanced partnership between the EU and Africa. With African leaders embracing a businesslike approach, the discussions focused on growth and investment and the signs are that a frank debate took place. In few years, we may look back on the Summit as something of a threshold moment in Africa-EU relations.
11 April 2014
Good news from Durban: CAADP getting more results-oriented!
This year, its 10th anniversary, is “make or break” for CAADP. ECDPM’s Francesco Rampa was in Durban for the CAADP Partnership Platform and he reports that CAADP has good chances of making it.
11 April 2014
Mapping and comparing China’s imports from Africa
10 April 2014
Strategy and experience of South Africa in engaging within the BRICs and with other emerging countries – Thematic Issue: Emerging Economies and Africa
10 April 2014
Emerging economies as global development partners
Taking the long-term view and investing in development. For any observer of the headlines of reports and newspapers on the increasing role and power of emerging economies, the past few years must have resembled a rollercoaster ride. From the “Rise of the South” and “Shifting we
09 April 2014
South Africa - Competing with the other BRICs in Africa
09 April 2014
South-South Cooperation in African Agriculture: China, Brazil and international agribusiness
South-South cooperation is significant in the context of agricultural development in Africa since economic restructuring has done little to foster agricultural development in Africa. New approaches, new social configurations of actors and new investments are now seen as critical to overcoming the constraints in African agriculture.
09 April 2014
Chinese agricultural investments in Zambia
09 April 2014
China, Europe and agricultural investments in Africa – the need for dialogue and coordination
China’s and Europe’s intensified investments, trade, and financial and technical support in the African agricultural sector have the potential to substantially impact African agricultural growth and development prospects. Yet, more dialogue is needed if Africa’s partners are to make reality of their promises.
09 April 2014
East Asian lessons for Ethiopia's Hailemariam and Kenya's Kenyatta?
09 April 2014
Rising donors: Can China and Brazil help Ethiopia achieve its development ambitions?
09 April 2014
ECDPM talks to Professor Pádraig Carmody on the BRICS and how they are changing the global balance of power, helping create a new global geopolitical space and region
09 April 2014
How do European Donors engage with emerging development partners?
09 April 2014
Can India’s Duty-Free Scheme foster Trade and Development in African Least Developed Countries?
08 April 2014
China-Africa: An Evolving Relationship but Invariable Principles
08 April 2014
Can Turkey's Mercy help Africa?
Africa features prominently and represents a novel dimension of Turkish foreign policy. Ankara’s involvement in the continent has more dimensions than those related to economic relations and humanitarian aid. However, contextualising Turkish involvement requires a broader perspective in order to understand and measure
08 April 2014
China-Africa win-win strategy for job creation and transformation
08 April 2014
Editorial: Emerging Economies and Africa
08 April 2014
Indonesia as an emerging power
08 April 2014
Emerging Economies and Africa – Volume 3, Issue 4 (April 2014)
Role and influence of emerging global economies in Africa, including in relation to more traditional partners. As many of the traditional arguments about emerging players in Africa are over simplistic, our articles this month come from authors based in China, Ethiopia, Turkey, India, the EU, Indonesia, Ghana and other African nationsVolume 3, Issue 4 (April 2014)
08 April 2014
EPA Update April 2014
Nigeria blocks EPA endorsement at ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Summit. According to several news reports and persons present at the 44th Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
08 April 2014
Don’t ignore the elephants in the room – Will the Africa-EU Summit revitalise the partnership?
To make the summit a success strong leadership will be needed on both sides of the partnership to square up to the elephants in the room, sorting out the differences to get on with making the EU-Africa relationship a success
03 April 2014
Beauty contests and economic transformation
“As beauty is only skin-deep, so too is growth”. So Joe Amoako-Kuffour began the Brussels launch of the Africa Transformation Report by ACET (African Centre for Economic Transformation) last week. “Growth may be good, but it must be accompanied by economic transformation”. This is nicely put but relatively uncontroversia
03 April 2014
By the numbers – How donors can support a demand-led post-2015 data and statistics revolution
Do we need a ‘data revolution’ goal to create the right demand for a data and statistics revolution post-2015? Recent calls for a ‘data revolution’ emphasise how in the dark we are on the social, economic and developmental status of developing countries, especially in Africa.
03 April 2014
Évaluation indépendante du Fonds fiduciaire multi-donateurs du PDDAA
Ce rapport constate que le Fonds fiduciaire multi-donateurs (FFMD) d'appui au Programme détaillé pour le développement de l'agriculture africaine (PDDAA) a joué un rôle essentiel dans le renforcement des capacités des institutions chargées de faire progresser le PDDAA aux niveaux continental et régional et dans l'amélioration de la coordination autour du PDDAA.
01 April 2014
How African Countries Need to Get on with the Business of Diplomacy
African countries are an attractive business destination for business and governments from developed and recently emerged countries.
27 March 2014
Beyond Development Diplomacy: Ministerial Diversity and International Cooperation
Although specialised ministries have not displaced foreign affairs and development ministries, their rising prominence highlights shifts in the rationale and organisation of international cooperation.
27 March 2014
Linking the Tokyo International Conference on African Development with the EU-Africa Summit to Make Africa a Continent of Real Success
Development partners such as Europe and Japan should focus more on the human and community potential of Africa, not just mineral resources.
27 March 2014
The Catalytic Role of the EU on Private Sector Investments: The Case of Climate Financing
If the EU wants to be a leader in this multi-polar world, it should increasingly incorporate climate change into its development work.
27 March 2014
Culture and Diplomacy: Europe's Enabling Power in an Open World
Cultural relations are not only an asset in the race for soft power competitiveness. In times of crisis in Europe, they also represent a potential to be better exploited internationally.
27 March 2014
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 3 (March 2014)
After the deal struck at technical and senior official level last month, West Africa is progressing towards official validation of its EPA at the highest political level in the region.
27 March 2014
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 3 (March 2014)
27 March 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT insights, Volume 3, Issue 3 (March 2014)
27 March 2014
Economic diplomacy and South-South trade: A new issue in development
Economic diplomacy is being rediscovered as a government activity that may help to boost trade and investment. But can it play a role in the foreign trade and investment activities of developing countries?
25 March 2014
Taxes and fragile states – How political can it get?
24 March 2014
The elusive win-win balance in mining – Part 2: Show your working in the margin
24 March 2014
The elusive win-win balance in mining – Part 1: ‘A very complex puzzle…’
24 March 2014
What the extractive sector should focus on – Part 2: Partnerships
24 March 2014
What the extractive sector should focus on – Part 1: Shared value
24 March 2014
ODA reform: Change for the sake of change?
24 March 2014
Economic transformation in Africa: What is the role for business-to-business in the mining sector?
24 March 2014
Accords de partenariat économique: Un accord conclu en Afrique de l’Ouest
24 March 2014
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): The challenge of rejuvenating an old-school principle ahead of the 2015 climate negotiations
Last week I attended a panel discussion on ‘Revisiting the Principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): Opportunities for the 2015 Climate Agreement’.
24 March 2014
Water for agriculture in SADC: Realising the water, energy and food security nexus
24 March 2014
Regional programming for the 11th European Development Fund – Does RIPs spell ‘Regional Integration Promise’ or ‘Rest In Peace’?
24 March 2014
After 10 years, make or break for CAADP?
24 March 2014
The European Commission, civil society organisations and the private sector – When talking the same language isn’t quite enough
The Economist magazine has an amusing article that does the rounds from time to time that translates what a native english speaker says (e.g. “that’s not bad”), what the listener understands (“that’s good or very good”) and what the speaker meant (“that’s poor or mediocre”).
24 March 2014
Ghana's Challenges in a New Diplomatic Environment
Modern developments, including powerful global media, have variously transformed the conduct of diplomacy and forced diplomatic practitioners to measure up and deliver in the best interest of their respective peoples.
21 March 2014
New Diplomacy: Showing the Way in a Complex World?
Innovation in diplomacy is urgent as well as messy. It is urgent because for a country or region to position itself successfully within the rapidly changing global power balance traditional diplomacy does not suffice.
21 March 2014
Post-2015: New diplomacy, ambition and compromise
The international diplomatic landscape has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past decades. New economic powers are influencing the global course to prosperity.
21 March 2014
The Implementation of the Joint Africa Europe Strategy: Rebuilding Confidence and Commitments
ECDPM study commissioned by the European Parliament on the implementation of the Joint Africa Europe Strategy (JAES).
21 March 2014
New Diplomacy and Development
Contrary to its traditional image, international diplomacy is a dynamic field. The question, however, is whether diplomacy can adapt fast enough to follow, let alone anticipate, the rapidly changing international relations context.
21 March 2014
New Diplomacy and Development – Volume 3, Issue 3 (March 2014)
This issue of GREAT Insights offers an initial range of reflections on the diversity of changes and adaptations that are required from a modern diplomacy to more coherently contribute to better international relations and development.
20 March 2014
Political Dialogue on Human Rights under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement
ECDPM study commissioned by the European Parliament. The aim of this study is to assess the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the EU’s political dialogue on human rights.
20 March 2014
Making EU-Africa Relations Future-proof: Key questions in the run up to the Summit and the role of the PAP
Making EU-Africa relations future-proof: Key questions in the run up to the Summit and the role of the PAP
17 March 2014
A closer look into EU’s external action frontline: Framing the challenges ahead for EU Delegations
The ‘new’ EU Delegations (EUDs) can be the best of both worlds – a long-term, ‘whole-of-EU’ approach to complement and work with the EU Member States’ diplomatic assets
14 March 2014
Fostering More and Better Jobs – Volume 3, Issue 2 (February 2014)
The challenges of creating more and better jobs. These cover diagnostic considerations as well as analyses of various forms of interventions and policies to address the employment question, as well as their assessment.
06 March 2014
Regional food security and water in SADC
Regional water management and cooperation in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its Regional Agricultural Policy (RAP)..
03 March 2014
The CAADP and the emerging economies: The case of Ethiopia
This paper examines the complex relationships between ‘traditional’ developed country partners, newer emerging economies and government policies and institutions in Ethiopia.
03 March 2014
Thematic Focus: Fostering More and Better Jobs
Unemployment is a global challenge, affecting both rich and developing countries, currently at a world average of 6%. But it particularly affects young ...
27 February 2014
EPA Update
As of Friday 24th, the West Africa Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) negotiating region became the first African block to reach a deal at the level ...
27 February 2014
Inclusive Business: New Business Models, New Opportunities, New Skills
SimGas B.V. is an innovative design and production company focused on delivering affordable small-scale biogas and bio-sanitation systems to customers ...
24 February 2014
Africa's Jobs Gap
24 February 2014
ECDPM Talks to European Commission Employment Experts, Rudi Delarue and Nicholas Taylor
24 February 2014
The Remaining Challenge of Job Creation in South Africa
A lot has been written about the historical origins of the unemployment problem in South Africa, its racial configuration and geographical distribution ...
24 February 2014
Measuring Decent Work in Development: A Balancing Act
With the growing recognition of the importance of decent work in ongoing debates about global development, the need to conceptualise and measure this ...
21 February 2014
Creating More and Better Jobs: The Defining Issue of Our Time
Hundreds of millions of people do not have jobs today and several hundred millions more will seek jobs by 2020. Most of these unemployed are under the ...
20 February 2014
Africa's Youth Goldmine: AfDB's Response to Youth Employment Crisis in Africa
Africa’s continued growth in youth employment is creating concern over the continent's ability to use its young people's potential for its economic ...
20 February 2014
Jobs: A Tough Time to Be Young in Africa
Africa’s youth will double from today’s 200 million to 400 million in 2045. Where will they find jobs? Even if we assume that economic growth remains ...
20 February 2014
Making support to food security in Africa more effective: A summary of the independent assessment of the CAADP Multi-Donor Trust Fund
03 February 2014
Independent assessment of the CAADP Multi-Donor Trust Fund
This report finds that the Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) supporting the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) has played a key role in building the capacity of institutions tasked with advancing CAADP at continental and regional level and in improving coordination around CAADP.
03 February 2014
What drives regional economic integration? Lessons from the Maputo Development Corridor and the North-South Corridor
Regional integration is crucial for economic transformation in Africa. Yet despite support for this regional agenda, implementation is slow due to numerous complexities and obstacles. Narrowing the focus on transport and on two specific transport corridors in Southern Africa helps unpack these complexities
03 February 2014
Economic Partnership Agreements: Towards the Finishing Line?
First regional EPA agreed since 2007, and over 10 years after the launch of free trade talks. West Africa remains united thanks to compromise approach from the EU and ECOWAS.The deal is reached; can it be implemented? Parties should start worrying about the transition process. It’s about politics! If the will is there on both sides all EPA negotiations can be concluded in a more accommodating way.
03 February 2014
The European Union's International Cooperation: Recent Developments and Future Challenges
03 February 2014
Rendre l’appui à la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique plus efficace : résumé de l’évaluation indépendante du Fonds fiduciaire multi-donateurs du PDDAA
Rendre l’appui à la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique plus efficace : Résumé de l’ évaluation indépendante du Fonds fiduciaire multi-donateurs du PDDAA
01 February 2014
Economic Partnership Agreements: West Africa seals a deal at the 11th hour
After 10 years of tough negotiations, on 24th January 2014, West African and European Commission (EC) negotiators reached a major breakthrough on what now will be the first regional economic partnership agreement (EPA) since 2007.
27 January 2014
10 reasons why 2014 is the Year of Family Farming
Family farming is a central piece of the agenda for African transformation. Declared the United Nations (UN) Year of Family Farming and the African Union (AU) Year of Food Security, 2014 will be particularly interesting,
24 January 2014
Time to put the poorest first: Why the OECD DAC must reform rules on concessional lending
Guest blog post by Eurodad. The OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) will meet in Paris later this month to discuss the ongoing process of re-examining the definition of – and reporting criteria for – aid.
17 January 2014
What would Scottish independence mean for development cooperation?
What Implications an Independent Scotland would have for UK and European Development Aid. While the UK aid would undoubtedly be affected. ECDPM's J.Mackie.
16 January 2014
Uma questão de liderança? Desafios para as relações África-UE em 2014
Esta publicação procura identificar os debates importantes relativos às relações África-UE para facilitar o maior envolvimento possível dos vários actores.
15 January 2014
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 5 (July-August 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 5 (July-August 2013)
06 January 2014
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 5 (July-August 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 5 (July-August 2013)
06 January 2014
Extractive resources for development: Trade, fiscal and industrial considerations
06 January 2014
Supporting structural transformation in the ACP agro-food sector: Redefining possible roles of the ACP post 2020
The raison d’etre of the ACP Group is the promotion of the gradual integration of ACP states into the world economy in ways which contribute to the eradication of poverty and the promotion of sustainable development. Agriculture is central to most ACP countries’ economies, and an increasingly stringent
06 January 2014
Does aid for trade enhance export performance? Investigating on the infrastructure channel
Aid for Trade is intended to boost trade partly through a reduction in internal trade costs. We show that the effectiveness of such assistance as regards to export performance transits via the infrastructure channel.
06 January 2014
The impact of closer regional economic integration on food security in West Africa: Focus on the ECOWAS Common External Tariff
The long-delayed ECOWAS CET is now a reality, with a firm January 2015 launching. The 15 ECOWAS countries completed 10 years of negotiation on duty rates in March 2013 in Praia, Cap Verde with adoption by Heads of State in Dakar, Senegal in October 2013.
06 January 2014
Are donors assessing the impact of Aid for Trade on poverty?
Although on the whole Aid for Trade (AFT) is good for growth and poverty reduction, behind the averages there may be winners and losers. Yet we find that development partners are not adequately exploring the implications of their interventions on poverty and/or the poor.
06 January 2014
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 2, Issue 5 (July-August 2013)
06 January 2014
Une question de leadership ? Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE en 2014
01 January 2014
The four As of thinking and acting politically (and avoiding ‘purposeless muddling’)…
This week the OECD Development Co-operation Directorate (DAC) Network on Governance hosted a workshop on “Political Economy Analyses (PEA): Lessons Learned and New Directions”. Discussions looked at past progress in incorporating political analysis into donor thinking and programming as well as ways to mainstream this kind of analysis.
21 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2013-January 2014)
The success deal reached in Bali on 7 December is an important milestone, the first under the World Trade Organization (WTO). Hopefully, similar successes will also prevail in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations in 2014.
20 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2013 - January 2014)
GREAT Insights, Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2013 - January 2014)
20 December 2013
Measuring the Impact of the Global Agenda of Aid for Trade
Aid for Trade has become a firm part of the vernacular of the trade and development communities. Since it was launched at the 2005 WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong it has been the subject of numerous academic and policy papers; seminars and think-tanks, and has been witness to equal parts critique and commendation.
20 December 2013
Interview with EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht
Interview with EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht - ECDPM
20 December 2013
Aid for Trade in German Development Policy
Trade plays a major role for global sustainable development. An open, rule-based and non-discriminatory trade and financial system is an explicit goal of the global partnership for development. Trade can contribute to inclusive growth and also to the creation of new and competitive jobs in the export sector.
20 December 2013
Revamping the Aid for Trade Initiative – Why is it necessary? What can be done?
The Aid for Trade Initiative needs to be revamped. To restore confidence and improve its efficiency, aid for trade should focus more on projects that are clearly related to trade.
20 December 2013
Contribution by the Commissioner for Trade, Customs & Free Movement ECOWAS Commission
The potential of Trade as an engine for economic growth can only be fully realized by addressing the supply side constraints of Developing Countries, especially in terms of production capacity and trade-related infrastructure.
20 December 2013
Enhancing the Regional Dimensions of Aid for Trade
Regional Aid for Trade is increasing, but unclear definitions and data hamper any assessment. Addressing challenges in regional coordination and implementation will better enable AfT to drive productivity and trade growth.
20 December 2013
Connecting to Value Chains: The Role of Aid for Trade in Private Sector Development
Strengthening the links between aid for trade and private sector development is catalysing greater co-operation and synergies between the public and private sectors to ensure that value chains offer a path to development.
20 December 2013
Connecting food value chains in Africa
Strengthening the links between aid for trade and private sector development is catalysing greater co-operation and synergies between the public and private sectors to ensure that value chains offer a path to development.
20 December 2013
Finland is teaming up for supporting business and development
The old silos of business and development are breaking down. Finland has introduced a model, “Team Finland”, which has great potential for helping the developing countries benefit from business and trade while also advancing Finland’s economic interests.
20 December 2013
How private sector can aid agricultural trade – The case of Yara
Improved agricultural productivity is vital to meet an anticipated 70 percent increase in food demand by 2050. As the increased output has to be obtained with less input, resource efficiency is imperative. Simultaneously, global warming is already thought to affect world food production negatively, making reduced emissions another key objective.
20 December 2013
AFT's Impact: How Should We Evaluate?
Did the AfT initiative make a difference? It did help to mainstream trade in donor strategies and increase AfT flows. Yet, the initiative was remarkably poor in terms of evaluation mechanisms or even simple guidelines on how to conduct evaluations. We review here key considerations on how to better assess AfT’s impact.
20 December 2013
Promoting Family Farming: The European Union
Domestic and donor-driven development agendas for African agriculture are spurring smallholder family farming as a catalyst for food security and poverty reduction. Family farms are also the backbone of agriculture in the European Union, although the process of concentration has gone further than in Africa.
20 December 2013
Important progress, but real EU comprehensiveness is still ahead of us
The “EU’s comprehensive approach to external conflict and crisis”, launched jointly last week by the European Commission and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has been a long-awaited Communication for those following the development of the EU’s external action closely.
20 December 2013
Evaluating EU’s Trade-related Assistance: Successes and challenges
EU trade-related assistance has been subjected to an independent evaluation, detailing both substantial achievements and continued challenges. While mostly successful, the EU has both under-analysed and under-estimated the importance and degree of genuine political commitment of its partners.
20 December 2013
African Minerals Development Centre – Launch of a milestone for making good use of minerals for Africa’s development?
The 3rd Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources Development between 13-17 December 2013 in Maputo, Mozambique, under the title Leveraging the Africa Mining Vision for Africa’s Renaissance Towards Broader Ownership
20 December 2013
CAADP in a Nutshell
Brief overview of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme’s rationale, principles and objectives. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is a continent-wide agriculture initiative of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which is the strategic economic development framework of the African Union (AU).
20 December 2013
A question of leadership? Challenges for Africa-EU relations in 2014
2014 offers significant milestones for EU-Africa relations but considerable challenges lay ahead unless key issues such as EPAs and the ICC are resolved.
20 December 2013
CAADP at the Regional Level - State of Play in the Regional Economic Communities
African regional economic communities (RECs) are key to increase recognition of the importance and potential added value of regional action on agriculture.
19 December 2013
Read the top ten ECDPM blogs of 2013
This year a lot had happened in international development and co-operation. The EU External Action Service review was launched, the African Union celebrated its’ 50th anniversary, and dialogue around the post-2015 agenda began to take centre stage. We look back over the last year of ECDPM blogs and share the top ten of 2013
19 December 2013
Farming and Food in Africa and the Mounting Battle over Land, Water and Resource Rights
Africa is being heralded as the new frontier for commercial farming but, as governments and investors sign deals, a counter-movement of family farmers is promoting alternative pathways to development.
18 December 2013
United Nations Year of Family Farming: Africans Show the Way with a New Vision for Agriculture
Despite successes, rampant hunger, malnutrition and poverty in Africa revolve around land degradation and rural poverty. Solutions require rehabilitating degraded farmland and developing a new source of income for farming households.
18 December 2013
CAADP at 10 - Water is a Missing Link in the Southern African Development Community
Water has a low profile in Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) processes in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), presenting an opportunity to develop stronger ties between the agriculture and water sectors in the region.
18 December 2013
Smallholder Commercialisation in Africa: A Framework for an Enabling Environment
Smallholder farmers require a policy and regulatory environment which directly supports them if they are to freely and fairly participate in markets and contribute to poverty alleviation. This article explores what such an enabling environment framework for smallholder farmers could look like.
18 December 2013
EPA Update (Volume 1, Issue 3 - May 2012)
17 December 2013
Calendar and Resources (Volume 1, Issue 3 - May 2012)
GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 3 (May 2012)
17 December 2013
Family Farming and Food Security – Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2013-January 2014)
Thematic Focus: Family Farming and Food Security. With contributions from among others H.E. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture African Union and José Graziano da Silva, Director General of FAO
17 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog (Volume 1, Issue 3 - May 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 3 (May 2012)
17 December 2013
Editorial: Aid for Trade
he 4th Global Review of Aid for Trade (AfT), taking place at the WTO in Geneva on 8-10 July 2013, is an opportunity to examine how the AfT agenda has progressed so far but also to reflect on the challenges ahead and how the AfT agenda should adapt to the changing context.
17 December 2013
Family Farming and Food Security
Agriculture is a central piece of the agenda for African transformation. Declared the United Nations (UN) Year of Family Farming and the African Union (AU) Year of Food Security, 2014 will be particularly interesting, with key challenges in terms of policy directions and international processes.
17 December 2013
ECDPM talks to H.E. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture African Union (AU), on what the African Union Year of Food Security means for her
Why did the African Union choose 2014 as the Year of Food Security, and what are the outcomes expected from this initiative?
17 December 2013
ECDPM talks to José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on what the United Nations Year of Family Farming means for the FAO
Why did the United Nations choose 2014 as the Year of Family Farming, and what are the expected outcomes of this initiative?
17 December 2013
Reflections on Changing Development Fiscal Strategies over Time
Views on the government’s role in economic development have changed dramatically over the past 60 years. In the late 1940s and 1950s the United Nations had alerted the world to the wide differences that existed in per capita incomes between countries in the “developed” world and countries in the “developing”, or as it was then called the “under-developed” world.
17 December 2013
ECDPM talks to Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emma Bonino, on Food Security in Africa and 'Economic Diplomacy' in her Country
What is the meaning of the United Nations (UN) Year of Family Farming for a G8 country like Italy? Are agricultural sustainability and protection of biodiversity still possible in European agriculture?
17 December 2013
Global Development Agenda and the Least Developed Countries
Many of the noble ideas on promoting effectiveness of development cooperation have been initiated and analyzed by the OECD, which has created positive impact on the ground around the world.
17 December 2013
Asia’s Infrastructure: Right Investments with the Right Partners
he Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been in the business of reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region for the past 46 years. ADB takes great pride in delivering the most appropriate solutions in its operations, particularly in the dynamic field of infrastructure. To ensure this, we have been asking ourselves questions to help our operations evolve.
17 December 2013
Strengthening the Capacity of Supreme Audit Institutions
Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) constitute a key component of accountability and the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judiciary.
17 December 2013
Reforming Public Expenditure Management in the Philippines
Over the last year, the Philippines appeared to be flush with good news, having made headway in various global economic and governance indices.
17 December 2013
Fiscal Sustainability: Lessons and Challenges from the New World
The Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region learned its fiscal policy lessons from past mistakes—and it learned them very well. For several decades in late last century, pro-cyclical fiscal policies worsened LAC’s economic growth volatility.
17 December 2013
Cash Transfers and Poverty in Latin America
Although in Latin America cash transfers (also called Social Assistance) are still much smaller in scale than in advanced countries, in the last fifteen years they have become quite widespread. At the end of last decade, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru spent 4.2, 3.0, 2.2, 0.8 and 0.4 % of GDP, respectively, on cash transfer programs. How much is extreme poverty reduced by cash transfers in Latin America?
17 December 2013
Fiscal Consolidation in Estonia
This article provides an overview of the Estonian approach to fiscal responsibility, including societal and political consensus on deficit spending and examples of lessons learned from consolidation process.
17 December 2013
Food Security plans in Eastern and Southern Africa: COMESA or Tripartite?
This article is part of a five part series to share findings from a regional Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) mapping exercise undertaken by ECDPM.
17 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 4 (May-June 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 4 (May-June 2013)
16 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 4 (May-June 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 4 (May-June 2013)
16 December 2013
Unlocking Private Finance for Africa’s Infrastructure Development
Addressing Africa’s infrastructure deficit has gradually become a national, regional and continental priority. For proof, one just has to look at the recent approval of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) during the January 2012 Session of the African Union Summit to be convinced.
16 December 2013
Domestic Resource Mobilisation: From Taxes to Spending
The 2010 OECD Global Forum on Development discussed the challenges of domestic resource mobilization in developing countries and aimed to reverse an era of neglect of tax as a development catalyst.
16 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 4 (June 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 4 (June 2012)
15 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 4 (June 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 4 (June 2012)
15 December 2013
What happens after the Millennium Development Goals?
With less than three years left to the deadline of achieving the Millennium Development Goals the United Nations, in consultation with different international stakeholders working at the global, regional, national, and sub-national levels, is now working towards a post-2015 development agenda with sustainability at its centre.
13 December 2013
Closing the Infrastructure Gap: A Three-Pronged Approach
Even as crews put the finishing touches on newly built roads, ports, and power stations across Africa, the continent’s people and its growing economies are demanding more.
13 December 2013
What Role for the Private Sector in the post-2015 Round of Goals?
Many believe that the private sector has a role to play in a new development agreement to replace the current Millennium Development Goals. Yet there are few proposals specifically setting out what this could mean for the design and delivery of new goals. Drawing on recent debates, this article provides examples of three areas where a new framework could help shape companies’ behaviours.
13 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 2, Issue 4 (May-June 2013)
13 December 2013
Putting People and Planet First – Business as Usual is Not an Option Post-2015
While the MDGs contributed to considerable progress in human development, a number of important development concerns were left out or inadequately addressed. Now is the moment to grapple courageously and differently with the considerable global challenges we are facing.
13 December 2013
Inclusion of Aid for Trade in Trade Policy Reviews: Strengthening Value of Development Instruments for LDCs (and Developing Countries)
A fundamental activity of the WTO work is on-going surveillance of national trade policies. The Trade Policy Review (TPR) Mechanism ensures that all WTO Members are reviewed and assessed with the intent “to examine the impact of a Member’s trade policies and practices on the multilateral trading system.”
13 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 3 (April 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 3 (April 2013)
13 December 2013
Trade in Services: Combining International, Regional and National Endeavours
Global trade in services has grown exponentially in the last decades, covering a full range of areas such as health, education, transport, telecommunication, construction, financial services, retail distribution and culture.
13 December 2013
Editorial: Financing Infrastructure
Infrastructure is key for development. Yet, most developing countries face a chronic deficit of infrastructure facilities (in transport, energy, water, etc.). One billion people in developing countries have no access to all-weather roads, including two-thirds of the rural population in Africa.
13 December 2013
Editorial: taking the domestic resource mobilisation agenda forward
In the current economic context, marked in particular by the continuing global financial crisis, the issue of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) has received increasing attention from developing country governments and donors alike.
13 December 2013
Financing Infrastructure through Innovative Strategies in Africa
If Africa is to effectively participate in the global trading environment and reach its true economic potential it will require a level of investment in infrastructure that goes well beyond the capacity of governments.
13 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2013)
13 December 2013
Development Finance Institutions and Infrastructure: Findings from a Systematic Review of Evidence for Development Additionality
By leveraging private investment, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) aim to reduce the infrastructure financing gap in the developing world. This article summarises the findings of a Systematic Review of the evidence on the development impact of DFI support for private participation in infrastructure.
13 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2013)
13 December 2013
CAF Development Bank of Latin America’s Approach for Infrastructure Financing
CAF’s approach to infrastructure is integral. In every stage of a project the economic, social and institutional issues are taken into account. Financial and environmental sustainability issues must be considered during the evaluation process.
13 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 4 (June 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 4 (June 2012)
13 December 2013
The Next Decade of EU Trade Policy: Confronting Global Challenges?
On 27 January 2012, the European Commission published a Communication ‘Trade, Growth and Development: Tailoring trade and investment policy for those countries most in need’.
13 December 2013
Unlocking Infrastructure Development in Africa through Infrastructure Bonds
This article focuses on international experiences gained in financing infrastructure through local currency revenue bonds and the applicability of such methods to Africa.
13 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, Great Insights, Volume 1, Issue 2 (March-April 2012)
13 December 2013
Support to Enhance Private Investment for Developing Country Infrastructure
Private investment is critical in financing the significant infrastructure needs of developing countries. This requires a sound financial sector, enabling environment, and risk mitigation instruments. These can be supported by multilateral and bilateral donors.
13 December 2013
Export Diversification in the CFA Franc Zone: Degree, Sophistication and Dynamics
Sub-Saharan Africa has recorded strong economic growth since the early 2000s. Is this only the result of a catching up process following decades of structural adjustment or is it an indication of deeper structural changes?
13 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, Volume 1, Issue 2 (March-April 2012)
13 December 2013
A Challenging Road Ahead – International Migration and the Post-2015 Agenda
As progress is being made in defining the contours of the next global development agenda to be in place after 2015, a variety of stakeholders have put forward new aspects to be considered.
13 December 2013
ADB Assistance for Public-Private Partnership in Infrastructure Development (1998-2010): Charting a Way Forward
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) long-term strategic framework, 2008–2020 (Strategy 2020), emphasizes public–private partnerships (PPPs) and private sector engagement for ADB infrastructure operations to help developing member countries (DMCs) achieve greater economic growth.
13 December 2013
Domestic Resource Mobilization and the Post-2015 Agenda
As the debate about what replaces the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) heats up, it is time to think about who pays for what. Our preliminary analysis shows taxation is featuring prominently in post-2015 proposals.
13 December 2013
EU Sugar Reform in 2015: Cost Competitiveness for Whose Benefit?
Proposals to end internal sugar quotas would likely jeopardise jobs in the cane and beet industries and concentrate rents among multinational food and drink manufacturers.
13 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 2 (March-April 2012)
A European Delegation of parliamentarians from the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament visited Kenya and Zambia this March, in order to monitor EPA negotiations in the EAC and ESA regions, and discuss their potential impact.
12 December 2013
Market Integration and Border Effects in Eastern Africa
12 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
11 December 2013
Challenges 2014: Keeping Ashton’s legacy alive – Showing leadership and coherence in EU external relations through 2014
+++ ECDPM Challenges blog series. Post number nine +++ 2014 is a year of institutional transition but it should not be a year for silent reflection on EU external action. The current leadership has an important role to play in maintaining momentum for the
11 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
11 December 2013
9th WTO Ministerial in Bali: Trade deal struck, but what implications for geopolitics?
The 159 members of the World Trade Organization finally agreed on a deal in the early hours of Saturday 7th December in Bali, after intense and difficult negotiations, saving the multilateral trading system from the sclerosis of the past seven years. The results achieved in Bali clearly sealed the shifting power game betwee
11 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
11 December 2013
Editorial: Trade and Development
11 December 2013
27 September 2012: 10 Years of EPA Negotiations. From Misconception and Mismanagement to Failure
Even if the EU continues to insist that its concept of economic partnership agreements (EPAs) was and is the right one, and ACP countries continue to repeat their commitment to a development friendly outcome, after ten years of negotiations, it can no longer be denied that the EPA negotiations are a big failure.
11 December 2013
The East African Integration: Achievements and Challenges
The formation of the East African Community (EAC) in 1999 by the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Uganda was the achievement of the trio’s cooperation since the collapse of the original EAC in 1977.
11 December 2013
CSR in the Extractive Sector: the Canadian Stamp
Research conducted by Natural Resources Canada tells a fascinating story: cumulative investment by the Canadian mining industry overseas mushroomed from $30 billion in 2002 to over $110 billion today.
11 December 2013
Human Capacity Problems in Developing Countries and Local Content Requirements in the Extractive Industries
11 December 2013
Working in Partnership Towards Shared Development Goals: AngloGold Ashanti's Journey in Sustainability
11 December 2013
Contribution of the Minerals and Mining Sector to National Development: Ghana's Experiment
Mineral commodities give countries possessing them an advantage in their developmental efforts. The sector’s resources and growth can be harnessed as inputs for holistic sustainable development.
11 December 2013
Financial Transparency in the US and the EU: A Reader
11 December 2013
Regional Plans to Address Food Security in Southern Africa: State of Play
SADC never formally launched a regional Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) compact preparatory process as it is currently developing a Regional Agricultural Policy (RAP). The initial ambiguity about the relationship between the CAADP and the RAP is now clearing up
11 December 2013
Towards a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda
Africa is making rapid progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) despite its initial conditions and the failure of development partners to make good on their commitments for official development assistance (ODA). Even though the continent is unlikely to meet all the goals by 2015, the continent it is on track to achieve primary school enrolment and gender parity in primary education.
10 December 2013
Global Collective Action post-2015: Insights from the European Report on Development 2013
With the 2015 deadline of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) just around the corner, the international community has a unique opportunity to review the global development agenda and adapt it to changing circumstances .
10 December 2013
Yet Another Agenda: Raising the Quantity and Quality of Development Financing Beyond 2015
Putting a potentially ambitious post-2015 development agenda on a financially sustainable footing will require the international community to move beyond aid by exploring the full range of development finance sources and reforming international policies.
10 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
10 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
10 December 2013
Trade and Investment in the Post-2015 Agenda: What role should the EU play?
The MDGs did not pay sufficient attention to economic development. An active economic dimension must feature within the post-2015 agenda, to be anchored on a growth agenda, where trade and investment policies are seen as critical levers. The EU has a critical role to play in this process.
10 December 2013
Editorial: What Prospects for a New Development Framework Post-2015?
The debate on the future development framework post-2015 is in full swing. While there is an emerging consensus that some progress has been made towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), most notably in terms of poverty reduction, the disparity among developing countries and across Goals remains huge, as illustrated again by the Human Development Report 2013.
10 December 2013
Editorial: Extractive sector for development
10 December 2013
Post-2015 Agenda: The Challenge of Economic Transformation
The Post-2015 development framework should inspire a transformative agenda that addresses the root causes of poverty and marginalization
10 December 2013
Treasure Hunt: Do Extractive Resources Work for Development?
Africa hosts at least a third of the world’s known extractive resources. A glance at economic prospects of the past few years suggests that the continent has been able to capitalise on the increasing dynamism of the extractive sector.
10 December 2013
Towards an overarching Post-2015 Framework and a Decent Life for All by 2030
The Millennium Development Goals and the follow-up to the Rio+20 Conference have been running on two parallel tracks. In a new Communication, the European Commission has called for these two interrelated debates to be brought together as soon as possible, with a view to the creation of a single, overarching post-2015 framework. The vision is for a Decent Life for All.
10 December 2013
The Africa Mining Vision: Towards Shared Benefits and Economic Transformation
Africa’s abundance of mineral resources contrasts with the pervasive poverty of its people. The continent harbours the world’s largest reserves of several minerals and it is a global leader in the production of many others.
10 December 2013
The APRM: Celebrating A Decade of Peer Reviewing and Learning while Institutionalising Democratic Governance in Africa
Over the past decade, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has strived to demonstrate that monitoring and assessing tools originating outside Africa have proven to be ineffective due to their inherent design, accountability and ownership flaws.
10 December 2013
Taking stock of CAADP in West Africa: state of play and challenges ahead for the region
Agriculture, food security, and rural development: buzzwords that seem to be trending in the last few years. Most would agree that this is a welcome development, especially after decades of relegating Africa’s agricultural development to the background.
10 December 2013
Shifting the Post-2015 Debate from Wish-list to International Traction
To produce an effective outcome, the debate on the post-2015 development agenda needs to move beyond subjective debates about what governments, civil society groups and others ‘would like’ to succeed the MDGs, and pay more attention to what kinds of international instrument exert traction on national governments and can help deliver lasting impact.
10 December 2013
Can Africa Harness Potential Mineral Rents for Development?
Africa is a continent well-endowed with a variety of mineral resources; it ranks first in chromium, cobalt, diamond, gold and vanadium reserves and production, among others.
10 December 2013
MDG Strengths as Weaknesses
Simplicity, numerical targeting and consensus are not only the key strengths of the MDGs as a mobilizing tool. But used for planning, simplicity leads to reductioning, numerical targets to distortions, and consensus to maintain the status quo.
10 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
10 December 2013
What Role for Equality in the Post-2015 Development Agenda?
As the target date of the Millennium Development Goals comes closer and the discussion on a new global framework unfolds, the expectation to effectively address inequalities are high. But what kind of equality do we exactly refer to and how shall it be established?
10 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
10 December 2013
The Post-2015 Development Debate: Domestic Resource Mobilisation and Bringing the Informal Sector on Board
The post-2015 development agenda should promote sustainability and inclusiveness through innovation of effective financing options, the preservation of the environment, and the inclusion of the informal sector.
10 December 2013
Governing Extractive Resources for Inclusive Growth
Africa is endowed with considerable amounts of mineral resources and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, chromite, cobalt, industrial diamond, manganese, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals, soda ash, vermiculite and zirconium. The continent is also a major global producer of these minerals.
09 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 2, Issue 2 (February-March 2013)
09 December 2013
Problems in the mining industry in South africa
The current turbulence in the mining industry in South Africa has its roots in several different factors. First, the fall in global demand for platinum and other minerals due to recession; second, the consequences of the Marikana disaster in destabilising labour relations; and third, the structural character of our mining industry. A great deal has been written about the first two factors, so this article will examine the last factor, especially as the special features of mining cuts across the whole of mining and not just platinum.
09 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 2 (February March 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 2 (February March 2013)
09 December 2013
Diamond Beneficiation in Botswana
In 2011 Botswana is estimated to have exported 25 million carats of diamonds, making it the world’s largest diamond producer by value, and the second largest by volume, after the Russian Federation. This production is however down from 35 million carats in 2007, the last normal year of production, prior to the global financial crisis.
09 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 2 (February-March 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 2 (February March 2013)
09 December 2013
Extracting the value from the Extractive industries: Insights from the Australian Experience
The three sources of potential wealth creation from the development of a country’s natural resources (particularly from mineral and energy resources) are: 1) rents and taxes, 2) beneficiation, and 3) upstream and side linkages into the wider economy.
09 December 2013
How Can African Countries Capitalise on the Current Geopolitical Changes?
09 December 2013
The Current Geopolitical Dynamics in Africa and the Role of Partners like the EU
The interests of the developed countries and those of the developing countries can no longer be isolated from each other. The political, economic and social well-being of present and future generations depends more than ever on cooperation between all members of the international community.
09 December 2013
Integrating Mauritius in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Private Sector Perspective
In Mauritius, over the last 5 years, policymakers and the corporate sector felt that an ‘Africa agenda’ had to be built and pursued. Consequently, an Africa agenda is under construction and, as such, Mauritius is poised for a very long and meaningful partnership with Africa.
09 December 2013
The EU and Africa in the XXIst Century: Time for a New Deal
It is not too late for the EU to adjust its policies to a rising African continent. This should involve the definition of a more pragmatic set of priorities, based on the clarification of European interests.
09 December 2013
The Role of the AU and Africa-EU Partnership in Dealing with the Peace and Security Situation in Africa
Effective as the European Union - African Union Partnership has proven, time has come to modify the current top-down approach and co-opt local constituencies into the process for even greater impact.
09 December 2013
Mining and Development in Australia: Driving Structural Transformation
Australia is rich in many mineral and energy resources. For 150 years, mining has helped to drive Australia’s economic growth and ongoing economic change.
09 December 2013
Peace and Security: The Head and Shoulders of EU-Africa Relationship
Peace and security is a key area of the relationship between Africa and the EU. Progress so far in defining an African-owned P&S architecture deserves to be highlighted though challenges remain.
09 December 2013
Taxation and Revenue Management Challenges in Resources-rich African Countries, such as Ghana
Tax revenue represents a dependable source of income for national development. For all countries, especially those dependent on revenue from finite natural resources, such as gold, oil, and gas, a dynamic link ought to exist between revenue and its efficient utilization.
09 December 2013
South Africa-EU Strategic Partnership in the Context of a Changing North-South Power Dynamics
Shifts in global power have led to shift in the meaning of the EU-South Africa partnership, complicating South Africa principle of balancing its dialogue with the north and its growing relations with the south.
09 December 2013
EITI Myths and Reality: The Case of Tanzania
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is apparently the only renowned extractive industries transparency standard in the world today. The initiative, in practical terms, involving reconciliation of payments (taxes, fees, royalties) that governments receive from oil, gas or mining companies in a particular fiscal year, has been globally lauded. EITI is ostensibly geared to promote material information disclosure on the legal payments that extractive companies contribute to governments’ revenues.
09 December 2013
Joint Africa – EU Strategy: Two Continents, One Civil Society Movement
Representatives of the African and the European CSO steering committees for the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, summarize in this article the way Civil Society Organizations are trying to enhance citizen voices and participation within the Strategy.
09 December 2013
Extractive Industries, Related Benefits and Financial Intermediation in Africa
This article provides an overarching view of the key dynamics shaping extractive industries, distribution of benefits from procurement, financial intermediation and institutional capacity in host African countries.
09 December 2013
Negotiation of Fair Contracts: For a Sustainable Development of Extractive Industries in Africa
Extractive industries represent strong potential for the economies of many African countries. However, for the last few decades, the benefits of this sector remained very limited for resources-rich countries and, for their local communities, their immense resources have yet to be translated into significant economic and social development.
09 December 2013
A New Impetus for Africa-Europe Relations: Editorial
As Africa celebrates the 50th anniversary of the foundation of African unity, it is appropriate to reflect on Africa’s achievements and ways forward. The world is changing, so is Africa... and so is Europe.
09 December 2013
Unpicking the connections between Resources and armed conflict
This article describes the range of initiatives being taken to combat the misuse of natural resources to fund unlawful armed conflict, including attempts by the formal gold mining sector to establish a new ‘conflict-free gold’ standard.
09 December 2013
Bridging Africa’s Transformation Gap: Could Natural Resources do Good after all?
Last year’s edition of the African Economic Outlook (AEO) on Promoting Youth Employment showed that, despite steady growth, Africa’s capacity to offer economic and social opportunities to its younger generation has been falling short of its demographic dynamism: African economies today are facing no less than the formidable challenge of creating more and better jobs, not just by sustaining the pace of growth, but by making it more inclusive.
09 December 2013
Involving extractive industries in local communities: The case of Anglo American
Anglo American is a global mining company with the majority of its operations (over 80%) in developing economies. The company is acutely aware that they are increasingly judged not just on the value they extract (and the significant revenue that this can raise) but on the value that they leave behind.
09 December 2013
From Growth to Transformation: Time to close the gap between extractive sectors and other productive sectors
Africa’s impressive growth performance in the last decade, largely driven by the commodity boom, and in particular, by high demands from emerging markets, has been widely heralded. This is very positive and most welcomed, in particular after almost two lost decades during which many struggled hard with their macro-economic imbalances or with other political challenges.
09 December 2013
Towards a 4G for Africa-Europe Relations
The relationship between Africa and Europe is as old as history. There are three generations of relationship, which evolved as the economic and political realities on both continents, and more globally, as the centre of political gravity changed with time.Now it is time for a 4th G.
09 December 2013
A Common Future for EU-Africa: Towards a Dynamic Partnership
09 December 2013
Making Sustainability Work for Communities, Countries & Companies – How Canadian Miner Sherritt International is Contributing to Madagascar’s Growth
Today, a mining company issuing a sustainability report is not the rarity it was a couple of decades ago. But issuing a 60-page annual sustainability report on a single operation is rare. It’s also an indication of just how holistically the Canadian mining company Sherritt International Corporation views both sustainability and governance at its Ambatovy nickel and cobalt operation in Madagascar.
09 December 2013
Pan-Africanism is More Important than Ever
Interview with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuba, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
09 December 2013
Eni at the Heart of Africa's Development
Africa is on the rise on the world scene. In recent years, its economy has grown faster than any other one in the world (except for China), thanks to the increasing global need of raw materials.
09 December 2013
Climate change at the EDDs: What is going to happen now?
“Climate change does not respect borders and it is a threat that multiplies quickly to other sectors. It is the biggest challenge to the developing world in the post-2015 landscape.”
06 December 2013
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918 – 2013): Condolences to a nation
ECDPM’s Jan Vanheukelom pays tribute to Nelson Mandela who passed away at the age of 95. He looks over the six lives of Mandela from his life in rural Transkei ..
06 December 2013
Should We Celebrate the Wedding of Trade and Human Rights?
When we trade goods, services, and ideas, we are often also affecting human rights. The Internet can help us better understand the relationship between trade and human rights.
06 December 2013
Trade and Development Agreements for Human Rights?
Libya, Yemen, North Korea, Syria -- human rights are at the forefront of international politics these days. Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the world’s values have changed.
06 December 2013
Trade for change: EU trade and investment strategy for the Southern Mediterranean following the Arab spring revolutions
The Arab Spring to date has been a major challenge for Europe's foreign policy. The wave of revolutions that have swept across the countries in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region has offered Europe the opportunity to match its foreign policy and commercial interests with those values that are at the core of its institutions: the respect for human rights in a free, democratic society.
06 December 2013
Human Rights in the EU-India FTA: Is it a viable option?
In recent years there has been a growing trend towards the inclusion of social protection clause with human rights language in preferential trade agreements. The path has been espoused by major economies such as the US, the European Union and Canada, and has been up by a few developing countries.
06 December 2013
New Ambitions with Regard to Human Rights: Can the EU Deliver?
06 December 2013
From Cape to Cairo: The Birth of Africa's Largest Free Trade Area
05 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 1 (January-February 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 1 (January-February 2012)
05 December 2013
Editorial: Trade and Human Rights? Prominence of an on-going debate
The human rights aspect of Europe’s external relations is back on the policy map in Brussels. Such a development may be the result of what Jean Bossuyt calls the ‘eye-opener’ that was the Arab Spring for European foreign relations.
05 December 2013
Democratic Transitions and the EU ‘Deep and Comprehensive FTAs’ with MENA countries: a possible backlash?
At the end of 2011, the EU Foreign Affairs Council authorized the opening of new trade negotiations with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. The decision provides the European Commission (EC) with a mandate to start negotiations towards establishing ‘deep and comprehensive free trade agreements’ (DCFTAs).
05 December 2013
Achieving Export Diversification: Lessons from Brazil
For developing countries, Production and Exports are highly concentrated in Natural Resources. Export diversification an objective of Policy for 50 years.
05 December 2013
BRIC's Approaches to Development Financing – Their Implications for LICs
BRICs, with the exception of Russia, provide financial assistance based on the principle of ‘mutual benefits’ in the spirit of South-South cooperation.
05 December 2013
A Legal Analysis of The Human Rights dimension of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreements
This article takes a closer look at the human rights clauses in the Euro-Mediterranean association agreements, which have been negotiated and concluded in the context of the Barcelona process.
05 December 2013
Political conditionality in the EU’s development cooperation – pointers for a broader debate
There can be little doubt that the Arab Spring has pushed human rights and political governance higher on the policy agenda in the European Union (EU) and elsewhere.
05 December 2013
Civil society participation in global governance for development
Addressing poverty and inequality, building policies and programmes with a human rights based approach - cannot be achieved without people’s engagement.
05 December 2013
Regional Integration for Food Security in East Africa: The Role of CAADP
This article is part of a five part series to share findings from a regional Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) mapping exercise
05 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 1 (January-February 2012)
05 December 2013
Editorial: Preferential Trade Agreements - Adjusting to New Trade Realities?
Over the past 10 years, the world has witnessed a renewed dynamism in the negotiation and conclusion of preferential trade agreements (PTAs).
05 December 2013
Debt Relief: The Norwegian Approach
The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) remain the cornerstones of Norwegian debt relief policy. The achievements made from the inception of the HIPC initiative in 1996 up until today are remarkable. Norway will continue to ensure full financing of these schemes.
04 December 2013
Dynamics of Regional Action in Peace and Security in Africa: Four Drivers
What are the drivers behind regional action in the realm of peace and security in Africa? The political economy of violent conflict and peacebuilding in Africa is complex. Violent conflict occurs on the local, national, regional, continental and international level and these various levels interact.
04 December 2013
Towards Successful Deeper Regional Integration? The Role of the African Development Bank
How can the African Development Bank (AfDB) assist the process towards deeper regional integration in Africa?
04 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
04 December 2013
Debt Sustainability and Borrowing Capacity in Africa
Debt relief is a learning process for both creditors and debtors. The original aspiration of HIPCs, a permanent exit of debt trap by recipient countries, was ambitious.
04 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
04 December 2013
Is Debt Relief a Development Tool?
External debt can be a heavy burden for development when debt service represents the major share of public spending and exports revenue of a developing country. Such a burden can reduce fiscal space and make developing countries vulnerable to external shocks.
04 December 2013
Cleaning the External Debt Slate: What Difference Does it Make for Development in the DRC?
On June 30th, 2010, at the celebration of its 50th anniversary of independence, the external debt slate of the DRC was cleaned by the international community within the framework of the HIPC/MDRI Initiatives (see Cassimon contribution for a general explanation). Both parties agreed on the cancellation of 7.3 billion USD of external debt after a decade of negotiations and the satisfactory implementation of a series of preconditions.
04 December 2013
Crossing the border between Malawi and Zambia – How to convince informal traders to give up the ‘Zalewa’ route?
There is still room for improvement to facilitate the trade integration between Malawi and Zambia. We recently took a trip hoping for smooth passage, but it took us two hours to cross the border at Mchinji.
04 December 2013
Assessment of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative in the DRC
At its independence, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) inherited a tarnished slate. However, the country’s debt increased rapidly after the political regime of the time introduced an economic system favouring the accumulation of debt following loans contracted to finance unsustainable or poorly managed projects. In addition, debt management was weak (irregular payment of the debt service).
04 December 2013
Challenges 2014: The Great European Renaissance or Depression – Who will Llad the EU from 2014?
The future role of Europe in the world will be seriously affected by the outcomes of next year’s European elections because they will shape EU’s foreign affairs for the rest of the decade.
04 December 2013
Debt Relief and Development: The Case of the 2005 Debt Relief Agreement in Nigeria
In 1999 Nigeria became a democracy again after a long period of dictatorship. One of the top priorities for the newly elected President Obasanjo was to clear the huge foreign debt that the country had built up in previous decades. Most of this debt was with bilateral official creditors, united in the so-called Paris Club. But debt relief to Nigeria was controversial.
04 December 2013
More Realism in Africa's Regional Integration
“Why do I sit in the dark for four days? Regional Integration is the cause of our darkness.” This pointed and enlightening remark was heard at a Pretoria workshop on regional integration in Southern Africa
04 December 2013
Debt Relief and MDGs in Nigeria: Progress Achieved by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs
Six years after Nigeria gained her independence from her British colonial masters, the first coup d’état took place in 1966. This event was to set the stage for successive military rule with its attendant colossal waste, underdevelopment and accumulation of external debts, which at the dawn of democracy in 1999 became a major stumbling block to Nigeria national development.
04 December 2013
Sustainability of the Debt Relief: Nigeria’s Case
Starting from the mid-1980s, Nigeria’s external indebtedness ratios stayed at critical levels, surpassing the thresholds for sustainability. Nigeria approached the Paris Club for the rescheduling of its debts three times 1986, 1989 and 1991 without any stock reduction. Rather, the debt stock continued to grow with the capitalization of arrears. Between 1992 and 1999, there was a virtual breaking off of negotiations and unilateral curtailment of debt service payments by the then Nigerian military government
04 December 2013
Editorial: Political Economy of Regional Integration
Regional integration is high on the political agenda of many leaders, in particular in Africa. In many respects, achievements have been quite remarkable, notably in terms of political, economic, security and institutional cooperation and/or integration on the African continent.
04 December 2013
Private Sector Steering African Regional Integration
Regional integration in Africa, as in most other regions, is founded on the Aristotelian principle that collective economic, political and security development across the continent is more desirable than the individual development of 54 sovereign states.
04 December 2013
Interview with João Samuel Caholo, former SADC Deputy Executive Secretary
Interview with João Samuel Caholo, former SADC Deputy Executive Secretary.
04 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2013)
04 December 2013
Angola: The Reluctant SADC Trader
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Trade (PoT) was signed in 1996 with the aim of increasing trade between member states through the elimination of tariffs and harmonisation of customs procedures.
04 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2013)
04 December 2013
The Political Economy of Regional Integration
Current discourse in regional integration in the tripartite region, comprising 26 countries who are members of either/or SADC, COMESA and the EAC focuses on four inter-related themes.
04 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2013)
04 December 2013
What Comes After Debt Relief? Some Preliminary Thoughts
With major debt relief initiatives (HIPC, MDRI) winding down, what comes next? How can we evaluate the success of these efforts which took decades? Has there been any lasting impact? Are there lessons for what might come next? These are important questions, often overlooked, when addressing the challenges related to debt relief, now and in the future.
04 December 2013
Dominican Republic - CARICOM: Unfinished Business
During the last CARICOM Heads of Government meeting held in Trinidad & Tobago last July, President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic (DR) reiterated the request of his country to access to full membership of CARICOM.
04 December 2013
African Infrastructure Rising
African infrastructure projects require project preparation to make them bankable. Currently, Africa can define the rules of engagement and take advantage of the infrastructure boom for its own economic prosperity.
04 December 2013
Editorial: From Growth to Transformation - What Role for the Extractive Sector?
The forthcoming African Economic Outlook 2013 focuses on an issue high on the agenda of African policymakers, namely fostering structural transformation from natural resources in Africa. The report will focus notably on the management of resources and the expectations they create, the potential for strategic diversification and linkages that can be developed to transform resources into long-term, sustainable and inclusive development.
04 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 10 (December 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 10 (December 2012) - ECDPM
03 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 10 (December 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 10 (December 2012)
03 December 2013
Editorial: Debt Relief - “Where do we stand, where do we go?”
At a time when Europe and the US are struggling with their own debt challenges, the debt burden of developing countries no longer captures the headlines. Over the last decade in particular, significant efforts have been made by the international community to pursue a more comprehensive approach to debt relief.
03 December 2013
EU Support to Mozambique
This is a fascinating time to be in Mozambique as the European Union (EU) plans its Assistance for the years 2014-2020, under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF).
03 December 2013
The Slate is Clean: What’s Next?
In the early 1970s, many developing countries took out loans from Western banks at favourable rates. Part of this money went into development projects with sometime negligible results; another part of the money also served wider political purposes or disappeared into private bank accounts of corrupt government leaders.
03 December 2013
The Road to the Continental Free Trade Area is Far From Easy
One year ago, our Assembly met in Addis Ababa on the theme: “Shared Values Towards Greater Unity and Integration”. This current Summit on “Boosting Intra-African Trade”, underscores the imperative of shared values as the bedrock for achieving integration.
03 December 2013
Assessing Donor-driven Debt Relief Initiatives: A Brief Overview of Theory and Practice
Since the introduction of the ‘Heavily Indebted Poor Countries’ (HIPC) Initiative in 1996, its enhancement from 1999 onwards, and the further introduction, in 2005 of its successor, the Multilateral Debt Relief initiative (MDRI), debt relief has gained prominence as a potentially important ‘alternative’ modality of aid, next to more traditional aid modalities. What were the goals of the donor community in providing this kind of donor support, in theory and practice?
03 December 2013
Mozambique: Between Stagnation and Growth
“Moçambique is maningue nice” has become an increasingly popular expression, especially within the urbanized Mozambican elite. However, the positive and promising image contrasts with another image, also true, but very different and not at all pleasant; the “Mozambique maningue nasty” concept, illustrated by the fact that about 60% of the population lives on less than $ 1.25 per day, while only less than 20% has more than $ 2 per day.
03 December 2013
Debt Relief as a Development Tool: The Role of the Paris Club
Debt relief granted by creditor countries to highly indebted countries significantly contributes to these countries’ development needs, by providing regular and foreseeable fiscal space. For instance, in the framework of the HIPC initiative, funds initially due to be spent on external debt service to creditor countries can be redirected towards an increase in poverty-reduction spending.
03 December 2013
Mozambique, Aid and Foreign Investment Trapped between Scylla and Charybdis?
Mozambique is set to become a global player in minerals and gas production, paving the way for large autonomous revenues from its extractive sector. In 2011, the first large exports of coal, coupled with strong economic growth, propelled by high foreign direct investment inflows, large infrastructure projects and strong agricultural growth, contributed to the impressive 7.2% real growth rate. In the coming years, the potential windfall gains from coal and gas is expected to reshape Mozambique’s economic and human development.
03 December 2013
Thirty Years After the Outbreak of the 3rd World Debt Crisis: The Need for a New Deal on Debt
Debt relief is like putting out a fire: It is absolutely necessary, but it does not guarantee that the house won't be on fire again. This is, why a deliberately one-off relief scheme like HIPC has necessarily been an insufficient answer to a systemic crisis. As crises can arise any time and sometimes in places which have been considered as fire-proof for long, you need to have a fire-brigade, i.e. a mechanism, which makes sure that an appropriate crisis response can be found, whenever it is needed.
03 December 2013
The Recent Natural Resource Hype in Mozambique: Putting it into Context
During the past decade Mozambique posted one of the highest and most sustained economic growth performances in Africa. According to the African Economic Outlook average economic growth over the past decade was 7.2% and is set to increase to 7.5% and 7.9% for 2012 and 2013 respectively, driven by the continuation of high foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, together with strong agricultural growth and infrastructure investment.
03 December 2013
Mozambique at a Turning Point: From Aid Dependence to Development Effectiveness?
Mozambique is considered a success story of post war reconstruction and economic reform. Since the end of the civil war in 1992 the country has benefited of several debt relief initiatives and of huge amounts of Official Development Assistance (ODA), hosting one of the largest donors’ joint programmes in Africa, both in terms of volume and donor agencies involved.
03 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 1 (January-February 2012)
94th session of the ACP Council of Ministers adopt strong resolution on EPAs - Following two days of discussions by ACP Senior Officials and trade experts,1 the 94th session of the ACP Council of Ministers, combined with the ACP Trade Ministerial meeting, was convened in Brussels from 7-9 of December 2011.
03 December 2013
Mozambique: Ready for a Rollercoaster Ride?
The prevailing sentiment in Maputo these days is similar to being pulled up the track of a rollercoaster: a combination of excitement and insecurity about what is to come. One is easily carried away by the speedy succession of economic events. Announcements of new gas, coal and mineral deposits, announcements of large investments, the chain of trade missions of countries from five continents, it all induces a sense of excitement.
03 December 2013
Has the Business Environment in Mozambique Improved During the Past 10 Years?
Private sector expansion remains one of the main key development objectives of the Mozambican government, while economic competitiveness is a stated concern of President Guebuza.
03 December 2013
The Maputo Corridor: Regional Integration that Works
In 1996, the governments of Mozambique and South Africa, in a renewal of cooperation and in order to re-establish trade and investment ties and to rebuild their flailing economies launched the Spatial Development Initiative programme. The key objectives were to rehabilitate the key elements of the Maputo Corridor, to maximise investment in the potential of the corridor, to maximise social development and employment opportunities, and to ensure policy and strategy frameworks for sustainable development.
03 December 2013
Mozambique’s Agriculture and Brazil’s Cerrado ‘Model’: Miracle or Mirage?
When it comes to agriculture, Mozambique’s story is largely one of unfulfilled promises, uneven performance and untapped potential. Will Brazil, the latest arrival in Mozambique’s crowded agricultural cooperation field, be able to turn the story around?
03 December 2013
Economic Growth and Ecological Demise? Questions from Mozambique for Africa's Marine Ecosystems
Mozambique in many respects exemplifies the new optimism about Africa’s economic future. GDP growth, albeit from a low base, has averaged 7.2% during a decade in which the global economy experienced the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.
03 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 10 (December 2012)
03 December 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 9 (November 2012)
02 December 2013
Regional Aid for Trade Effectiveness and Corridors – From Assessing Aid for Trade: Effectiveness, Current Issues and Future Directions
Aid for Trade has been an integral part of ODA, An Anayalsys including regional AfT, global value chains, infrastructure for development for agriculture.
02 December 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 9 (November 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013)
02 December 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 9 (November 2012)
GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 9 (November 2012)
02 December 2013
Editorial: Africa at a Turning Point? The Case of Mozambique
Africa is on the Move. This is reflected for instance in Strong Economic Growth that remained at around 5% in spite of the Global Economic Slow Down; but also
02 December 2013
Interview with President Armando Emílio Guebuza of Mozambique
Interview with President Armando Emílio Guebuza of Mozambique
02 December 2013
Should the IRCC re-invent itself?
The Inter-Regional Coordinating Committee (IRCC) of the Eastern and Southern Africa – Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) region was created in 2001, as a particular application of Article 7 of Annex IV of the EU – ACP Cotonou Partnership Agreement which states that ‘in the case the membership of several relevant regional organisations overlaps, the Regional Indicative Programme should correspond to the combined membership of these organizations’.
02 December 2013
US Engagement with Regional Organizations
This issue of GREAT Insights will hit the road as United States (US) citizens welcome either incumbent President Barack Obama or Governor Mitt Romney as president. Through the campaign, conventions and debates almost every aspect of policy – domestic and foreign – has been subjected to untrammeled scrutiny and dissection. In the field of foreign relations one of the elements that receives little attention has been the approaches of both candidates and their respective parties to regional organizations
02 December 2013
A New Impetus for Regional Economic Integration?
In this issue of GREAT Insights, Frederik Söderbaum points to rhetorical and symbolic regionalism that characterise regional integration in Africa. While officially the stated integration goals are ambitious and abound, one has to question what and who drives those lofty agendas and declarations?
02 December 2013
Regional Integration in Africa: Looking East for Inspiration
This article looks at the East Asian experience with regionalism and draws out some implication for integration on the African continent.
02 December 2013
Reconciling Two Paradigms in African Economic Integration
Although the situation is gradually improving, Africa still displays the lowest level of intra-regional trade integration in the world (along with Central Asia), and is plagued by a well-known myriad of politico-administrative imperfections and mutual mistrust. Accordingly, the formal status of “free trade area”, “customs union” or “common market” substantially diverges from reality on the ground.
02 December 2013
Whose Regionalism in Africa?
The majority of academics and policy analysts are overly idealistic about the potential of state-led regional cooperation. This line of thought is particularly strong in the debate about African regional organizations. Indeed, African regionalism is often seen as beneficial and an instrument for achieving socio-economic development and more recently also for security provision and good governance.
02 December 2013
Doing Business in SADC still not for the Faint of Heart
The recent Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, which took place in Mozambique on 17 & 18 August 2012, approved the Regional Infrastructure Development Mater Plan (RIDMP). The plan aims to deal with the region’s deficit in road, rail, ports, power, communication and water infrastructure, currently estimated at around $100-billion dollars.
02 December 2013
Obstacles to Sustainable Regional Integration in West Africa
Over the last two years, the regional integration agenda in West Africa, or more precisely, the agenda of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been dominated by the issue of conflict management
02 December 2013
Natural Resources: A Key Challenge in Regional Integration of the Middle East and North Africa Region
Greater trade integration within Middle East and North Africa region is expected to happen through the completion of the Pan-Arab Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA). However, recent studies suggest that when resource-rich and resource-poor countries give preferences to each other, as in PAFTA, the resource-rich country is very likely to suffer from trade diversion.
02 December 2013
Trade facilitation in the Bali Package: What's in it for Africa?
01 December 2013
The EU's state building contracts: Courageous assistance to fragile states, but how effective in the end?
State Building Contracts appear to be a smart and flexible response to past criticisms of EC budget support in fragile, transition and conflict-affected environments, but the effectiveness of this form of budget support, which was formalised in 2012, remains to be seen.
01 December 2013
Challenges 2014: Win-wins affect interests, can they effect economic transformation?
Will 2014 be a year of implementation? If 2014 is to be a year in which we see genuine moves towards economic transformation it will likely rely less on the international agenda than domestic politics and how these interact with global economic processes.
30 November 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 2012)
GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 2012)
29 November 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, Great Insights, Volume 1, Issue 8, (October 2012)
Great Insights, Volume 1, Issue 8, (October 2012)
29 November 2013
Trade and Agriculture Development for Food Security: Tapping the Potential of Regional Agricultural Trade
In Africa, the large majority of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods. Trade enables farmers to capitalize on the economic potential of their produce, helping to turn agriculture into one of the most important contributors to income generation and pro-poor growth.
29 November 2013
EU Support for Regional Integration and Regional Economic Communities in Africa in Light of the Upcoming 11th EDF
29 November 2013
Trade, Labour and Socio-Economic Dimensions
Increased availability of information and tools on how to seize opportunities while addressing the challenges arising from trade opening make it easier for developing countries to manage the socio-economic impacts of trade opening.
29 November 2013
Supply Chains and the Private Governance of Labour Rights
Private international labour governance has emerged as an important instrument to govern transnational supply chains. It has made a difference.
29 November 2013
European Development Days: Feeding the 5000 (delegates)
‘The institutions need to change’, said the Centre for Global Development’s Owen Barder in an interview with ECDPM at the 2013 European Development Days this week.
29 November 2013
Trade-Financing Facilities: A Counter-Cyclical Role in the Current Global Context?
There have been several efforts from the international community to counteract the effects of the global financial crisis; firms operating in developing countries, which rely heavily on trade finance to support exports and imports, still face the lack of finance necessary to cover their financing needs.
29 November 2013
Delivering Sustainable Support to Trade Policy Making: A Practicioner's View in the Case of Rwanda
This note outlines the approach taken by the Long Term Technical Assistance (LTTA) of Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA), implemented by Imani Development, within the Rwandan Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) to providing capacity building and technical assistance.
29 November 2013
Establishing a Framework for Trade Policy in South Sudan
Newly independent post-conflict South Sudan still has a long way to go even just to reach the starting line of the liberalisation race.
29 November 2013
The Curious Case of Environmental Standards and its Trade Impact: An Integrated Indian and Norwegian Perspective
This article reveals the dichotomy of environmental standards and eco-labels in the global textile market.
29 November 2013
EPA Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013) - ECDPM
29 November 2013
Editorial: Various Recipes for Regional Integration
Regional integration seems to be the name of the game these days. As the dynamics of the multilateral trade scene are fizzling out, regional trade agreements are multiplying at an unprecedented pace. A recognition of the reality that many national markets alone are simply too small, both for selling products, attracting investment, to stimulate innovation and remain competitive. Beyond trade and market integration, there are a host of other sound reasons to bundle forces at regional level and integrate. Politically it makes sense to strengthen the ties with your neighbours as this interdependence reduces the incentives for conflict.
29 November 2013
Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Talking Points Blog, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013)
29 November 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013)
GREAT Insights, Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013).
29 November 2013
African Economic Integration and Legal Challenges
The main project covering an African-wide integration arrangement was originally known as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) which was established in 1964.
29 November 2013
Roundtable on Sustainable African Agriculture and CAADP 2014 – Review: Summary of the Main Messages
28 November 2013
The Role of Policy and Regulation in Boosting Intra-Africa Trade: A Case of the East African Community
This paper reviews the regional integration processes in the East African Community (EAC).
28 November 2013
Economic Integration is for Development in Africa
“I am African” is a slogan the African Union (AU) has adopted to promote ownership of the continental integration programs and institutions among the people
28 November 2013
Trade is a Key Ingredient in Changing Farmers' Lives
Trade has been integral to the strategies for increasing agriculture productivity and also a key pillar in most of the governments’ approach to development as reflected in key development policies and strategies of our governments
28 November 2013
Challenges 2014: Setting countries up to fail? Monitoring the implementation of the New Deal for fragile states
The New Deal has the potential to be a real game changer for engagement in fragile states, if the spirit of the New Deal is genuinely adhered to and ambitions are not set at unrealistic levels.
28 November 2013
Engaging the Private Sector for Development: What Role for the EU Regional Blending Facilities?
In view of massive developmental challenges it is important to make the most effective use of EU development grants. In the last years the EU Regional Blending Facilities have demonstrated the capacity to leverage substantial amounts of additional public non-grant financing for important public investments in EU partner countries. By using grants strategically, the Blending Facilities are equipped to also unlock private investments for achieving EU development objectives. While the involvement of the private sector holds great potential, a cautious and selective approach is necessary to ensure that development objectives are paramount and market distortions are avoided.
27 November 2013
Open Source Development: Unlocking Innovation Through Transatlantic Partnership
An agronomist funded by USAID may have kick-started the Green Revolution, but today’s development revolutions in mobile banking, off-grid renewable energy and social media are hybrids born of public and private resources and ingenuity.
27 November 2013
Let the Private Sector be a Catalyst for Sustainable Development
It may come as news to some, but multilateral and bilateral development banks have increased their financing of the private sector fourfold over the last decade, boosting their annual combined investment from $10 billion to over $40 billion. This has been welcomed by most of the development community, although the debate on the balance between traditional development assistance to the public sector and donor support of the private sector continues.
27 November 2013
Engaging Local Business Organizations as a Powerful Tool for Successful Public-Private Dialogue
The creation of enabling environments for the private sector is perhaps the most important factor towards the ensuring of inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries. Local business organizations should be used as the logical leverage for this purpose as they hold the possibility to independently represent their members and thus the entire private sector at large.
27 November 2013
Is the Private Sector the Solution to the Overseas Aid Crisis?
For the first time in 15 years, the net volume of international development aid as a percentage of global GDP has dropped. In this context of economic and financial crisis there has been significant cuts in development aid allotments. The possibility of fulfilling international commitments to address major world problems is shrinking, while the needs of poor people are consistently growing.
27 November 2013
Green Growth: The Role of the Private Sector
The question that traditional, public policy focussed development practitioners used to ask was “does the private sector matter for development”? Looking at the data, the answer is an overwhelming yes.
27 November 2013
Cooperatives and Fair Trade: A Common People-Centred Private Sector in/for Development
This short article provides a brief introduction to Fair Trade and cooperative enterprises, their common and shared principles, and how these set them apart from other private sector actors.
27 November 2013
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 2012)
GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 2012)
27 November 2013
Initial Reflections on the ECOWAS Common External Tariff
West Africa has just put the final touches to its Common External Tariff (CET), set to come into force in January 2015.
27 November 2013
Editorial: Private Sector for Development
Private sector activity matters for growth as well as its quality, sustainability and inclusiveness. This is no news; but it is at last widely recognized by the international development community, as reflected in the Busan partnership, G20 statements or the European Agenda for Change, among others.
26 November 2013
Private Sector for Development: Distinguishing the Trees from the Forest
Engaging the private sector for development is a hot topic in donor headquarters. But how to go about this in practice needs us to be clearer about our objectives. This article suggests some ways to break down the agenda and raises some ensuing questions.
26 November 2013
Joint Action to Leverage Impact in Private Sector Development
Serving a diverse group of private sector clients requires tailor-made approaches, integrating mutual reliance and the use of innovative financial instruments to leverage impact.
26 November 2013
Services Negotiations Under the Tripartite FTA
The Heads of State and Government of the 26 member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) agreed in October 2008 to establish a grand Free Trade Area which is referred to the Tripartite FTA.
26 November 2013
Africa and Brazil: Strengthening and Broadening South-South Agricultural Cooperation
Brazil has been increasingly engaged in South-South Cooperation and tripartite initiatives with Africa, especially in the field of agriculture, where its successes in sustainably increasing production and productivity, without significant expansion of cultivated land, became of high interest for agricultural-based economies.
25 November 2013
Getting Ready for Take-off: Cross-cutting Lessons for Regional CAADP
Starting in February 2012, GREAT Insights has published a five part series to share findings from a mapping exercise of regional Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which assessed the major challenges and opportunities for the design and implementation of a regional CAADP compact and investment plan. The articles highlighted key lessons learned from four African regions- ECOWAS, COMESA, EAC and SADC. Drawing from the experiences in the various regions, this final article summarizes and presents a synthesis of key crosscutting lessons from the regions and a number of ideas on how to address common challenges to make the regional CAADP compact more effective.
25 November 2013
EPA Update, GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 7 (September 2012)
25 November 2013
Calendar and Resources, GREAT insights, Volume 1, Issue 7 (September 2012)
GREAT Insights (September 2012)
25 November 2013
Editorial: CAADP and Food Security
International food prices have been on the rise for most of 2012, with the cost of corn and soyabeans hitting an all-time high this summer. It is since the global food price crisis in 2008 that agriculture and food security are back to centre stage. And the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative, launched in 2009 by a large coalition including the G20, African countries and the whole UN Family, (re)positioned those issues at the core of international development processes.
25 November 2013
Interview with Martin Bwalya, Head of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), in the NEPAD Agency
In a few words, what have been the major successes and key challenges facing CAADP over the last decade? How is ‘CAADP success’ defined? We are looking at success in two ways, pointing to what has actually been achieved, and the concrete value behind these results.
25 November 2013
CAADP in a nutshell: Brief overview of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme’s rationale, principles and objectives
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is a continent-wide agriculture initiative of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which is the strategic economic development framework of the African Union (AU). Established by the AU assembly in 2003, CAADP's goal is to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty through agriculture.
25 November 2013
Joint Action for Food and Nutrition Security: The Challenge
The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon has issued a challenge - global zero hunger by the time he leaves office. This is an achievable goal. The political will to tackle hunger and increase access to food and the technical ability to deliver increased food production have never been stronger.
25 November 2013
Food Security in East Africa From a Trade Facilitation Perspective
If markets worked in East Africa, food insecurity could be significantly reduced. Unfortunately, market failures or government policy failures underlying market failures, in addition to infrastructure constraints, prevent this.
25 November 2013
A Donor Perspective on Supporting CAADP to Promote Regional Markets for Food Security
The need for concerted action at the regional level only emerged in recent years as a key element of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). Regional integration and promotion of intra-African trade were also the main themes of the last two AU summits. In the context of CAADP, development partners are called upon to step up support for regional policy formulation processes, leading to solid investment plans at the regional level to promote intra African agricultural trade and to contribute to their implementation.
25 November 2013
Investment Priorities for the CAADP: The Eastern Africa Farmers Federation’s perspective
From the onset, the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) has embraced the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) initiative. EAFF commends the African Union Heads of State for making bold commitments towards addressing food insecurity on the continent, and has taken an active role to contribute to the process.
25 November 2013
Agricultural Research in Africa: Why CAADP should follow IAASTD
CAADP, the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme for Development is shaping African agricultural development programmes. The lead agency for implementing the fourth pillar on agriculture research, technology dissemination and adoption is Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Ghana. The agricultural model that FARA research promotes is not, however, without its problems.
25 November 2013
Preserving Policy Space in EAC-US Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TIPA) Negotiations
The role of the state in the economy has always been a controversial issue in public debate. It has become more so with the rise of the neo-liberal paradigm that preaches the virtues of unregulated markets and recommends de-regulation, liberalisation and privatisation.
25 November 2013
Researching the Politics and Economics of Agriculture in Africa: The Case of Tanzania
25 November 2013
Challenges, and Great Potential, for Mobile Technology in African Agriculture
There is increasing acknowledgment of the transformative role that mobile data services can play in developing the agricultural sector in Africa. But the deployment and business models haven't always been clear: who should build these new technologies, how should they be deployed, and how can they scale? A technology and services company in Accra, Ghana, Esoko has been learning along the way.
25 November 2013
Food Security in Africa: Trade theory, modern realities and provocative considerations for policymakers
Recent publications from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) clarify how price “shocks” recorded for globally traded agricultural goods have lead to tangible negative consequences for food security on a global level, but with pronounced effects on Africa (See Box 1)
25 November 2013
Boosting Intra-African Trade? Volume 1, Issue 1 (Jan-Feb 2012)
Thematic Focus: Boosting Intra-African Trade? With Contributions from among others the WTO and President of Nigeria Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
22 November 2013
Trade and Human Rights – Volume 1, Issue 2 (March-April 2012)
Thematic Focus: Trade and Human Rights. With Contributions from amongst others Niccolò Rinaldi, Kinda Mohamadieh and Emilie M. Hafner-Burton.
22 November 2013
The Impact of Trade Facilitation on Developing Countries
Trade facilitation measures currently negotiated in the WTO can bring a welcome boost to the world economy, reducing the costs of trading by 14% to 16% in the case of developing countries.
22 November 2013
More Effective and Efficient Public Expenditure – Volume 1, Issue 3 (May 2012)
Thematic Focus: More Effective and Efficient Public Expenditure. With Contributions from among others Mario Pezzini, Jon Lomoy and Gyan Chandra Acharya.
22 November 2013
WTO Retaliation Rights for Developing Countries: An Argument for Retaliation Based on Consequential Losses
It has been obvious for a long time that small developing countries are unable to force larger trading partners to comply with their World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. The ongoing efforts of Antigua and Barbuda to force the United States to respect the WTO ruling in US – Gambling is a salient example.
22 November 2013
Preferential Trade Agreements – Volume 2, Issue 4 (June 2012)
Thematic Focus: Preferential Trade Agreements. With Contributions from among others Jean-Pierre Chauffour, Xavier Cirer and Agatha Nderitu.
22 November 2013
WTO Rules: How Could the G-33 Proposal Affect Food Security?
In November 2012, a group of developing countries tabled an informal proposal at the World Trade Organization (WTO), seeking additional flexibility in the global trade body’s rules on agriculture.
22 November 2013
Extractive Sector for Development – Volume 1, Issue 5 (July 2012)
Thematic Focus: Extractive Sector for Development. With Contributions from among others Benjamin Nii Ayi Aryee, Antonio M.A. Pedro and Claudine Sigam.
22 November 2013
The Right to Trade: A Mechanism for Revitalising Pro-Development WTO Negotiations?
What would it take to revitalise and rebalance the World Trade Organization? Joseph Stiglitz and Andrew Charlton make ambitious and innovative proposals for revitalising and rebalancing the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a recent report The Right to Trade: Rethinking the Aid for Trade Agenda (1). This article sets out and critically appraises the core elements of their proposals.
22 November 2013
Trade and Development: Making the Link – Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2012)
Thematic Focus: Trade and Development - Making the Link. With Contributions from among others Abdullah Makame and Dirk Willem te Velde.
22 November 2013
Potential Effects of EU-US Economic Integration on Selected Developing Countries
This paper is based on a report commissioned by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) from the Centre for the Analysis of Regional Integration at Sussex University (CARIS), InterAnalysis Ltd (IA) and ITEAS Consulting Ltd. The remit was to look at the impact of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on 43 developing countries (LIC from now on).
22 November 2013
CAADP and Food Security – Volume 1, Issue 7 (September 2012)
Thematic Focus: CAADP and Food Security. With Contributions from among others David Nabarro, Martin Bwalya, Scott Allen, Marco Farani and Pedro A. Arraes.
22 November 2013
Editorial: Boosting Intra-African Trade?
The 18th African Union Summit of Heads of State was meant to provide the highest political support for “boosting intra-Africa trade” by fast-tracking the move towards greater effective integration and the setting of the Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) by 2017.
22 November 2013
Private Sector for Development – Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 2012)
Thematic Focus: Private Sector for Development. With Contributions from among others Klaus Rudischhauser, Tamsyn Barton, Sarah Gonzales and Imoni Akpofure.
22 November 2013
The All-Africa Free Trade Area: Revenge of the Abuja Treaty?
The Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community almost suffered the same fate as previous development plans for Africa. No sooner had it come into force in 1994 than fresh blueprints sprouted from within and outside the continent, side-tracking the Treaty.
22 November 2013
Various Recipes for Regional Integration – Volume 1, Issue 9 (November 2012)
Thematic Focus: Various Recipes for Regional Integration. With Contributions from among others Andris Piebalgs, Helmut Asche and Wautabouna Ouattara.
22 November 2013
Boosting Intra-African Trade: What Role for the External Trade Regime?
African Heads of States and Governments convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia January 29-30 to launch a continent-wide free trade agreement (CFTA).
22 November 2013
Africa at a Turning Point? The Case of Mozambique – Volume 1, Issue 10 (December 2012)
Thematic Focus: Africa at a Turning Point? The Case of Mozambique. With contributions from among others President Armando Emílio Guebuza of Mozambique.
22 November 2013
Economic Partnership Agreements: Will Europe and Africa Avoid a Diplomatic Tragedy?
Failure to immediately identify compromises on the trade talks towards regional free trade agreements between African regions and the European Union (EU) could derail the Africa-EU Summit in April 2014 and jeopardize the partnership.
22 November 2013
African Regional Cooperation: Lessons from Deep Integration?
This year’s World Trade report takes a close look at Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), and analyses their relation to the multilateral trading system.
22 November 2013
Financing Infrastructure – Volume 2, Issue 4 (May-June 2013)
Thematic Focus: Financing Infrastructure. With Contributions from amongst others ...
21 November 2013
New Development Framework Post-2015 – Volume 2, Issue 3 (April 2013)
Thematic Focus: What Prospects for a New Development Framework Post-2015? With Contributions from among others Klaus Rudischhauser and Betty Maina.
21 November 2013
From Growth to Transformation: What Role for the Extractive Sector? Volume 2, Issue 2 (Feb-March 2013)
Thematic Focus: From Growth to Transformation - What Role for the Extractive Sector? With Contributions from among others Ben Turok and Antonio M.A. Pedro.
21 November 2013
Debt Relief - "Where Do We Stand, Where Do We Go?" – Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2013)
Thematic Focus: Debt Relief - "Where Do We Stand, Where Do We Go?". With Contributions from among others Jeffrey D. Lewis and Abraham Nwankwo.
21 November 2013
Challenges 2014: Family farming, African food security and EU-AU relations, deadlock or turning-point in 2014?
Declared the UN Year of Family Farming and the AU Year of Food Security, 2014 will be particularly interesting. With key challenges in terms of policy directions, international processes, and Europe-Africa relations.
21 November 2013
Political Economy of Regional Integration – Volume 2, Issue 7 (October 2013)
Thematic Focus: Political Economy of Regional Integration. With contributions from among others João Samuel Caholo and Ivan Ogando Lora.
21 November 2013
A New Impetus for Africa-Europe Relations – Volume 2, Issue 6 (September 2013)
Thematic Focus: A New Impetus for Africa-Europe Relations. With Contributions from amongst others Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and José Manuel Barroso.
21 November 2013
Editorial: The Multiple Dimensions of the Trade and Development Nexus
The 9th Ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Bali on 3-6 December 2013 will once more attempt to push the trade and development nexus high on the international agenda.
21 November 2013
Aid for Trade – Volume 2, Issue 5 (July-August 2013)
Thematic Focus: Aid for Trade. With Contributions from among others Pascal Lamy, Karel De Gucht, Dirk Niebel, Ahmed Hamid and Erik Solheim.
21 November 2013
Supporting Supply Chain Trade
Supply chain trade has helped many countries expand manufacturing activities, but many others have largely been left out. Redesigning domestic policy formation processes and international cooperation can help expand supply chain trade.
21 November 2013
International trade and development nexus
The year 2014 will be significant in a number of respects. It will mark the penultimate year of the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals and possibly the launch of a new set of development goals to guide and shape national and international approaches to promoting more inclusive and sustainable growth and development.
20 November 2013
A World to Gain: Going Faster and Further in Development
This article by the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation offers various insights into the merits and limits of international trade and development and the Netherlands’ new strategic agenda, which bridges the traditional divide between aid and trade.
20 November 2013
Trade and Development – Volume 2, Issue 8 (November 2013) The Multiple Dimensions of the Trade and Development Nexus
The Multiple Dimensions of the Trade and Development Nexus. With Contributions from amongst others Lilianne Ploumen and Mukhisa Kituyi.
20 November 2013
Challenges 2014: Africa-EU relations, when space is tight, focus on the essentials
EU-Africa relations do not operate on a clean canvas. They exist in a space where different partners have to engage on the basis of mutual interest. The partnership also operates in a context of a rich history of conflict and cooperation that created, over time, a complex partnership.
14 November 2013
Delivering sustainable support to trade policy making: A practitioner's view in the case of Rwanda
08 November 2013
The Informal Knowledge Platform on Sustainable Agricultural Investments: Report from the first Workshop
08 November 2013
Challenges 2014: Peace and security
The African Peace and Security Architecture might have a strong track record, but that’s no reason for complacency. Despite improved performance in peace and security matters over recent years
08 November 2013
Trade talks set to disrupt Africa-Europe relations and poison the upcoming Africa-EU Summit
This BN states that the talks towards free trade between the EU and Africa could sour the political relations and jeopardize their Summit next April 2014.
07 November 2013
Time to consign today’s corporate social responsibility to history’s dustbin
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities “have not made a significant contribution to the achievement of the policy goals of the European Union.”
07 November 2013
What would it take to make an EPA economically and politically feasible for Europe and Africa? Elements for consideration ahead of the Africa-EU Summit of April 2014
Ahead of the Africa-EU Summit 2014, this Briefing Note discusses how to make EPAs economically and politically feasible for Europe and Africa.
06 November 2013
Development Progress: Exploring the Impact, Effectiveness and Future of Aid for Trade
02 November 2013
Putting Policy Coherence for Development into Perspective: Supporting Switzerland's Promotion of PCD in Commodities, Migration and Tax Policy
01 November 2013
European Report on Development (ERD) 2013 – Post 2015: Global Action for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future
MDGs have mobilised Global Support, the vision of Millennium Declaration remains highly Relevant. a new Development Framework should Build on these Efforts.
01 November 2013
ECDPM Work Plan 2014-2015
The Centre is now well into its current Strategic Plan period that started in 2012. The years 2014-2015 are the core years of the period and will be marked by a Mid-Term Review of the Strategy during which ECDPM
01 November 2013
Plan de travail de l'ECDPM 2014-2015
Le Centre est largement engagé aujourd’hui dans la période couverte par l’actuel plan stratégique qui a débuté en 2012 et dont 2014-2015 sont les années charnières: elles seront marquées en effet par une révision à mi-parcours de la stratégie,
01 November 2013
EU policy coherence for food security: Aligning parallel agendas
This paper discusses in how far the European Union’s commitments and institutional mechanisms for Policy Coherence for Development have supported its development objectives in the area of global food security.
29 October 2013
Follow the debate online: Are EU-Africa relations still fit for purpose? #AfricaEU2014
Follow the debate online: Are EU-Africa relations still fit for purpose? #AfricaEU2014
28 October 2013
Monitoring and evaluation of support for decentralisation and local governance: A case study on Burkina Faso
28 October 2013
Looking Beyond 2013: Are Africa-Europe Relations Still Fit for Purpose?
The European Think-Tanks Group (ETTG) held a conference to take on 28 October 2013 in Brussels. Participants from both Africa and Europe reflected on both horizontal and thematic issues pertaining to the partnership.
28 October 2013
Private Investment and Regional Approach to Nutrition Security
25 October 2013
“Doing less and choosing better”: Pacific perspectives on the future of the ACP Group
The Pacific always has been regarded as “the small boy in the ACP class”. With the exception of the “Pacific giant” Papua New Guinea, the region mainly includes small independent islands states such as Niue, Tuvalu or Nauru.
25 October 2013
Key challenges with regard to the Africa-EU Platform on Governance
24 October 2013
Operationalising the Africa-EU Platform on Governance
24 October 2013
ACP-EU Relations beyond 2020: Exploring European Perceptions
23 October 2013
Continental Drift or Widening Cracks? The EU and Africa since the Lisbon Summit of 2007
It looks in particular at four key variables in the relationship: Economy, Development, Governance and Politics, and Multilateralism. JAES Strategy 2007
23 October 2013
Challenges in 2014: Modernisation of EU development cooperation, kick-started or running on the spot?
The year 2014 will close the circle from policy to programming to practice. The EU’s aid budget was kept steady, with the scope of budget lines broadened to address new challenges.
23 October 2013
Reinventing Pacific-EU Relations: With or Without the ACP?
20 October 2013
Bananas and bottlenecks: Piloting regional value chain cooperation for food security
After decades of protocols and high-level declarations without implementation, regional integration is slowly happening in many parts of Africa, often driven by commercial moves.
18 October 2013
Challenges in 2014: The Post-2015 Agenda
ECDPM Challenges Blog Series. The Negotiations on the next Post-2015 International Development Framework will not be easy. This time around there is a lot of interest ..
17 October 2013
Joining Forces for Peace Post-2015
17 October 2013
Challenges in 2014: Will it be a turning point in Africa-EU relations?
Over the next seven weeks ECDPM will share its thoughts on the Major Challenges ahead in 2014 for Africa - EU Relations. With a specific thematic approach each ..
15 October 2013
How serious is the EU about reducing fragmentation?
The paper Reviews Evidence of the EU’s record in adopting different Approaches to Coordination improving Aid Effectiveness. Value of Reducing Fragmentation,
10 October 2013
Political economy: Will Africa’s leaders finally walk the talk?
Guest blog by Christian Kingombe. The Citizens of the African continent have been introduced to one Grand Vision of Development after the other – from OAU to AU since the well-known debate
07 October 2013
Blending Loans and Grants for Development: An Effective Mix for the EU?
As an ‘innovative financing’ mechanism, blending can catalyse public and private investment and bring other benefits to leverage EU development cooperation efforts. Financing leveraged through grant aid does not guarantee increased or innovative development impact, e.g. ‘additionality’, and holds several further risks.
02 October 2013
Will a post-2015 development framework acknowledge migration?
01 October 2013
Fiscal opportunities and challenges derived from the management of extractive resources revenues
This paper aims at outlining challenges and opportunities in the management of natural resources by exploring fiscal opportunities within the larger context of strategic influence of taxation and its usage on development.
01 October 2013
Trade Finance Opportunities through South-South Cooperation
01 October 2013
We can create local wealth and jobs and governments should support family farming more effectively, say West African farmers
Blog post by ECDPM's Fabien Tondel. "The Vice-President of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, the Minister of Agriculture of Liberia, Florence Chenoweth, and other West African public officials
26 September 2013
Building a Sustainable Partnership for the Future? The EU-Africa Relations in the Run-Up to the 2014 Summit
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the European Centre of Development and Policy Management (ECDPM) held a conference on 17-18 September 2013 on future perspectives of EU- Africa relations in the run-up to the 2014 Summit that will be held in Brussels on 1-2 April 2014.
18 September 2013
CAADP and the emerging economies: Why so little traction?
Emerging Economies are being fairly Reluctant towards fully Aligning their Agricultural Support to the CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme) framework.
17 September 2013
Interview with Werner Thut from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Video Interview with Werner Thut from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation covering Global Development Post 2015.
12 September 2013
Towards Renewal or Oblivion? Prospects for Post-2020 Cooperation between the European Union and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group
12 September 2013
Les relations Afrique-Europe en Afrique du Nord-Ouest et des stratégies régionales pour le Sahel
Même si il ya maintenant un nouveau président au Mali suite à un processus electoral organisé en hâte, le développement, la gouvernance et la sécurité dans la région de l'Afrique du Nord -Ouest, une région également appelée le Sahel.
05 September 2013
Time to Walk the Talk: Regional Aid for Trade in Africa
To increase the effectiveness of Regional Aid for Trade it needs to be driven by the principles of the Paris Declaration/Accra Agenda as well as the 5 C-s
02 September 2013
Comparing the positions of the EU and the AUC: Two possible models for the Africa-EU Platform on Governance?
02 September 2013
Early Experiences in Programming EU Aid 2014-2020: Charting the Agenda for Change
The programming process has so far effectively translated key principles of the Agenda for Change into practice. DEVCO Headquarters has shown determination in enforcing sector concentration, but this has raised tensions with the field. The EEAS role in programming has been mixed.
02 September 2013
Challenging Europe-Africa relations: Why question the partnership?
01 September 2013
Africa's "Agenda 2063": A continental vision for prosperity and inclusiveness
01 September 2013
Premières expériences de programmation de l'aide de l'UE 2014-2020: Tracer la voie du Programme pour le changement
Le processus de programmation est parvenu jusqu’ici à traduire dans la pratique un certain nombre de principes clés du Programme pour le changement. Le siège à DEVCO a fait preuve de détermination en matière de concentration sectorielle, mais cela a aussi provoqué des tensions sur le terrain.
01 September 2013
Frustrations with EU-Africa relations
ECDPM podcast on Frustrations with EU-Africa Relations. In the wider context of the Discussion of EU-Africa Relations and ahead of both the European Think Tanks Group
16 August 2013
Le Tarif extérieur commun de la CEDEAO est-il une bonne nouvelle pour les paysans de l’Afrique de l’Ouest francophone ?
Le Tarif Extérieur Commun de la CEDEAO est-il une bonne nouvelle pour les paysans de l’Afrique de l’Ouest francophone? C’est la question qui se pose après la validation du
12 August 2013
SADC Payment Integration System – PERISA Case Study 2 on Private Sector
On 22 July 2013 the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Integrated Regional Electronic Settlement System (SIRESS) became operational in the four countries of the Common Monetary Area
08 August 2013
The Southern African Sugar Sector – PERISA Case Study 3 on Private Sector
The sugar industry has the potential to play a key developmental role in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The SADC bloc accounts for approximately 54% of total African sugar production.
08 August 2013
Regional Co-operation in the Telecommunications Sector via CRASA – PERISA Case Study 4 on Private Sector
This case study examines the telecommunications sector in Southern Africa and the role that the Communications Regulators’ Association Southern Africa (CRASA) plays in encouraging policy harmonisation between member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
08 August 2013
The Complexities of Regional Infrastructure Planning – Political Economy of Regional Integration in Southern Africa Series
Integrating infrastructure is a giant leap on the continuum towards deeper regional integration, allowing for better economies of scale and the development of cross-border public goods. Transport corridors (road and rail), airports and seaports link countries physically, politically and economically, and also provide global market access.
08 August 2013
Donors versus Investors in Southern African Infrastructure Development – PERISA Case Study 1 on Infrastructure
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) suffers from a critical lack of regional infrastructure that, if remedied, could boost both intraregional trade and economic integration
08 August 2013
Financing of Infrastructure – PERISA Case Study 2 on Infrastructure
In response to the global financial crisis of 2008–09, banks radically cut back on lending, especially for long-term projects. Governments worldwide, gambling on a big
08 August 2013
Analysing the Development Process for Infrastructure Projects in SADC – PERISA Case Study 3 on Infrastructure
In a period where there is renewed emphasis on regional integration on the African continent, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the lack of infrastructure
08 August 2013
Lesotho Highlands: Water Woes of Win-Wins? PERISA Case Study 4 on Infrastructure
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) has been acknowledged as a feat of engineering excellence; the real achievement being to use gravity tunnels and dams to divert the river from its natural flow
08 August 2013
The Regional Integration of Public Goods: Political Economy of Regional Integration in Southern Africa Series
The trend in monitoring and evaluating progress in regional integration has been towards measuring success or failure on an exclusive trade integration framework. Analysts use the classic Barassa model of integration,
08 August 2013
Water Resource Management and Development in SADC – PERISA Case Study 1 on Public Goods
Water resources are a critical enabler of development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
08 August 2013
Governing Southern Africa's Forests: The Case of REDD+ – PERISA Case Study 2 on Public Goods
This case study provides a political-economy analysis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional support programme for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).
08 August 2013
The Impact of Transfrontier Conservation Areas on Regional Integration – PERISA Case Study 3 on Public Goods
Transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) have been established or are under discussion in various locations within Southern Africa. The aim is to have 18 TFCAs in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in coming years.
08 August 2013
Building a Regional Electricity Market: SAPP Challenges – PERISA Case Study 4 on Public Goods
Regional power trade has many potential benefits. Indeed, enlarging national electricity markets beyond borders could help to decrease variable supply and demand issues and stimulate capacity investment. In Southern Africa, the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) is the 1995 regional association of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states’ national utilities energy providers.
08 August 2013
The Private Sector as a Driver of Regional Integration – Political Economy of Regional Integration in Southern Africa Series
The Political Economy of Regional Integration in Southern Africa (PERISA) project generally asks the research question: ‘Who drives or drove this particular process or outcome?’. This theme, however, seeks to reverse the question
08 August 2013
The Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism – PERISA Case Study 1 on Private Sector
The persistence of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) has been the subject of much of the recent discourse on regional integration in Southern and East Africa. There has been a surfeit of recommended approaches to dealing with the regional NTB challenge,
08 August 2013
The political economy of regional integration in Southern Africa – PERISA project (2012-2013)
For this project, ECDPM and SAIIA partnered to take stock of key political and economic actors and factors that drive regional cooperation and effective integration in a rapidly changing global environment.
02 August 2013
On the path to the EU-Africa Summit 2014 – What’s next for Africa-Europe relations? Tell us what you think
01 August 2013
Is there a future for political economy analysis in the European Commission?
26 July 2013
West Africa on the move to accelerate the implementation of its Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP)
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is undertaking efforts to accelerate the implementation of their Regional Agricultural Policy, the ECOWAP/Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Programme (CAADP)
25 July 2013
Direct cash transfers to avoid the resource curse – Pouring money over poor people will not fix politics
The current second-round resource boom in Africa should not be a missed opportunity. This time it must trickle down to lift people out of poverty. So far, ..
19 July 2013
What and who drives regional integration in Southern Africa?
What are the drivers and politics behind regional integration efforts in Southern Africa? What are the implications for governments, regional actors and development partners?
18 July 2013
The Aid for Trade 4th Global Review – Aid for productive employment
The opening remarks made at the World Trade Organisation 4th Global Aid for Trade (AfT) Review this week all suggested a degree of consensus.
12 July 2013
How do European Donors engage with Emerging Development Partners?
This paper provides an overview of how some traditional donors interact and engage with “emerging donors” on development issues. Amongst the donors surveyed, France, Germany, the United Kingdom,
11 July 2013
Developing a methodology to assess impact of OECD policies on food security
Quentin de Roquefeuil on new methodology to assess the impact of OECD policies on food security in developing countries
07 July 2013
Interview with Aiichiro Yamamoto, Japan International Cooperation Agency’s EU representative
Aiichiro Yamamoto, the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) EU representative, talks about how the North-South aid paradigm (rich countries giving aid to poor countries).
02 July 2013
ECDPM Annual Report 2012
Development thinking is entering a new phase. The traditional aid provision system is gradually being replaced by new approaches to international cooperation, which focus on the pursuit of common
01 July 2013
The CAADP and Emerging Economies: The Case of Tanzania
This case study looks at the increased presence of emerging economies in the Tanzanian agricultural sector and how their activities relate to the CAADP.
01 July 2013
Overview of the Decentralisation Process in Latin America: Main Achievements, Trends and Future Challenges
Desk Study prepared for the Regional EU Seminar on Decentralisation and Local Governance in Latin and Central America (10-14 June – Quito, Ecuador).
01 July 2013
ECDPM Rapport Annuel 2012
La réflexion en matière de développement entre dans une nouvelle phase. Le système traditionnel d’octroi de l’aide s’efface peu à peu derrière de nouvelles approches de la coopération internationale
01 July 2013
Development partners meet to discuss support to Africa’s development and agricultural agenda
In 1992, European Heads of State and Government found their way to Maastricht to sign off on, with hindsight not always respected, Treaty revisions of the European Union. Maybe due to the unpopularity of the “3% budget deficit” or “60% public debt to GDP” limits among a growing number of politicians and the wider public, it has not led to a line-up of international gatherings in Maastricht since then.
28 June 2013
Dirty deals and taxing truths: What do recent high-level commitments mean for tax and extractive industry transparency in developing countries?
A blog by ECDPM's Florian Krätke, exploring what recent High-level Commitments mean for Tax and Extractive Industry Transparency in Developing Countries.
28 June 2013
EEAS review and development: Yet another EU coordination challenge?
The review of the European External Action Service (EEAS) is in full swing – on June 12th the European Parliament (EP) presented its inputs on the organisation and functioning of the service, which is just over 2 years old
27 June 2013
What next for EU support to decentralisation in Latin and Central America?
During the last decade, the EU has been supporting decentralisation reforms across the developing world, mobilising a growing amount of funds and making use of different ‘entry points’ (e.g. support to national policies, bottom-up initiatives, etc.) and instruments (e.g. budget support or projects).
24 June 2013
The post-2015 development framework – An update on EU, Africa and UN proceedings
Much has happened since we last wrote about the EU emerging post-2015 position. The long awaited release at the end of May of the report by the UN High Level Panel (HLP)on the post-2015 develop
21 June 2013
Post 2015 and beyond 2020: What new perspectives for Africa-EU and ACP-EU relations?
The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) facilitated an informal high-level seminar on future perspectives for Africa-EU and ACP-EU relations.
21 June 2013
Land grabs the old fashioned way: South Africa’s sad centennial
“Awaking on Friday morning, June 20 1913 the South African native found himself, not actually a slave, but a pariah in the land of his birth”. This is how the black journalist and poet Sol Plaatje woke up in a New South Africa, exactly one hundred years ago.
21 June 2013
Koen Vervaeke on the future of EU-ACP and EU-Africa relations
This interview was filmed on the fringes of an informal high-level seminar on post 2015 and beyond 2020: What new perspectives for Africa-EU and ACP-EU relations?
19 June 2013
Baboons, blocks and borders – Regional integration at 12kmph
African Unity, Regional Integration and 'Boosting Inter-African Trade' have been on the African Policy Agenda for decades in some form or another. The AU anniversary summit in Addis Ababa last month reiterated some big aspirations for African integration with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam
14 June 2013
The Enriching Business of Nutrition: Market-based Partnerships and Regional Approaches to Nutrition: What Role for CAADP?
This discussion paper discusses market-based partnerships and regional approaches in the context of promoting nutrition through the CAADP framework.
12 June 2013
The CAADP and Emerging Economies: The Case of Ghana and Brazil
This paper details the way in which Brazil’s agricultural cooperation in Ghana relates to broader efforts undertaken under CAADP as it unfolds in Ghana.
12 June 2013
Midlife crisis or peaceful future? The African Union at 50
The African Union (AU) turned 50 on 23rd May 2013. In a person’s life, that’s a major milestone. Generally at this age, some are either facing a middle-life crisis or looking back happily at their busy life’s accomplishments, hoping for a peaceful future, but that can be sobering and liberating.
07 June 2013
Japan and the EU: Friends of Africa?
Early June, Japan hosted the Fifth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD V). Some 40 African Heads of State and Government made the long journey to Japan. In Tokyo they were welcomed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a strong Japanese commitment to spend some 24.2 billion Euros of
06 June 2013
Men get motorbikes, women get voice' – Questions on people-centred business
Instead of firms having to prove they are good with FairTrade labels, Robin Roth, a speaker at the People Centred Business event at the European Parliament this week instead proposed a different starting point: companies should have to prove they are not bad
06 June 2013
Human rights based approach to development: Danish minister Friis Bach talks to ECDPM
ECDPM's Deputy Director, Geert Laporte, interviews Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Christian Friis Bach. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affair ...
05 June 2013
Initial findings of the Support Study on the Governance Initiative – ECDPM-IAG Concept Note for the African consultation meeting. 7-8 June 2011
03 June 2013
Conférence des donateurs pour le Mali: le risque des solutions "low cost"
La conférence des bailleurs pour le Mali du 15 mai organisée à Bruxelles par l’UE et la France “en collaboration étroite avec le Mali” a rassemblé des promesses de fonds dépassant les 3 milliards d’euros. Elle a certes rassemblé plusieurs centaines de participants du Sahel, d’Afrique de l’Ouest et
03 June 2013
The Mali Crisis and Africa-Europe Relations
This note looks at the implications of the Malian crises for the relations between Africa and Europe, one year ahead of the next Africa-Europe summit in Brussels in 2014. Its starting point is the challenge posed by multiple and intertwined crises in Mali and the combination of factors which led to a coup in Mali in 2012
02 June 2013
From Purse to Policy to Practice: Six Initiatives to Future-proof EU Development Cooperation for 2014-2020 and Beyond?
02 June 2013
La crise au Mali et les relations Afrique-Europe
02 June 2013
Emerging Economies and the Changing Dynamics in African Agriculture: What role for CAADP?
This study examines the changing dynamics in African agriculture within the context of emerging economies and their contribution to the CAADP.
01 June 2013
Klaus Rudischhauser on EU development aid: Where to and what for?
In this ECDPM video, Klaus Rudischhauser, Deputy Director-General for Policy and Thematic Coordination at the European Commission, talks about where and how EU development assistance should be targeted.
31 May 2013
21st Summit of the African Union: Looking towards the next 50 years
30 May 2013
Between policy and practice: The EU Food and Nutrition Security Implementation Plan
Largely overshadowed by provisional budget decisions on the European Development Fund, Development Ministers at yesterday’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) endorsed a long awaited and crucial EU Food and Nutrition Security Implementation Plan.
29 May 2013
Japan and the EU: Development Partners – Japan is the best EU partner
28 May 2013
Blending loans and grants: To blend or not to blend?
The EU has established eight loan and grant blending to leverage development finance and increase efficiency, coordination, ownership and impact.
22 May 2013
Thoughts on Europe's relationship with the world from ECDPM's Director
Paul Engel, Director of ECDPM, gives his thoughts on the relationship between Europe and the world.
22 May 2013
Mali donors' conference: Towards low cost solutions?
Yesterday’s donors' conference on Mali organised in Brussels by the EU and France “in close coordination with Mali” pledged over 3 billion euros.
16 May 2013
Doing better on EU visibility – Lessons for the EEAS review
The EU is consistently criticised for low visibility on its external action, and now the European Parliament is calling for the issue to be dealt with in the on-going Review of the European External Action Service.
15 May 2013
Exclusive interview with the new Secretary General of the ACP group, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni
The Cotonou agreement governs relations between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and the EU - and it will expire in 2020. It is a framework concerning political dialogue,
14 May 2013
On development policy, the EU’s External Action Service is looking vulnerable
Making European policies coherent with EU Development Objectives is important. The EEAS offers a chance to overcome the Fragmentation and Incoherence.
10 May 2013
Africa, Europe and its rivals in love
On May 25 this year, the African Union celebrates its golden jubilee anniversary in Addis Ababa. The event will be marked by numerous milestones, and is under the theme of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance.
08 May 2013
The Post-2015 Development Framework: Issues, Challenges, Opportunities – Background note for the high level session of the Stakeholders meeting of the Belgian Development Cooperation
An Overview of where the current Debates stand and which are the most Pressing Issues and Challenges when Designing a new Post-2015 Development Agenda.
07 May 2013
Tous pour un ou chacun pour soi? Premières expériences de programmation conjointe de l'UE
Cette note d’information examine les implications des crises maliennes pour les relations entre l’Afrique et Europe, un an avant le prochain sommet Afrique-Europe, à Bruxelles en 2014. Le point de départ retenu ici est le défi posé par des crises multiples et inextricablement liées,
06 May 2013
The impact of European Commission support to private sector development (PSD)? We’re still none the wiser
With ever-increasing pressure for donors to “show impact” for their aid programmes, there was a lot of interest in last week’s presentation of the Evaluation of EC Support to Private Sector Development in Third Countries from 2004 to 2010. But what can the European Commission (EC) actually take from this evaluation?
03 May 2013
Migration and development policies and practices: A mapping study of eleven European countries and the European Commission
01 May 2013
All for One or Free-for-All? Early Experiences in EU Joint Programming
This Briefing Note looks at the rationale of joint programming, and what this means in practice at headquarters and country level, based on a limited number of interviews3 with key stakeholders and an analysis of key documents.
01 May 2013
Labour Migration: From Absentee to a Key Driver in a Global Development Framework?
Migration is among the most sensitive and hard-to-manage areas of public policy. The effects of the 215 million migrants on development are complex.
29 April 2013
Count down to concluding EPAs: What's really at stake?
The EU is eager to conclude trade agreements with Africa…but at what costs?
26 April 2013
Summary of the Main Discussions and Points Made at the Second Informal Donors Meeting on 23 April 2013
23 April 2013
Practice makes perfect? The European Union's engagement in negotiations on a post-2015 framework for development
Analyses of High-Level Forums on Aid Effectiveness in Accra and Busan the 2008 Doha conference on Financing for Development, the 17th COP in Durban in 2011
16 April 2013
Show me the money!
Millions of e-mails and documents, exposing the tax-evading activities of thousands of individuals across 170 countries, were recently leaked by a consortium of journalists.
12 April 2013
The missing link: African governance and peace architectures
Since 2005, Africa shows a trend towards decreasing quality of democracy and continuing unconstitutional government changes. In this context, it is important that governance continues to be promoted.
11 April 2013
Three trends in African development drawn from the east Asian experience
The assumptions and ideas that drive development policy are never static, but the rise of non-traditional donors and non-Western economic powers has accelerated the pace of change in recent years.
10 April 2013
Insights from Developments in National Policy Coherence for Development Systems: Key Cross Cutting Issues and Dilemmas
Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) is fundamentally a matter of politics. As such, the key dilemma for the countries covered in this study is how to develop and sustain the level of political interest in and support for PCD, firstly how to put PCD on the political agenda, and secondly to retain momentum and make commitments towards promoting PCD meaningful at both the national and EU level. Although the potential benefits of effective PCD remain unquestioned, the study shows that political leadership, sponsorship and focus have waned in recent years in the countries studied, even if many of these are considered global leaders in PCD.
01 April 2013
Get real – Africa behind narratives and index scores
Currently there are different stories trying to grasp the dynamic taking place on the African continent
28 March 2013
Africa and China: It’s all about pragmatism silly!
There are two stories about Africa’s relationship with China. The most recurring one claims that Africa is madly in love with China, but that it needs to ‘get real’ and to ‘wake up’ from this unsustainable ‘romance’.
27 March 2013
Africa’s industrialisation is not a choice, it is an imperative!
The 6th Joint United Nations Economic Commission for Africa-African Union Commission meeting of Finance, Planning and Development Ministers met in Abidjan on the 25th and 26th of March.
27 March 2013
Dilemmas for West Africa’s agricultural and trade policies
Praise has been won by West Africa for elaborating a regional agricultural policy, the ECOWAP, that could go a long way in promoting food security in the region.
26 March 2013
Live blog: Updated 27 March 10.00 CET – CAADP Partnership Platform meeting in Addis
Looking back at the PP after its closing, you could question the added-value of this annual event for the implementation of CAADP and the achievement of results and impact.
22 March 2013
Final window for development-proofing the CAP
The European Union is committed to policy coherence for development (PCD), and has identified global food security as one of the five key priority areas where EU policies should seek to have a positive impact or at least ‘do no harm’.
12 March 2013
“The Times They Are A-Changin”
Views from African consultations on the post-2015 development agenda.
08 March 2013
The Dynamics of Reforms in Resources-rich Countries: Towards Incentive-compatible Approaches
02 March 2013
Fixing Broken Links: Linking Extractive Sectors to Productive Value Chains
This paper illustrates the challenges that African countries are facing in structural transformation with regard to extractive sectors.
02 March 2013
Towards the Development and Implementation of CAADP Regional Compacts and Investment Plans: The State of Play
An update on the development and implementation of CAADP regional compacts and investment plans in the different African regions.
01 March 2013
Some Like Them Rough: The Future of Diamond Beneficiation in Botswana
This paper examines diamond beneficiation in Botswana and other diamond producing SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries.
01 March 2013
Post-2015: Four things the EU should consider to achieve ‘A Decent Life for All’
27 February 2013
Barriers to trade in agricultural goods: Let’s focus on solutions, not on problems
Account of the “Food Across Borders” conference in West Africa. West Africa has far-reaching commitments to promote intra-regional trade.
22 February 2013
Development Policy on the Edge: Towards a Post-2015 Global Development Agenda
14 February 2013
Final report of the external evaluation of the Think Tank Initiative
ECDPM and ODI’s Research and Policy in Development Programme (RAPID) have conducted an evaluation of the Think Tank Initiative (TTI) - a multi-donor programme dedicated to strengthening the capacity of independent policy research organisations in the developing world
13 February 2013
Is food security about producing more or eating well? Reflections from the Annual General Assembly of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development
No doubt certain countries in the world, especially those in Africa, need to gain more reliable access to food in order to fight hunger. No doubt this requires increasing production and productivity in agriculture, as well as better integration of regional agricultural markets.
08 February 2013
Investing in an inclusive and resilient society
Article by ECDPM director Paul Engel on the Towards a Secure World Blog, facilitated by the Broker. 'Investing in the domestic agricultural and food sector automatically means investing in domestic entrepreneurship.'
07 February 2013
Meeting in the Middle? Challenges and Opportunities for EU Cooperation with Middle-Income Countries
This paper presents a contribution to the ongoing policy debate on how the European Union (EU) can best engage with MICs - the ‘big 8’ in particular, represent a significant strategic interest for the European Member States the partnerships with and tools applied to these countries are still being adapted to this thinking.
02 February 2013
Mobilizing Aid for Trade to Enhance CAADP Regional Trade and Private Sector Initiatives
Briefing note: Mobilizing Aid for Trade to enhance CAADP regional trade and private sector initiatives.
01 February 2013
Time to clear the confusion around the Comprehensive Approach
The EU's "comprehensive approach" in external action policy has provoked a range of responses - but the most widespread seems to be confusion. Ask 10 people from across the EU institutions to define the comprehensive approach and chances are you'll get 10 different answers.
25 January 2013
African Renaissance 2.0 needs to focus on IDEALS
When former South African President Thabo Mbeki brought back the notion of an African Renaissance to the African political circles in the late 1990s, the continent was at a different place than it is today. It was still suffering from decades of civil wars,
25 January 2013
From Aid for Trade to aid for business, partnership and profits
The OECD hosted the 2013 Policy Dialogue on Aid for Trade last week to discuss “how to continue delivering aid for trade results in a changing international environment for trade and development”. While this in part retread old ground, discussions
23 January 2013
Talking about the impact of private sector for development, are we using the same language?
A whole new range of actors is placing private sector development centre of their attention and operations. While a wider set of players can provide significant strength and dynamic to any activity, it also brings confusion and incoherence
18 January 2013
Aid for Trade needs to shift from policy to greater action
Trade ministers and officials from South and North, academics, and donors will gather at the OECD in Paris next week for a policy dialogue to discuss the future of the Aid for Trade initiative.
11 January 2013
Corridors of Power or Plenty? Lessons from Tanzania and Mozambique and Implications for CAADP
Study looking at development corridors and their roles in addressing constraints to market integration for agricultural producers and lessons for the CAADP.
01 January 2013
Resilience: A Trojan Horse for a New Way of Thinking?
This paper contributes to the debate on what resilience exactly is, and whether and how it can play a useful role in the discourse on fragility.
01 January 2013
Glass Half Full: Study on EU Lessons Learnt in Mediation and Dialogue – Study undertaken for the European External Action Service
This study, conducted by ECDPM for the European External Action Service, looks at lessons learnt in EU mediation and dialogue.
01 January 2013
External Influences on Regional Integration in West Africa: The Role of Third Parties
This paper gives an overview of the key influences of third parties to the Regional Integration processes in West Africa, particularly European Influences.
01 January 2013
En route vers le sommet de 2014 : Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE en 2013
01 January 2013
Aid and beyond: Mobilizing more resources for financing development
The scenario is quite familiar. If budget cuts are to be made in times of crisis, development spending is the first and easiest target for European policymakers. In preparing for the 2013 budget, several EU member states seem to have forgotten about their longstanding commitments to reach the 0,7% target of GDP as Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2015.
14 December 2012
Aid and beyond: Mobilising more resources for financing development
If budget cuts are made in times of crisis, development spending is the first and easiest target for European policymakers. Post 2015 Financial Strategy...
12 December 2012
ACP-EU cooperation: Discussing the long-term future in the near future
European Heads of State were recently advised to bring more than one shirt to the 22-23 November summit to discuss the EU budget. Those who specialise in the relations between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries will definitely also need a few more shirts during the next few weeks.
07 December 2012
African trade and agriculture ministers sow a seed for closer cooperation
For the first time, African Union ministers of trade and agriculture gathered last week at a joint conference in Addis Ababa. Originally scheduled for late October, the conference had been postponed since not enough ministers from AU member states had confirmed their attendance.
07 December 2012
MDGs matter only minimally for development in Côte d’Ivoire
++ SERIES: BUILDING THE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK++ Preparation of the European Report on Development 2013 is now well underway. It will focus on “Elements for a Post-2015 Agenda” and aims at feeding into the debate about what development framework
07 December 2012
EU Budget Consensus at the Expense of Development: State of Play and Options in Front of Negotiators
02 December 2012
EEAS Mediation Support Pilot Project: Evaluatory Review
02 December 2012
The road to the 2014 Summit: Challenges for Africa-EU relations in 2013
ECDPM surveys Africa-EU relations at the start of 2013 and asks what issues are likely to be key agenda points for the Fourth EU-Africa Summit in 2014.
01 December 2012
ECDPM Work Plan 2013-2014
During the years 2013-2014, ECDPM expects to consolidate the transition to a new Strategic Plan period that we embarked on in 2012. We will maintain our strong track record as an independent broker and contributor to strengthening cooperation and relations between Europe
01 December 2012
Plan de travail de l’ECDPM 2013-2014
L’ECDPM a l’intention de consolider en 2013-2014 le processus de transition vers la nouvelle période de planification stratégique entamée en 2012. Le Centre poursuivra son rôle d’intermédiaire indépendant reconnu de longue date, ainsi que
01 December 2012
Facing up to realities: DG DEVCO introduces new organigram for 2013
Staffing issues are all the talk in Brussels at the moment amid heated discussions over the next EU budget. EU Member States want the European Commission (EC) to reduce its staff by more than 5 % over the next 5 years, more than Council President van Rompuy recently proposed.
30 November 2012
The AU Joint Ministerial of Agriculture and Trade: Preparations and Key Messages
Briefing on the African Union Joint Ministerial on Agriculture and Trade in Addis Ababa (26-30 November 2012), highlighting preparations and key messages.
30 November 2012
Employment: It’s what we’ve always wanted!
“Jobs” are the focus of the recently launched World Development Report 2013. This year’s edition of the World Bank’s annual flagship publication raises a host of interesting issues. Key points and take away messages I got from the London launch event earlier this month are:
23 November 2012
Mediation and Dialogue: Transitional Processes from Non-state Armed Groups to Political Movements/Political Parties
Conflict Resolution where Non-state Armed actors are involved will be found in political agreements rather than military defeat. This Fact sheet examines..
10 November 2012
Will the re-election of Obama just bring more of the same to Africa?
When I visited Tanzania in early 2009, small street shops were selling fabric with the face of Obama and the famous ‘Yes we Can’ election slogan printed on them. Few months later, I bought a box of Obama gum from a store in Burundi.
07 November 2012
Budget hawks circling EU development aid
European Heads of State will be taking more than one shirt to the 22-23 November budget summit, anticipating lengthy negotiations for reaching the political agreement on future EU funding needed by the end of the year
07 November 2012
Monitoring regional integration: Tedious or a tool?
With burgeoning regional integration and free-trade arrangements around the world, a key question is whether or not agreed treaties are being implemented and if so, with what impact.
07 November 2012
Gearing up for the 2013 EEAS Review: Opportunities, Challenges, and Possible Approaches
02 November 2012
EEAS Mediation Support Project Factsheet: Mediation and Dialogue in electoral processes to prevent and mitigate electoral related violence
This factsheet deals with EU mediation and dialogue in the context of electoral processes.
02 November 2012
Trade Liberalisation and Fiscal Adjustment: The Case of EPAs in Africa
01 November 2012
EEAS Mediation Support Project Factsheet: Transitional Justice in the context of Peace Mediation
The EU should look for entry points to ensure that transitional justice issues and international law are adequately addressed in the processes of mediation
01 November 2012
EEAS Mediation Support Project Factsheet: Women’s Participation and Gender
The EU can play a role promoting, supporting and funding mediation and dialogue activities, all of which are relevant to women’s participation and gender
01 November 2012
Strengthening national capacities for mediation and dialogue: National dialogue platforms and infrastructures for peace
Having strong national capacities for mediation can be relevant in situations where external mediation by the EU or others is not possible or desirable
01 November 2012
ECDPM Strategy 2012-2016: Extended results framework
ECDPM's core mission is the sustainable transformation of ‘traditional’ development cooperation into ‘modern’ forms of international cooperation
01 November 2012
Lost opportunity to build bridges: African Ministers of Agriculture and Trade meeting postponed
By postponing next week's meeting of African trade and agriculture ministers in Addis Ababa, the African Union risks losing a real opportunity to promote the opening up of intra-African trade to boost economic growth and develop greater food security on the continent.
26 October 2012
EU-Africa relations: What’s in store for 2013?
Each year ECDPM publishes a Policy Brief, on Challenges for EU-Africa Relations, outlining key events and expected trends for the year to come.
26 October 2012
European Report on Development (ERD) 2011-2012 – Confronting Scarcity: Managing water, energy and land for inclusive and sustainable growth
Water, Energy and Land, Crucial Resources for Human Well-Being, are under strain due to rising Food Prices, Climate change, Population and Economic Growth.
18 October 2012
‘Friends of Development’ can defend assistance in the future EU budget
As EU budget negotiations are moving to the concluding phase (Figure 1), the ultimate outcome for development and EU external action spending is still unknown
16 October 2012
The EU’s Nobel Peace Prize in a global perspective: No time for self-flagellation or complacency
For some, this was very poor timing or even a joke. For others the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize could not come at a better moment, now that the EU is confronting the deepest economic and financial crisis in its history.
15 October 2012
Resilience in EU international cooperation: A new fad?
‘Resilience’ is topping the list of new buzzwords in international cooperation rhetoric lately. Many policy makers, including from the European Commission, are using it abundantly
12 October 2012
Who is who at the new African Union Commission
With the new African Union Commission (AUC) set to take office in a matter of days, many are curious to see how it will differ from the previous one. In this sense it crucial to looking at who the Commissioners will be.
11 October 2012
The mountain to climb: The key challenges ahead for the new AU leadership
The new African Union Commission (AUC) College will assume office on Monday 15 October. The election of the Chairperson of the Commission raised hope that there is renewed interest in the organisation, especially from its 54 African member states
11 October 2012
How big trade corridors can benefit small farmers
Many trade corridors in Africa were designed in colonial times, primarily to serve extractive industries and ease the transport of goods from the interior of the country to the ports, and back.
05 October 2012
Differentiation in ACP-EU Cooperation: Implications of the EU's Agenda for Change for the 11th EDF and Beyond
02 October 2012
Polarised discussions in EU member states contradict the European Commission’s stance on migration
Blog post by ECDPM's Anna Knoll and Niels Keijzer from DIE. Is it not the Dream of all People to have the Right to Move and Live where they Want? Owen Barder thinks so.
02 October 2012
Strengthening Civil Society? Reflections on International Engagement in Fragile States
This paper discusses the specific characteristics and challenges of engaging with civil society in fragile states.
01 October 2012
From Curse to Purse: Making Extractive Resources work for Development
This papers outlines factors worth considering in an attempt to avoid the resource curse in Africa and to make extractive resources work for development.
01 October 2012
Social protection in EU development cooperation: Do the tools match the vision?
The EU’s new development policy framework, the “Agenda for Change”, does not explicitly mention social and economic inequalities.
28 September 2012
Clear leadership required on EU external action communication strategy
A recent evaluation on the Visibility of EU External Action carried out by ECDPM and the Development Researchers Network concluded that since the reorganization of the EU external action services post-Lisbon a lack of clear direction and leadership on visibility issues has hampered the projection of a strong EU image in international affairs.
28 September 2012
EPAs' 10th anniversary: The never ending story
Blog by ECDPM's San Bilal. At the opening ceremony of the negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States
27 September 2012
ECDPM at the EDDs: Engaging the private sector for development
Preparations for this year’s European Development Days on the 16th and 17th October are now well underway. Among 4 panels in which ECDPM will participate, we are co-organizing a panel to look at “How can we maximise inclusive growth and development: The Pros and Cons of Private Sector Engagement and Blending Instruments”.
21 September 2012
Innovative on paper, conservative on the ground? EU plans to improve engagement with civil society
Innovative on paper, conservative on the ground? Last week, the European Commission’s published a new policy proposal titled 'the roots of democracy and sustainable development; Europe’s engagement with civil society in external relations’. aiming to carve out a new and more strategic engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs).
21 September 2012
What is the Rise of South-South Relations About? Development, not Aid
How to ensure sustainability of the effort and the outcomes? How to best engage developing countries in this endeavour? ... trend of South-South cooperation
20 September 2012
Waiting for EPAs: As if it matters – Paper for the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade
Paper produced by ECDPM for Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on Economic Partnership Agreements.
20 September 2012
What can bridge the divide between humanitarian aid and development?
Blog by ECDPM's Volker Hauck. To meet the challenges that natural disasters, armed conflicts and structural forms of fragility bring to countries or entire regions, more flexibility and participation in implementing the EU policy on Linking Relief Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) is needed.
19 September 2012
European Commission Public Consultation – Towards a post-2015 development framework
With ODI and the German Development Institute, ECDPM is involved in Drafting the 2013 European Report on Development (ERD) - Post 2015 Framework. MDG
13 September 2012
Overview of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreements Status
Table: Status Economic Partnership Agreement. Containing Region, Members, Trade regime, Signature,Notification to WTO and Ratification process initiated
01 September 2012
Young people need jobs and education, and an own development goal?
87% of global youth live in developing countries and with high unemployment levels exclusion of youth is a major concern to many governments.
15 August 2012
Central African farmers gear up to influence future agricultural policy in their region
Blog by ECDPM's Jeske van Seters. Agriculture plays a key role in the economic and social development of Central African countries. The agricultural sector employs about 50% of the active population and feeds many more. Nevertheless, the food security situation has been worsening over the last two decades.
09 August 2012
Is the 0.7% aid target still relevant?
Commitment by 'Developed Countries' to Spend 0.7% of their GNI on aid may no longer be a major factor in the progress of developing countries
02 August 2012
Can we afford to ignore migration post-2015?
Policy debates in international development frequently forget to acknowledge that the actions of individual citizens are often as least as important as the large development interventions.
27 July 2012
Could Dlamini-Zuma’s election revive EU-Africa relations?
African leaders from more than 50 countries met on 15 and 16 July for the African Union summit at the impressive Chinese-funded AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.
20 July 2012
Partnership, not parenthood as a basis for Europe’s relations with a new Egypt
Guest blog post by Anthony Zielicki. As EU High Representative Catherine Ashton visits Cairo this week, both Europe and Egypt will think about how they can mould a new relationship.
19 July 2012
EC Evaluations on the results of the 2007-13 EU legal instruments for external cooperation: Lessons Learnt
09 July 2012
EU negotiates future development funding: Where will the money go?
For those concerned with development and Africa, the three big questions during the EU budget negotiations are: “how much money is going to be available?”, “what is it going to be for?” and “which countries are going to get it?”.
05 July 2012
EU Development Cooperation under the Cyprus Presidency: How to Make a Difference?
02 July 2012
Common or Conflicting Interests? Reflections on the Private Sector (for) Development Agenda
This paper gives an overview of recent commitments relating to the private sector and the questions these raise, going beyond the rhetoric to thinking about the practical implications of such engagement.
02 July 2012
Monitoring the EU-CARIFORUM EPA: Where are We and What are the Next Steps?
Since the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was signed in 2008 there is a sense on both sides that only limited implementation has taken place - ECDPM
02 July 2012
Trade, Aid and Rural Development: EU Sugar Policy and the Experience of Swaziland
This paper considers the impact of the EU reference price reduction and AMSP ‘Aid for Trade’ programme on the sugar industry in Swaziland.
01 July 2012
ECDPM Annual Report 2011
By all counts, 2011 was a particularly busy year for ECDPM. We settled into our newly refurbished offices just in time to launch our 25th anniversary celebrations.
01 July 2012
ECDPM Rapport Annuel 2011
2011 a été à tous égards une année bien remplie pour l’ECDPM. Nous nous sommes installés dans nos bureaux entièrement réaménagés juste à temps pour lancer les célébrations de notre 25e anniversaire, dont les temps forts ont été le séminaire de haut niveau sur l’avenir des relations ACP-UE et l’inauguration officielle du ‘Prince Claus Hall’. Les autres faits marquants de l’an
01 July 2012
Development: Between a rock and a hard place?
It seems fair to expect that 2011 will come to be seen as the year in which the contours of a new global consensus on development emerged.
29 June 2012
Southern Mediterranean NGOs and the quest for a new social contract in the region
Few would question the importance of civil society’s role in the events of the Arab Spring, especially in Tunisia and Egypt. Non-state actors were a catalyst for change, particularly as they were vocal in calling for more democratic participation, for government accountability and for a legal framework ensuring the respect of human rights.
22 June 2012
Coordination dans le Sahel : A la recherche d’un leadership collectif
21 June 2012
Will the Action Plan to Implement the EU’s Comprehensive Approach Have Any Bite?
21 June 2012
Private sector and development: Can we blend great expectations with a willingness to fail?
Getting more bang for the development Euro is not usually how we talk about “enhancing aid effectiveness”, but this was the title of a session from a recent Friends of Europe roundtable.
21 June 2012
Private sector for development is the “new black”
Promoting private sector development in poor countries and engaging with firms for achieving development ends is very much in fashion
15 June 2012
EU support to regional integration: Between cuts and 'unfailing’ commitment
Despite being hit by the current economic and financial crisis, Europe remains a strong advocate and keen supporter of deep regional integration, at home and abroad. In Africa, the arguments for fostering integration are manifold; from building larger markets that can attract Foreign Direct Investments, achieving economies of scale, enhancing competitiveness, to fundamental security considerations.
15 June 2012
Consultative Roundtable on the draft World Gold Council Conflict-Free Gold Standard: Summary of discussions
12 June 2012
SPRING programme 9 months on: Time for much needed stock taking
08 June 2012
A new conflict-free standard can build confidence in gold
Mining is a driver of development but despite its capacity to create wealth and alleviate poverty, it can also be a potential source of finance for armed conflicts in certain high-risk and fragile areas
08 June 2012
Charting change at the European External Action Service (EEAS)
Organisational charts in general can’t tell you much about what happens behind the scenes in a company or an institution. They don’t show who is in or out of favour, they don’t map influence and informal lines of communication dictating
08 June 2012
Aid and beyond: 3 ways to promote development in an economic downturn…
02 June 2012
Can the Pan-African Programme Revitalise the JAES?
02 June 2012
Learn to Walk before you Run? A Review of Methodological Approaches for Evaluating Coherence in the Field of International Cooperation
This study looks into how coherence has been evaluated in different policy fields and, on that basis, puts forward recommendations on how to improve the measurement of coherence in the field of international cooperation
01 June 2012
A Guide to EU decision making on Africa
How does the EU make decisions that matter for Africa? A Guide for African Policy makers to the main players and institutions that shape European policies.
01 June 2012
Another paper tiger? New commitments to joint EU action in response to fragility
Fragility is notoriously and closely related to human suffering, volatile security situations and to ineffectiveness of traditional aid. The continuum of fragility – conceptualizations which characterise the relative strength or weakness
25 May 2012
African Funds for African Development? The Relevance of Curtailing Illicit Financial Flows
The Relevance of Curtailing Illicit Financial Flows.
17 May 2012
Modernising EU budget support or overloading the boat?
On 14 May the EU Council of Ministers adopted a new policy on providing budget support – a composite aid modality that involves financial transfers to partner countries’ treasuries, capacity development, policy dialogue and a results focus.
16 May 2012
Changes in the EU’s “Agenda for Change”?
European Development Cooperation Ministers adopted a five-page statement on Monday entitled ‘Increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’.
16 May 2012
European Report on Development 2012 – Celebrating the Voluntary Guidelines on Governance of Land and recognizing the need to move beyond
Coming Wednesday, on the 16th of May, the new European Report on Development 2011-2012, authored by ODI, DIIE and ECDPM, will be launched.
11 May 2012
Regional dimensions moving up in the agricultural development agenda – A report from the CAADP’s 8th Partnership Platform meeting
On 3-4 May, around 200 delegates came together in Nairobi for the annual Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform meeting.
11 May 2012
The future of EU budget support: Political conditions, differentiation and coordination
07 May 2012
It’s governance, stupid!
04 May 2012
1st Among Equals? The Instrument for Stability and Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding in the EU’s New Financial Perspective
02 May 2012
Measuring Policy Coherence for Development (PCD)
Study on the Feasibility of an Internationally agreed Coherence Index. Is there Political Support? How might we Compare countries on their Non-Aid Policies.
02 May 2012
Tapping the Potential of Regional Agricultural Trade: Why Regional Cooperation and Integration are Important for CAADP and Food Security
01 May 2012
Rethinking Aid for Trade in the Context of Innovative Financing
This study seeks to examine the policy implications of the increasing shift towards ‘innovative’ forms of development finance in comparison with more ‘traditional’ forms of aid, encapsulated by the Aid for Trade (AfT) initiative.
01 May 2012
JAES: We have a strategy, now we need a strategic partnership
The Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) is quite the opposite of what Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, warned of in his now famous speech on the EU’s strategic partners.
27 April 2012
European Report on Development 2012: The EU’s role in promoting development-friendly natural resource management – A sneak preview
Water, energy and land belong to the most under-pressure resources today. This year’s European Report on Development, to be launched in mid-May 2012, focuses on these 3 key natural resources and analyses how the ways they are managed affect development objectives.
20 April 2012
Translating Busan and the EU Agenda for Change into Practice: Emerging Trends and Operational Challenges
02 April 2012
Reprogramming EU Development Cooperation for 2014-2020: Key Moments for Partner Countries, EU Delegations, Member States and Headquarters in 2012
02 April 2012
What Future for the ACP and the Cotonou Agreement? Preparing for the Next Steps in the Debate
02 April 2012
ACP-EU Cooperation on Readmission: Where Does it Stand and Where to Go?
02 April 2012
Review of the COMESA Aid for Trade Strategy
02 April 2012
Getting Ready for Take Off: Lessons for Regional CAADP
Concrete actions for faster progress on regional CAADP - ownership, initiative and commitment to national and regional agricultural development.
01 April 2012
Reporting on Development: ODA and Financing for Development – Final Report for the The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
Development-related financial contributions to ODA reporting and the feasibility of a ‘development-friendliness’ index to evaluate non-aid donor policies.
01 April 2012
Member States’ positions on the proposed 2014-2020 EU budget
01 April 2012
The Future of Development Cooperation: From Aid to Policy Coherence for Development?
Brief Paper discussing the Future of Development Cooperation in the context of Policy Coherence for Development (PCD).
01 April 2012
Sorting out the what, how, and who for regional action on agriculture in Africa
In 2003, African Heads of States launched the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), as an effort to renew interest in and prioritize the continent’s agriculture agenda, as well as put food security objectives at the fore of national, regional, continental and global processes.
30 March 2012
Beyond development as a business by-product?
That the private sector is important, if not key, to economic development is nothing new. However, with the increasing rhetoric on the need to “enhance the role of the private sector in development”, events around this topic are mushrooming.
16 March 2012
Taming fragility?
Guest blog post by ECDPM's Frauke de Weijer on the Aid of the Edge of Chaos blog, covering approaches to fragility.
12 March 2012
Approaching fragile states from a complexity perspective
Fragility, as a concept that refers to weak institutional capacity, poor governance, political instability, and frequently conflict, has moved up the international agenda in recent years.
09 March 2012
Power to the people? Reactions to EU response to the Arab Spring
Guest blog by Jamie Balfour-Paul. In response to the Arab Spring, the European Union (EU) promised to shift away from business as usual. It aims to put support for human rights and democracy at the centre of its co-operation policy with the Arab neighbourhood.
09 March 2012
“Wicked hard problems” and isomorphic what?
Lant Pritchett, a Harvard University Professor, was the keynote speaker at the OECD Development Centre's 50th anniversary conference in Paris last week. In his presentation he summarised a few simple insights that are helpful for understanding how and where policy reforms might have more impact.
08 March 2012
Outcomes DPTT Meeting on Regional Cooperation & CAADP
Report highlighting the final outcomes of the 2012 DPTT meeting on Regional Cooperation and CAADP in preparation of the 8th Partnership Platform.
05 March 2012
Billions Less for Development? Analysing Drivers and Consequences of Possible ‘Zero Growth’ Scenarios for the 11th European Development Fund 2014 − 2020
02 March 2012
More or Less? A Financial Analysis of the Proposed 11th European Development Fund
02 March 2012
African mineral wealth: Turning stones into bread…
10 February 2012
EC communication on trade, growth and development: A good start or a missed opportunity?
On Friday 27 January the European Commission published its Communication on “Trade, Growth and Development: Tailoring Trade and Investment Policy for Those Countries Most in Need” proposing “concrete ways to enhance synergies between trade and development policies”.
10 February 2012
Africa is in desperate need for greater unity and stronger leadership to realise its pan-African ambitions
As noted by the Economist last December, and confirmed by a recent report by Invest AD and the Economist Intelligence Unit, Africa is on the rise to become one of the most attractive regions for investment and a pole for growth.
03 February 2012
Spotlight on the division of labour between the EEAS and DG DEVCO
03 February 2012
“The options for the future become endless”
On the 1st of February H.E. Shirley Skerritt-Andrew, Ambassador of Saint Lucia, took over as Chairperson of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors.
03 February 2012
Workshop Report The political economy of regional integration in Southern Africa
Workshop report: What role for the EU and other Partners? Objectives: Understand the Key Players in the Regional Integration and Analyse Growing Tensions.
02 February 2012
Chinese Investments and Employment Creation in Algeria and Egypt
01 February 2012
Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa
This set of discussion papers presents an independent assessment by ECDPM on the status of regional approaches to food security in Africa.
01 February 2012
Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa: The CAADP and other Relevant Policies and Programmes in COMESA
Policy analysis of the CAADP and other relevant policies and programmes in COMESA - part of a study to regional approaches to food security in Africa.
01 February 2012
Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa: The CAADP and other Relevant Policies and Programmes in SADC
Policy analysis of the CAADP and other relevant policies and programmes in SADC - part of a study to regional approaches to food security in Africa.
01 February 2012
Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa: The CAADP and other Relevant Policies and Programmes in EAC
Policy analysis of the CAADP and other relevant policies and programmes in EAC - part of a study to regional approaches to food security in Africa.
01 February 2012
Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa: The CAADP and other Relevant Policies and Programmes in ECOWAS
Policy analysis of the CAADP and other relevant policies and programmes in ECOWAS - part of a study to regional approaches to food security in Africa.
01 February 2012
Regional Approaches to Food Security in Africa: Early Lessons from the IGAD Regional CAADP Process
Policy analysis of the CAADP and IGAD - part of a study to regional approaches to food security in Africa.
01 February 2012
Questioning old certainties: Challenges for Africa-EU relations in 2012 - Arabic Version
01 February 2012
EU support to democracy: A new endowment first, a strategy to follow?
The EU has a longstanding tradition of engaging in democracy promotion, using a wide range of strategies and instruments to support processes of democratic consolidation, including in difficult contexts.
27 January 2012
How could taxation help to achieve the MDGs? – A reaction to OECD research
Financing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) remains a major challenge. It is becoming clear that Official Development Assistance from donor countries will not be sufficient to fill the existing finance gap
27 January 2012
Salient points from the European Commission-African Union Commission High Level Conference “Translating Mineral Resource Wealth into Real Development for Africa”
26 January 2012
On the EEAS’ 1st birthday: have EU-Africa relations benefitted from the past year?
In the various analyses of the European External Action Service (EEAS) one year on, those who view the glass “half empty” (mostly independent analysts, journalists and think tanks) seem to have the upper hand on those who view it as “half full” (the official report).
13 January 2012
“Revolutions need to come from inside but transitions can do with support from outside” – So, what is the EU offering?
In response to the Arab Spring the European Commission has proposed to create a new European Neighbourhood Instrument, based on the European Union’s reviewed approach to cooperation with its neighbours in North Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
13 January 2012
ECDPM Knowledge Management and Communications Strategy 2012-2016: Communicating ideas for positive development outcomes
12 January 2012
Remettons en question les certitudes du passé : Enjeux pour les relations Afrique-UE en 2012
02 January 2012
Thematic global evaluation of European Commission support to decentralisation processes
01 January 2012
2011-2012 ECDPM Work Plan
ECDPM will stick to its commitment to strengthen and intensify partnerships with policy actors in Europe and in the ACP.
01 January 2012
Bringing the invisible into perspective: Reference document for using the 5Cs framework to plan, monitor and evaluate capacity and results of capacity development processes
This reference document describes a comprehensive approach for planning, monitoring and evaluation of capacity and the results of capacity development processes. This capacity framework used centres around 5 capabilities (‘5Cs’) that together contribute to an organisation’s ability to create social value.
07 December 2011
EU Development Cooperation after the Lisbon Treaty: People, Institutions and Global Trends
02 December 2011
Questioning old certainties: Challenges for Africa-EU relations in 2012
Deep underlying shifts will have major impact on wider EU relations with Africa and the ACP as we approach 2020 and the end of the Cotonou Agreement.
01 December 2011
Thematic Evaluation of the European Commission Support to respect of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Findings from an Independent Evaluation on the EC’s support to respect of Human Rights in its External Action. Ensure coherent Action to support Rights
01 December 2011
The Extractive Industry Development Forum: How Financial Transparency and Economic Transformation Can Help Achieve Development Goals
18 November 2011
Support to domestic accountability in developing countries: Taking stock of the approaches and experiences of German development cooperation
02 November 2011
Support Study of the European Commission’s Governance Initiative in view of the preparation of a Report by the Commission to the Council in 2012
01 November 2011
ECDPM Strategy 2012-2016: Results framework
ECDPM identifies six global transitions in 2012-2016 that challenge future cooperation between Europe, Africa and the ACP.
01 November 2011
ECDPM Strategy 2012-2016
Building on ECDPM's 25 years practical experience, over the next five years we will contribute to the ongoing transformation of international cooperation.
01 November 2011
ECDPM Workplan 2012-2013
In 2011, ECDPM celebrated its 25th anniversary. The years 2012 and 2013 will be marked by transition for ECDPM.
01 November 2011
Stratégie de l’ECDPM 2012-2016
Le monde en général, et le paysage global du développement en particulier, ont changé au cours des cinq dernières années. Les économies émergentes assoient leur position dans l’ordre mondial grâce à une expansion rapide de leur commerce et de leur f
01 November 2011
New actors in Africa – How is their entry affecting the continent's relations with the EU?
12 October 2011
Thematic Evaluation of European Commission Support to Conflict Prevention and Peace-building
This Evaluation assesses European Commission support to Conflict Prevention and PB, as defined by the 2001 Commission Communication on Conflict Prevention.
06 October 2011
Operationalising the West African EPA Development Programme Moving beyond the Paperwork
02 October 2011
EPA Negotiations: The Honeymoon is Over ...
02 October 2011
Legal Constraints on the EU’s Ability to Withdraw EPA Preferences under Regulation 1528/2007
02 October 2011
Fiscal Challenges, Development Opportunities? 20 Key Questions on Domestic Resource Mobilisation
This paper lays out the state of knowledge on taxation in the development discourse. Where do we stand in the area of domestic resource mobilisation?
01 October 2011
Analysing Governance in the Water Sector in Kenya
An analysis of water sector governance in Kenya. What factors are responsible for holding back progress and how can actors contribute to improvement?
01 October 2011
Perspectives on Budget Support: Why and How we are Delivering
04 September 2011
Global Changes, Emerging Players and Evolving ACP-EU Relations: Towards a common agenda for action?
02 September 2011
EU support to governance at a critical juncture: Will the new Strengthening European External Action architecture deliver smarter support to governance in partner countries?
02 September 2011
Still a Thorn in the Side? The Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy from the Perspective of Policy Coherence for Development
This study examines the effects of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on developing countries from a PCD (Policy Coherence for Development) perspective.
01 September 2011
Fishing in Troubled Waters? An Analysis of the Upcoming Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy from the Perspective of Policy Coherence for Development
This paper analyses a selection of key aspects of the Common Fisheries Policy reform particularly assesses to what extent the reform proposals take account of Europe’s development objectives, as set out as a requirement for all EU policies in the Treaty of Lisbon, and commonly referred to as ‘Policy Coherence for Development’
01 September 2011
Changements mondiaux, acteurs émergents et évolution des relations ACP-UE : Vers un programme d'action commun ?
01 September 2011
Supporting Domestic Accountability in the Context of Budget Support: Findings from a Stock-taking Exercise on German Development Cooperation in Malawi
01 August 2011
Comparative analysis of EU donor policies towards working with Civil Society Organisations: Document analysis commissioned by DSO/MO
The report compares EU donor policies on cooperating with CSOs. Working with CSOs of five EU donors: Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden.
12 July 2011
Accountability at local level: Experiences from the partnership with the Netherlands Ministry of Development Cooperation on domestic accountability
01 July 2011
Supporting Domestic Accountability in Developing Countries: Taking Stock of the Approaches and Experiences of German Development Cooperation in Mali
A case study on German development cooperation in relation to supporting domestic accountability in Mali.
01 July 2011
The EU's Multi-Annual Financial Framework post-2013: Options for EU development cooperation
Three key questions over the EU’s multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) Post-2013. How Much?, What should the Money be Spent on?, How should it be Managed?
15 June 2011
African Union Frameworks for Migration: Current Issues and Questions for the Future
This paper summarises recent developments in the African Union’s (AU) policy on migration.
01 June 2011
Emerging Players in the Caribbean: What Implications for the Caribbean, their Relations with the EU and the ACP?
A study on the implications of the Caribbean’s engagement with emerging economies for the Caribbean’s relations with Europe and the ACP Group.
01 June 2011
Civil Society Participation in EPA Implementation: How to make the EPA Joint CARIFORUM - EC Consultative Committee work Effectively?
The paper examines the effectiveness of the EPA Joint CARIFORUM - EC Consultative Committee.
01 June 2011
Implementing the Economic Partnership Agreement: Challenges and Bottlenecks in the CARIFORUM Region
01 June 2011
Implementing Cultural Provisions: How do they Benefit the Caribbean Cultural Sector?
This study looks at how eight EU Member States implemented to date the cultural provisions of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
01 June 2011
Offense is the Best Defense? The EU’s Past and Future Engagement in Promoting Effective Development Cooperation: Ideas for Busan
02 May 2011
Supporting Domestic Accountability in Developing Countries: Taking Stock of the Approaches and Experiences of German Development Cooperation in Peru
02 May 2011
Supporting Domestic Accountability in Developing Countries: Taking Stock of the Approaches and Experiences of German Development Cooperation in Mozambique
02 May 2011
Supporting Domestic Accountability in Developing Countries: Taking Stock of the Approaches and Experiences of German Development Cooperation in Tanzania
02 May 2011
Agricultural Trade and Production: Comparing Adjustment Support in the Caribbean
This paper contrasts agricultural adjustment support programmes in the Caribbean under the Common Agricultural Policy’s Rural Development Programme.
01 May 2011
Agricultural Adjustment Programmes: Experience from Bananas, Sugar and Internal EU Agricultural Reform
The EU has extensive experience in designing and implementing agricultural adjustment programmes, whether at home or abroad. This discussion paper seeks to draw the lessons of this experience, analysing programmes in the banana and sugar sectors as well as internal European Union (EU) reforms.
01 May 2011
EC Support to Production and Trade Adjustments under Existing Nationally Programmed Aid Activities: Lessons from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Paper outlining EC support to production and trade adjustments under existing nationally programmed aid activities: lessons from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
01 May 2011
The Joint Caribbean EU Strategy Reflections and Analysis: Workshop Report
The seminar brought together some twenty participants from academia, the private sector, civil society and practitioners in Caribbean EU relations. JCEUS
15 April 2011
The EU’s new diplomats for Africa: Who are they and what policy context do they face?
European External Action Service (EEAS). Who are the recently appointed Senior Officials that will deal with Africa? What Challenges await them? EU Policy
04 April 2011
New Trends in EU Development Policy: Reflections on the Green Paper on EU Development Policy in Support of Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development
02 April 2011
GSP Reform: Principles, Values and Coherence
02 April 2011
2007
–
2010 External
Evaluation
of
ECDPM: Striking
the
Balance
ECDPM
commissioned an
external
evaluation
to
review
the
context
and
performance
of
the
ECDPM
during
the
period
2007–2010
01 April 2011
Striking the Balance: External Evaluation of the European Centre for Development Policy Management 2007 – 2010
ECDPM
's external
evaluation
to
review
the
context
and
performance
of
the
ECDPM
during
the
period
2007–2010.
01 April 2011
The Pelican House and ECDPM
On the occasion of ECDPM's 25th anniversary, Geert Laporte and Jac van den Boogard explore the history of ECDPM and its head office, the Pelican House.
01 April 2011
Het huis met de pelikaan en ECDPM
Ter gelegenheid van het 25-jarig bestaan van ECDPM duiken Geert Laporte en Jac van den Boogard in de geschiedenis van ECDPM en zijn hoofdkantoor, het huis met de pelikaan.
01 April 2011
Emerging players in Africa: What’s in it for Africa-Europe relations?
28 March 2011
The Future of EU Budget Support to Third Countries?
02 March 2011
Is the Joint Africa-EU Strategy still the future? The Nordics and EU-Africa Relations
(JAES) is a bold attempt to move from a Donor-Recipient Relationship to a Partnership of equals, looking beyond Development issues. Policy Coherence (PCD)
02 March 2011
Is the Joint Africa-EU Strategy still the future? The Nordics and EU-Africa Relations
European Member States the three Nordic EU member countries are making use of the broad JAES framework by engaging in those thematic areas. Will EEAS...
02 March 2011
Tourism and Development in Caribbean-EU Relations: Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Practice
02 March 2011
Emerging Economies in Africa and the Development Effectiveness Debate
01 March 2011
Research for Development? The Role of Southern Research Organisations in Promoting Democratic Ownership - A Literature Review
01 March 2011
Where is the Paris Agenda Heading? Changing relations in Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique
02 February 2011
The EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy: Opportunities for a More Effective EU Response to Crisis-Affected Countries in Africa
This paper analyses the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Cotonou Agreement in relation to crisis-affected countries in Africa.
01 February 2011
Shopping for Raw Materials: Should Africa be Worried about EU Raw Materials Initiative?
Overview of strategies developed by resource-dependent countries with a view to securing access of raw materials and the implications these may have on African mineral-rich countries.
01 February 2011
Fostering Democratic Ownership: A Capacity Development Perspective
01 February 2011
Interview with Ambasador Renier Nijskens Director for Africa on behalf of the Belgian EU Presidency
Political Dialogue between the EU and AU. Relations are no longer branded by a unilateral transfer between Donor and Aid recipient. Implementing JAES states
31 January 2011
EU Blending Facilities: Implications for Future Governance Options
Whilst blending has emerged rapidly and is now common practice in development finance, there is currently a limited evidence base on the effects of blending
15 January 2011
Restabelecer a confiança: Desafios das relações ACP-UE em 2011
03 January 2011
Retrouver la crédibilité : Enjeux pour les relations ACP-UE en 2011
Les relations entre l’UE et ses partenaires ACP sont dans une situation alarmante. Ce constat se vérifie une fois encore en ce début d’année 2011.
03 January 2011
Grappling with Governance: Perspectives on the African Peer Review Mechanism
01 January 2011
Increasing the impact of EU development policy: What the European Commission needs to prioritise now
01 January 2011
Annual Highlights 2010-2011 – A snapshot of our work: Towards a ‘normalisation’ of ACP-EU relations
ECDPM’s Annual Report 2010 elaborates on the the shifts in global relations that has compelled the ACP and European Union to reconsider their relationship.
01 January 2011
Engaging Non-State Actors in New Aid Modalities: For better development outcomes and governance
-
01 January 2011
EC Green Paper on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development: Preliminary Reflections for the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States
Global development agenda is shifting and there is a need to reflect and refocus. Concern that the EU is loosing ground in developing countries to China
17 December 2010
Promoting Access to Regional and International Markets for Agricultural Commodities into the CAADP Country and Regional Processes – Mainstreaming the Outcomes of the Policy Dialogues
Policy Dialogue outcomes: promoting access to regional and international markets for agricultural commodities into the CAADP country and regional processes.
15 December 2010
How can donors best support the strengthening of domestic accountability in developing countries?
06 December 2010
The New Competition in Town: Preparing for the EEAS
James's section provides contextual elements to situate the EU contribution to development cooperation and Development Provisions in the Treaty of Lisbon.
02 December 2010
Bridging the credibility gap: Challenges for ACP-EU relations in 2011
ACP-EU relations are in a parlous state. Are they both ready to fundamentally adapt the strategies, approaches and tools of international cooperation?
01 December 2010
Annual Highlights 2009-2010 – A snapshot of our work
ECDPM provided analysis on the implications of the Lisbon Treaty and EU institutional reform on development policy in Africa and the ACP ways forward
01 December 2010
The EU and Africa: The policy context for development
EU Relations and the African continent are Transforming. Key changes in the Policy context include Regional Integration processes in Africa and in Europe
19 November 2010
Agenda for Action: An EARN Proposal on the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and the Future of Africa-EU Relations
JAES has the potential to overcome the traditional Donor-Recipient relationship to reinforce Political Dialogue. Areas Climate Change, Energy and Science
08 November 2010
Roundtable on Domestic Accountability and Aid Effectiveness
02 November 2010
Options to Address Contentious Issues in EPA Negotiations: A Question of Political Will
02 November 2010
Which Way Forward in EPA Negotiations? Seeking Political Leadership to Address Bottlenecks
02 November 2010
The Post-Lisbon Landscape: Development at a Crossroads
Implications of the Lisbon Treaty for development - Africa and the ACP. Background paper high-level panel discussion at European Development Days 2010.
01 November 2010
Beyond Development Aid, EU-Africa Political Dialogue on Global Issues of Common Concern
How EU-Africa Relations have evolved and whether they have lived up to the high Expectations and Commitments included in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES)
07 October 2010
Implementing the Economic Partnership Agreement in the East African Community and the CARIFORUM regions: What is in it for the private sector?
04 October 2010
Building the African Union: An assessment of past progress and future prospects for the African Union’s institutional architecture
This Policy and Management Report comprises a collection of papers presented by African and EU policy-makers and researchers at an informal, high-level seminar held in Uppsala on 21 October 2009.
01 October 2010
Construire l'Union africaine : Une évaluation des progrès accomplis et des perspectives d'avenir de l'architecture institutionnelle de l'Union africaine
01 October 2010
European Development Cooperation: Brokering Environmental Knowledge beyond Lisbon
02 September 2010
EU Policy Coherence for Development: From Moving the Goalposts to Result-based Management?
02 August 2010
Interview with Philippe Darmuzey, Head of the Unit 'Panafrican Issues & Institutions, Governance & Migration' at the European Commission
Millennium Development Goals, Energy, Climate Change, Migration, Mobility and Employment, No other partnership with Africa has such broad Cooperation. JAES
15 July 2010
Joining up Africa Support to Regional Integration
02 July 2010
Development-proofing the European External Action Service
02 June 2010
Trade Relevant Provisions in the Treaty of Lisbon: Implications for Economic Partnership Agreements
Overview of the changes from the Lisbon Treaty that may impact on EU trade and development policy and the effects these may have on the EPA process with the ACP countries.
01 June 2010
The implications of the Lisbon Treaty for the ACP Group: ECDPM Summary Report of the Workshop for the ACP Ambassadors
ECDPM facilitated Meeting for Ambassadors of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Ref Lisbon Treaty Implications for the ACP Group. EEAS
27 May 2010
Assessing the Potential Impact of the Lisbon Treaty on EU-ACP relations
27 May 2010
Assessing the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on EU-South Africa Relations
This background note provides global information on the Institutional Impact of the Lisbon Treaty on EU - South Africa Relations.
07 May 2010
Trade and Production Adjustments in ACP Countries: Lessons from the Caribbean Rum Programme
02 May 2010
Agricultural Trade Adjustments: Lessons from SADC Experiences
02 May 2010
The EU Commitment to Deliver Aid for Trade in West Africa and Support the EPA Development Programme (PAPED)
02 May 2010
Interview Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif, African Union Representative to the European Union
Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment shows the Malfunctioning of the Institutional Architecture leads some Countries to Cooperate Bilaterally.
22 April 2010
Setting up the European External Action Service: Building a comprehensive approach
02 April 2010
ECDPM Annual Report 2010
01 April 2010
Building the African Governance Architecture (AGA): African stakeholders further define the way forward
15 March 2010
Taking Stock of the Joint EU-Africa Strategy and Africa’s International Relations
African Heads of States discussed a report which reviewed Africa's relations with international partners. This year will be a milestone in EU-AU relations.
11 March 2010
What Next for the Joint Africa-EU Strategy? Perspectives on Revitalising an Innovative Framework - A Scoping Paper
02 March 2010
Improving Governance and Public Financial Management through Budget Support: The Experience of the African Development Bank
02 March 2010
El fin de una era? Desafíos en las relaciones UE-ACP en 2010
01 March 2010
Aid for Trade strategies and Agriculture: Towards a SADC Agenda
Report summarising the outcomes of the 2009 workshop “Aid for Trade Strategies and Agriculture: Towards a SADC Agenda’” in Namibia.
11 February 2010
New Challenges, New Beginnings: Next Steps in European Development Cooperation
Europe has emerged from 8 years of introspection with new Structures, a new Leadership team and a new Platform the Lisbon Treaty. Stronger collective action
01 February 2010
The revision of Article 13 on Migration of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement: What’s at stake for the ACP?
01 February 2010
African Institutional Actors Discuss the African Governance Architecture in Nairobi
01 January 2010
Regional Groupings and EPA Negotiation Configurations: African Regional and SubRegional Economic Integration Groupings and the Regional Economic Partnerships Agreement (EPA) Negotiations Configurations
The diagram shows the spaghetti bowl of African regional integration agreements. It illustrates the complexity of overlapping memberships.
01 January 2010
The end of an era? Challenges for ACP-EU Relations in 2010
01 December 2009
2008-2009 Annual Highlights – A snapshot of our work
ECDPM contributed to various multi-actor initiatives to enhance synergies and policy coherence in international development cooperation.
01 December 2009
Supporting Domestic Accountability: Exploring Conceptual Dimensions and Operational Challenges
02 October 2009
Not letting the immediate crowd out the important: Making the most of the upcoming AU-EU peace and security dialogue.
The AU-EU peace and Security Dialogue. With rise of Terrorism, Drugs trafficking in West Africa and Piracy in the Horn. Security Concerns will be High.
25 September 2009
Informal Senior Officials Meeting – The implications of a possible ratification of the Lisbon Treaty for EU development policy
Report for the Informal EU Senior Officials Meeting: the Implications of a possible Ratification of the Lisbon Treaty for EU Development Policy.
16 September 2009
Whither EC Aid Compendium
02 September 2009
External Evaluation of the Policy Coherence Unit of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Summary
03 August 2009
EC Support to Conflict Prevention and Peace Building
Need for an integrated approach treating the root causes of conflict grew gradually, based on a number of successes and failures. EG The Balkans conflict...
08 July 2009
Contentious issues of the EPA negotiations and regional delivery mechanisms for Aid for Trade: Summary report
Summary Report Economic Partnership Agreement Issues discussed, Trade in Goods, Development Cooperation and Trade in Services and Investment. ECDPM
08 July 2009
The interim Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African States: Contents, challenges and prospects
01 July 2009
Global Financial and Economic Crisis: Analysis of and Implications for ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
01 July 2009
EU policies to address fragility in sub-Saharan Africa: Paper prepared to the conference on "Moving towards the European Report on Development 2009"
Paper prepared for the Conference on “Moving Towards the European Report on Development 2009”, organised by the European Report of Development.
23 June 2009
Regionally Owned Funds: Mechanisms for Delivery of EU Aid for Trade in ACP Regions?
01 April 2009
Capacity Development: Between Planned Interventions and Emergent Processes
Capacity change and performance: Implications for development cooperation
03 March 2009
Perspectives on Budget Support Who’s afraid of Budget Support?
02 March 2009
The Cariforum-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA): The Development component
02 March 2009
Pour le meilleur et pour le pire... Enjeux pour les relations ACP-UE en 2009
Le contexte dans lequel s’inscrit l’action internationale de l’Union européenne (UE) envers les pays ACP est appelé à connaître de profonds changements en 2009
02 March 2009
Contentious issues in the interim EPAs: Potential flexibility in the negotiations
This paper provides a synthesis of arguments made on a selected number of contentious EPA provisions, mainly focussing on issues affecting trade in goods.
01 March 2009
Strengthening Agricultural Trade Strategies: Towards a Caribbean Agenda
26 February 2009
Beyond Structures? Reflections on the Implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy
One year after the adoption of the strategy, the time has now come to independently reflect on how the ambitious ideals and measures set out in the strategy
01 February 2009
Annual Report 2009
The 2009 report highlights challenges facing international cooperation in an increasingly complex global governance environment
01 January 2009
ECDPM Work Plan for 2010-2011
ECDPM sticks overall objectives to guarantee operational independence as a foundation and to strengthen and intensify partnerships.
01 January 2009
For Better for Worse... Challenges for ACP-EU Relations in 2009
The year 2009 is set to bring major changes in the context in which the European Union (EU) conducts its international affairs, and these changes will inevitably affect Europe’s relations with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).
02 December 2008
Capacity Change and Performance: Insights and Implications for Development Cooperation
ECDPM recently published the final report of a five year research programme on capacity, change and performance.
01 December 2008
Current dilemmas in aid architecture: Actors and instruments, aid orphans and climate change
ECDPM created a Framework Document on European Aid Architecture and on how to deploy actors and European Aid Instruments in face of global challenges.
01 December 2008
Annual Report 2008
The first decade of the 21st century has been marked by the growing realisation that rapid economic growth and globalisation on their own cannot stimulate equitable and sustainable development in poor countries.
01 December 2008
Para bien o para mal... Desafíos para las relaciones ACP-UE en 2009
Se prevén grandes cambios en el marco en que la UE maneja sus asuntos internacionales. Inevitablemente, tales cambios afectarán las relaciones de Europa con los países del Grupo ACP
01 December 2008
EPA negotiations and regional integration in Africa: Building or stumbling blocs
13 November 2008
Monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements: Inputs to the negotiations and beyond
07 November 2008
The Aid for Trade Agenda and Accompanying Measures for EPAs: Current State of Affairs
03 November 2008
Analysing and Addressing Governance in Sector Operations
How to address Governance? To strengthen the understanding of Governance issues at Sector Level and increase the Capacity of EC staff at Headquarters.
03 November 2008
Linking Knowledge and Communication – ECDPM Strategy on Knowledge Management and Communication
For ECDPM to engage effectively in policy processes it needs to be both a ‘knowledge-based’ organisation as well as ‘communication-based’ .
01 November 2008
The 2010 Revision and the Future of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement
17 October 2008
Economic Partnership Agreements and the Future of the ACP group
This paper discusses the impact of the EPA negotiations and conclusion of (interim) agreements on the cohesion and role of the ACP Group in the future.
22 September 2008
Whither EC Aid: Monitoring EC development cooperation compendium
Aid Focus, a number of Issues will be looked at, Allocation, Delivery mechanisms, Ownership and Partnership, Transparency and Accountability for results
02 September 2008
The 2010 Revision and the Future of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement: Report of an Informal Seminar
02 August 2008
Assessing decentralisation and local governance in West Africa: Taking Stock of Strengthening the Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity of Local Actors
This Study approaches Capacity Building with local actors for Monitoring and Evaluating Democratic Decentralisation and Local Governance in West Africa...
01 August 2008
The European Commission’s Backbone Strategy on 'reforming technical cooperation and project implementation units'
02 July 2008
A more political Strengthening European External Action Implications of the Treaty of Lisbon for the EU's relations with developing countries
02 June 2008
Coordination, Complementarity and Coherence in EU Humanitarian Assistance
EU is currently the largest Humanitarian Aid donor in the world and contributes over 30% of the total international public budget for Humanitarian Aid.
01 May 2008
Identifying an Aid for Trade Agenda: Dialogue meeting on Challenges of Changing Agricultural Markets in the context of ACP-EU Trade
The meeting reviewed the implications for ACP-EU trade of the process of CAP reform, the evolution of EU markets for food and agricultural products
14 April 2008
The European Union’s development policy: A personal view of 50 years of international cooperation
02 April 2008
Changing Aid Relations in Zambia
02 April 2008
Enhancing the EU response to women and armed conflict
Analysis of the EU Response to women and armed conflict - How to enhance enhance the development cooperation dimension?
01 April 2008
Capacity, Change and Performance Study Report
This study aims to understand better the processes of capacity development and to provide some good practice to guide the programming of international development agencies, particularly at the operational level.
01 April 2008
Plan de travail de l'ECDPM pour la période 2008-2009
01 April 2008
La politique de développement de l'Union européenne : Un regard personnel sur 50 ans de coopération internationale – Rapport ECDPM 15
Petite histoire de la genèse des relations ACP-CE, de Yaoundé à Lomé, jusqu’à la concrétisation formelle de la coopération européenne dans le Traité de Maastricht
01 April 2008
The new EPAs: Comparative analysis of their content and the challenges for 2008
31 March 2008
On the importance of Monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements: Principles and concrete steps for the negotiations and beyond
02 March 2008
Coherence and effectiveness: Challenges for ACP-EU relations in 2008
02 February 2008
How can research help to promote trade and development
02 February 2008
Coerência e eficácia: Os desafios das relações UE-ACP em 2008
01 February 2008
Cohérence et efficacité : Enjeux pour les relations ACP-UE en 2008
01 February 2008
Coherence and Effectiveness: Challenges for ACP-EU Relations in 2008
01 February 2008
Whither EC Aid? Budget support
This briefing paper aims to clarify the main Issues raised in our workshops around the Benefits and risks of Budget Support as implemented by the EC. Aid...
03 January 2008
Whither EC Aid? Division of Labour
The average developing country deals with 30 Donors. Managing these Aid Relationships is challenging Diverting Resources Away from Core Activities
02 January 2008
Evaluation of EC aid channelled through civil society organisations
01 January 2008
ECDPM Partnership Strategy 2008
01 January 2008
Building capacities for monitoring and evaluating decentralisation and local governance: Experiences, challenges, perspectives
03 December 2007
A Balanced Approach to Monitoring and Evaluating Capacity and Performance: A Proposal for a Framework
03 December 2007
Situations of Fragility: Challenges for an European Response Strategy – Situações de fragilidadedade desafios a uma estratégia de resposta europeia
This paper explores how to improve the EU approach and response to crisis prevention and situations of fragility.
01 December 2007
Enhancing the EU response to children and armed conflict
01 December 2007
Designing a Monitoring instrument for EPAs: Methodological issues
03 November 2007
The Cotonou Partnership Agreement: What role in a changing world? Reflections on the future of ACP-EU relations
02 November 2007
Aid Effectiveness and the Provision of TA Personnel: Improving Practice
01 November 2007
L'Accord de partenariat de Cotonou : quel rôle dans un monde en mutation ? Réflexions sur l'avenir des relations ACP-UE – Rapport ECDPM 13
01 November 2007
Evaluating coordination, complementarity and coherence in EU development policy: A synthesis – Triple C Evaluations 8
01 November 2007
Some legal issues related to the EPAs
04 October 2007
From Legal Commitments to Practice: Monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements
02 October 2007
Overview of Article 37(4) Reviews of the EPA Negotiations
02 October 2007
Crossing development red lines? Towards a technical analysis of implications of EC proposals for EPA provisions
13 September 2007
Joint Evaluation Study of Provision of Technical Assistance Personnel: What Can we Learn from Promising Experiences?
03 September 2007
Provision of Technical Assistance Personnel in Vietnam: Cooking Pho, Peeling Potatoes and Abandoning Blueprints
03 September 2007
Africa's Regional Integration Arrangements: History and Challenges
An overview of regional integration in Africa: history, challenges at country and regional levels, and linkages between the regions and the global economy.
03 September 2007
Provision of Technical Assistance Personnel in the Solomon Islands: What Can we Learn from the RAMSI Experience?
02 September 2007
Provision of Technical Assistance Personnel in Mozambique: Between ‘Doing the Work’ and a ‘Hands-off’ Approach
This Mozambique case offers an examination of a variety of technical assistance personnel practices in an environment which is willing to change, poor on capacity to lead the development process and overwhelmed by a large number of development partners.
02 September 2007
Aid for Trade: Twenty Lessons from Existing Aid Schemes
02 September 2007
Is the EU a model of regional integration? Risks and challenges
02 September 2007
O Fornecimento de Pessoal de Assistência Técnica em Moçambique: Entre "fazer o trabalho" e a abordagem "não-interventiva"
01 September 2007
Final report of the study on Coordination and Complementarity of Assistance for Local Development
EU Development Aid Strategy at District Level continues to be Channelled in Fragmented fashion. Combining Efforts could greatly Enhance Aid Effectiveness.
05 July 2007
Evaluation of the EU institutions and Member States' mechanisms for promoting Policy Coherence for Development
Policy Coherence is included in the Millennium Development Goals adopted by UN. Ten Years on this study Evaluates the Practice, and Impact of the 3Cs.
02 July 2007
Final report of the study on Common Foreign and Security Policy/ Development: Use of CPA article 96
Focusing on a wide variety of topics and issues, the Evaluations determine to what extent the 3Cs have been applied in Practice and with what Impact.
02 July 2007
Evaluation of the EU institutions and Member States’ mechanisms for promoting policy coherence for development – Triple C Evaluations 7
01 July 2007
A Monitoring Process for the implementation of EPAs: What recommendations for a way forward?
14 June 2007
Concluding EPA negotiations: Legal and institutional issues
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are due to be concluded by 31December 2007, so as to enter into force by 1 January 2008. All parties are currently committed to the timely conclusion of the EPA negotiations this year. However, some African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions or countries may not find themselves in a position to do so. The negotiations have been marred by delays, with numerous issues remaining to be addressed by the negotiators. ACP countries and regions have faced serious constraints in their capacity to prepare for EPA negotiations and implementation. In addition, the European Union (EU) has not always responded as promptly as expected to ACP requests and positions during the negotiations. As a result, EPA negotiations have generally progressed at a pace much slower than initially anticipated in the respective regional road maps.
02 June 2007
Evaluation of the Strategic Gap Filling Programme of the Commonwealth Secretariat
02 June 2007
Evaluation of the HORIZONT3000 Technical Assistance Personnel Programme
ECDPM Evaluation of the Technical Assistance (TA) Personnel Programme run by HORIZONT3000. Country Assessments in Uganda and Nicaragua.
01 June 2007
Addressing the fiscal effects of an EPA
01 May 2007
New ACP-EC Waiver at the WTO
01 May 2007
Capacity Development in Fragile States
01 May 2007
Monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements: A methodological overview
02 April 2007
Negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements – Agriculture
02 April 2007
ECDPM Annual Report 2007
01 April 2007
ECDPM Preliminary Overview of EPA Review Process
10 March 2007
Responding to Change: Learning to Adapt in Development Cooperation
The Platform for Evidence-based Learning and Communications for Social Change is a community with a shared interest in the linkages between evidence, learning, communication and social change.
01 March 2007
Summary Report on the Consultative workshop on A Monitoring Process for the implementation of EPAs.
21 February 2007
Striking the Right Balance: The Future of NAOs in ACP-EU Cooperation
02 February 2007
Constituer une capacité de gestion de la réforme du service public - L'expérience Tanzanienne
01 February 2007
Networks and Capacity
01 February 2007
8th Summit of the African Union (AU): Future of the AU and consequences for the Africa-European relations?
Overview of the main decisions taken at African Union Summit on January 2007. The institutional future of the African Union and its relations with the EU.
31 January 2007
L’apprentissage en réseau : La face humaine de la gestion des connaissances ?
02 January 2007
An African participants perspective on the Conference on civil society and Joint Africa-EU Strategy
ECDPM in conjunction with German NGO platform Venro organised a conference on the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.
01 January 2007
Key messages from Civil Society representatives on the future Joint Africa-EU Strategy
ECDPM organised a conference on Civil Society and the Joint EU-Africa Strategy in cooperation with VENRO, the Association of German development NGOs.
01 January 2007
Building the Capacity for Managing Public Service Reform: The Tanzania Experience
01 January 2007
Joint evaluation of co-ordination of trade capacity building in partner countries
EC and the Member States have devised numerous TradeCapacityBuilding programmes. This study focuses on coordination and complementarity of these programmes.
01 January 2007
Supporting decentralisation and local governance in third countries
Reference Document on how to support processes of Decentralisation and Local Governance in third countries. How to ensure that EC sector Support Strategies
01 January 2007
Appui à la décentralisation et à la gouvernance locale dans les pays tiers
01 January 2007
Delivering the goods: Challenges for ACP-EU relations in 2007
02 December 2006
Renforcement des capacités pour la fourniture décentralisée des services d'éducation en Éthiopie
01 December 2006
Changing Minds and Attitudes: Towards Improved Belgian Technical Assistance
01 December 2006
Networking for Learning: The Human Face of Knowledge Management?
This brief is intended to contribute to the debate on networking for learning by exploring its potentials and limitations.
01 December 2006
Overview of the regional EPA negotiations: West Africa-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
02 November 2006
Overview of the regional EPA negotiations: Central Africa-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
02 November 2006
Update on regional EPA negotiations Central Africa - EU Economic Partnership Agreement
02 November 2006
EPA Development Support: Consequences of GAERC conclusions for EPAs
02 November 2006
EPA Development Support: Possible scenarios for EPA-related support mechanisms
02 November 2006
Overview of the regional EPA negotiations: SADC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
02 November 2006
Overview of the regional EPA negotiations: ESA-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
02 November 2006
Overview of the regional EPA negotiations: Caribbean-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
02 November 2006
Update on Regional EPA Negotiations SADC - EU Economic Partnership Agreement
01 November 2006
Update on regional EPA negotiations: ESA - EU Economic Partnership Agreement
01 November 2006
Update on regional EPA negotiations: Pacific - EU Economic Partnership Agreement
01 November 2006
Update on regional EPA negotiations: Caribbean-EU Economic Partnership Agreement
01 November 2006
Update on regional EPA negotiations: West Africa - EU Economic Partnership Agreement
01 November 2006
Final Report of the study on Coordination and Complementarity of CSPs with National Development Priorities
This study examines the role of the Country Strategy Papers of the EC and EU Member States play in improving coordination between EC and MS. Development ...
01 November 2006
EPA Development Support: Why the ECDPM intends to work in this area, what it plans to do and how
01 November 2006
Résilience et haute performance au milieu des conflits, des épidémies et de l'extrême pauvreté - L'hôpital de Lacor dans le nord de l'Ouganda
01 October 2006
Développer les capacités d'une administration fiscale - L'Office rwandais des recettes
01 October 2006
Acquisition de compétences collectives pour la performance - L'unité environnement et développement durable (ESDU) de l'Organisation des États de la Caraïbe de l'Est (OECS)
01 October 2006
Le suivi et l'évaluation des capacités et du renforcement des capacités
01 October 2006
InfoCotonou: Doha Suspended: What's at Stake for the ACP Countries?
01 September 2006
Changing Aid Modalities in Tanzania
01 August 2006
A Note on Capabilities that Contribute to the Success of Non-governmental Organisations
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are increasingly important actors in the field of development. They are diverse, in terms of their organisational form, structure and culture, and the issues they address.
03 July 2006
Negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements – Fisheries
02 June 2006
ECDPM External Evaluation 2001-2005: Final Report
The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) is an impressive institution with a challenging and unique mandate. Broadly, given its size and structures, it is making an important contribution to the quality and effectiveness of development cooperation between North and South. This is particularly the case with respect to EU-ACP relations, where the Centre is highly regarded and valued by a large number of stakeholders on both sides.
01 June 2006
The Concept of Capacity
01 May 2006
The Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program: A Case Study of Local Government Capacity Development in the Philippines
This paper explores capacity development and related performance improvement within the context of local governance in the Republic of the Philippines over a 13-year period.
03 April 2006
Strategic Positioning and Trade-related Capacity Development: The Case of CTPL and Russia
03 April 2006
Monitoring and Evaluation of Capacity and Capacity Development
03 April 2006
Comparing EU free trade agreements: Fisheries
This InBrief sets out to compare the European Union (EU) approaches to fisheries in the different Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) concluded over the last decade and the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement. It first provides an overview of the international trade in fish and fishery products.
02 April 2006
Comparing EU free trade agreements: Rules of Origin
02 April 2006
InfoCotonou: Good Governance: A Core Priority in the New EU Programming Process
01 March 2006
APE alternatifs et alternatives aux APE : scénarios envisageables pour les futures relations commerciales entre les ACP et l'UE – Rapport 11
Les conditions d’échange entre l’UE et les pays ACP pourraient être bouleversées par les négociations en cours sur les accords de partenariat économique. Toutes les parties prenantes à ces négociations conviennent que le développement doit être l’objectif premier de ces accords, mais ne parviennent pas à s’entendre sur le type d’accord qui contribuerait le mieux au développement des pays ACP.
01 March 2006
Alternative (to) EPAs: Possible scenarios for the future ACP trade relations with the EU
01 February 2006
EU mechanisms that promote policy coherence for development: A scoping study – Triple C Evaluations 2
01 February 2006
Non-state actors in Benin: Dialogue on cooperation is getting organised
02 December 2005
WTO and EPA Negotiations: For an Enhanced coordination of ACP Positions on Agriculture
01 December 2005
The growth of capacity in IUCN in Asia
01 December 2005
Technical Assistance Pooling: Tools and Lessons Learned – A brief review of recent experiences
This reports describes technical assistance pooling arrangements in Africa, Asia and Latin America, draws from lessons learned and provides a short analysis of current trends in pooling TA.
01 December 2005
InfoCotonou: The Challenge of Remaining Engaged with 'Difficult Partnerships'
01 December 2005
ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements – Fisheries
02 October 2005
In Defence of the ACP Submission on Special and Differential Treatment in GATT Article XXIV
02 October 2005
ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
01 October 2005
The Private Sector's Perspective, Priorities and Role in Regional Integration and Implications for Regional Trade Arrangements
05 September 2005
InfoCotonou: Knowledge: A Global Public Good?
01 September 2005
An ACP Perspective and Overview of Article 96 Cases
01 September 2005
Networking Collaboratively: The Brazilian Observatório on Human Resources in Health
01 September 2005
When Agreement Breaks Down, What Next? The Cotonou Agreement's Article 96 Consultation Procedure
02 August 2005
Suspension of Development Cooperation: An Instrument to Promote Human Rights and Democracy?
02 August 2005
Recent Cases of Article 96 Consultations
02 August 2005
Capacity building for decentralised education service delivery in Pakistan
01 July 2005
Capacity building for decentralised education service delivery in Ethiopia
01 July 2005
Organisational legitimacy, capacity and capacity development
01 June 2005
Caribbean Tourism and Development: An overview
The overall objective of the study is to review recent experiences and strategies of the Caribbean tourism industry, with a view to determine the potential role of tourism in promoting sustainable development of the Caribbean.
01 June 2005
Capacity building for decentralised education service delivery in Ethiopia and Pakistan: a comparative analysis
01 June 2005
Organising for large-scale system change. The Environmental Action (ENACT) programme, Jamaica
02 May 2005
Building capabilities for performance. The Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
02 May 2005
Study on Capacity, Change and Performance: Interim Report
01 April 2005
EC budget support: Thumbs up or down?
02 March 2005
Non-state actors in Madagascar: From support for local development to support for governance
01 March 2005
InfoCotonou: Towards a Common European Development Policy Statement?
01 March 2005
The idea and practice of systems thinking and their relevance for capacity development
01 March 2005
Papua New Guinea's health sector - A review of capacity, change and performance issues
03 January 2005
Integrating Migration and Development Policies: Challenges for ACP-EU Cooperation
02 January 2005
Ringing the church bell - The role of churches in governance and public performance in Papua New Guinea
01 January 2005
The Good Governance Agenda of Civil Society: Implications for ACP-EU Cooperation
02 December 2004
Monitoring and Evaluation of Support to Decentralisation and Local Governance: Kenya Case Study
01 December 2004
InfoCotonou: The Review of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement - What's at Stake?
01 December 2004
Better aid delivery or deconcentration of bureaucracy? A snapshot of the EC's devolution process
This paper takes stock of the devolution process within the European Commission (EC). It looks into trends and experiences gained by EC delegations, EC headquarters
02 November 2004
Collection of papers on the Treaty of Maastricht and Europe's Development Co-operation
Treaty of Maastricht has been described as an ‘Opaque and Complicated text’, which emerged from frantic late-night compromises amongst heads of governments
01 November 2004
Developing capacity for tax administration: The Rwanda Revenue Authority
01 November 2004
Parliaments and Development: The Icing on the Cake? What parliamentary capacity can mean for cooperation
02 October 2004
Developing capacity for participatory development in the context of decentralisation: Takalar district, South Sulawesi province, Indonesia
01 October 2004
COEP - Comitê de Entidades no Combate à Fome e pela Vida. Mobilising against hunger and for life – An analysis of capacity and change in a Brazilian network
01 October 2004
Organising trade negotiating capacity at the regional level: A Caribbean case story
02 September 2004
InfoCotonou: Rethinking the Added Value of European NGOs
01 September 2004
How Did David Prepare to Talk to Goliath? South Africas experience of trade negotiations with the EU
01 September 2004
Resilience and high performance amidst conflict, epidemics and extreme poverty: The Lacor Hospital, northern Uganda
01 September 2004
Non-state actors in Senegal: Towards a strategy for political action by non-state actors
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements – Agriculture
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements: Services
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements: Investment
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements: Competition Policy and State Aid
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements – Trade facilitation
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements – Dispute settlement
02 July 2004
Comparing EU free trade agreements: Sanitary and phytosanitary standards
01 July 2004
InfoCotonou: Building Social Capital
01 June 2004
Coercion or Engagement? Economics and Institutions in ACP–EU Trade Negotiations
01 June 2004
A changing EU: what are the development implications? Challenges facing the EU’s new political leadership
01 April 2004
InfoCotonou: Who Does What in Development Cooperation?
01 March 2004
Improving ACP-EU Cooperation: Is 'Budgetising' the EDF the Answer?
02 January 2004
MERCOSUR’s experiences of preparing trade negotiations with the EU: A memorandum
01 January 2004
A strong cocktail or a weak punch? A case study of EDF assistance to the ACP private sector
01 January 2004
Non-state actors in Chad: Turning natural partners into effective allies
02 December 2003
InfoCotonou: Do Procedures Hamper Policy Ambitions?
01 December 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Annexes I-III
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Annexes IV-VII
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Annexes VIII-X
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Annexes XI-XIV
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 1
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 2
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 3
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 4
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 5
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 6
01 November 2003
The Cotonou Agreement: A User's Guide for Non-State Actors - Chapter 7
01 November 2003
Regional approaches to conflict prevention in Africa European support to African processes
02 October 2003
Non-state actors in Guinea: Bridges between a national dialogue process and a thematic platform
01 October 2003
The Future of NGO Co-Financing: Final Report on the Palermo Seminar
The Palermo seminar clearly confirmed that reform of the NGO co-financing is a shared concern of all parties involved as well as a matter of urgency.
01 October 2003
Approches régionales pour la prévention des conflits en Afrique : Le soutien européen aux processus africains
01 October 2003
Building Coherence between sector reforms and decentralisation: do SWAps provide the missing link?
01 September 2003
InfoCotonou: Building Capacity: How Can it be Done?
01 September 2003
EPA Impact Studies: SADC and the regional coherence
01 September 2003
Making Evaluation Results Count: Internalising Evidence by Learning
Development agencies are consistently required to improve their performance, in terms not only of project outcomes, but also of the quality of their programming and their institutional capacity.
01 August 2003
How to make EPAs WTO compatible? Reforming the rules on regional trade agreements
01 July 2003
InfoCotonou: Making the African Union Work
02 June 2003
InfoCotonou
01 June 2003
European Development Cooperation to 2010
01 May 2003
European Coordination in Multilateral Fora: The Case of the World Bank
In recent years, the leading role of the World Bank in development initiatives has been confirmed through the design of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) for the poorest countries. It has been argued that the lack of European coordination and consistency in international fora, such as in the Board of the World Bank...
02 March 2003
Challenges for 2003: The Changing Framework of EU External Relations and its Implications for the ACP
02 February 2003
The Coordination of European Development Cooperation in the Field: Myth or Reality?
01 January 2003
The New Organization of the Council of the European Union: Setback or Opportunity for EU Development Cooperation?
01 January 2003
Capacity Building for Demand-led Research: Issues and Priorities
In the context of the failure of past development efforts, and the knowledge asymmetry between North and South, this brief examines the concept of demand-led research.
02 December 2002
Cotonou Infokit: Political Dialogue
02 December 2002
Cotonou Infokit: Essential and Fundamental Elements
02 December 2002
Cotonou Infokit: Performance based Partnership
02 December 2002
Cotonou Infokit: The Reform of EC External Assistance
02 December 2002
Cotonou Infokit: The EC Reform and the ACP
02 December 2002
The Need for an ACP-EU Policy Dialogue on Science and Technology for Development in ACP Countries
The much publicized innovations associated with ‘new technologies’ have rekindled interest in the potential of science and technology (S&T) for accelerating development.
02 December 2002
Pooling of Technical Assistance in the Context of Sector-Wide Approaches (SWAps): Ethiopian Case Study
02 September 2002
Directing EU Policy Towards Poverty Eradication: From Comitments to Targets to Results
01 July 2002
Harmonising the Provision of Technical Assistance: Finding the Right Balance and Avoiding the New Religion
This study looks at the harmonisation of technical assistance (TA) in the context of sector-wide approaches. It is part of the ongoing reflection within international development organisations (IDOs) on ways to harmonise their management procedures.
02 June 2002
Harmonizar o Fornecimento de Assistência Técnica: encontrar o equilíbrio justo e evitar a nova religião
01 June 2002
Harmoniser la fourniture d’assistance technique : Trouver un juste équilibre sans verser dans le dogme
01 June 2002
Structured Public-Private Sector Dialogue: The Experience from Botswana
The Cotonou Partnership Agreement provides a range of new opportunities for the ACP private sector. From now on, the ACP private sector is expected to participate in political dialogue, national and regional programming, and the formulation and implementation of EC cooperation policies.
02 May 2002
Agrupamento da assistência técnica no âmbito da reforma da gestão da ajuda em Moçambique
01 May 2002
Pooling of Technical Assistance in Mozambique: Innovative Practices and Challenges
This paper highlights the findings of a study of pooling of resources for technical assistance (TA) in Mozambique. It aims to contribute to the wider learning and thinking on the requirements of pooling initiatives between international development agencies (IDAs) and recipient governments, such as sector-wide approaches (SWAps) and budget support programmes.
01 May 2002
Capacity-Building for Private-Sector Development: The Southern African Enterprise Network (SAEN)
01 May 2002
Measuring the Performance of EC Development Cooperation: Lessons from the Experiences of International Development Agencies
02 April 2002
The Future of ACP-EU Trade Relations: An Overview of the Forthcoming Negotiations
01 February 2002
Taking Charge of Technical Cooperation: Experience from Botswana – A Case of a Country in the Driver's Seat
01 January 2002
The Pooling of Technical Assistance: An Overview based on Field Experience in six African Countries
01 November 2001
Strategic Priorities and Operational Challenges for European Support for Democratic Decentralisation in the Context of the new ACP-EU Partnership Agreement
02 October 2001
The EU's Response to Conflict Affected Countries: Operational Guidance for the Implementation of the Cotonou Agreement
02 July 2001
The EU's Response to Conflict Affected Countries: Operational Guidance for the Implementation of the Cotonou Agreement
02 July 2001
The European Union's Political and Development Response to Guinea Bissau
02 July 2001
Building Capacity to Trade: A Road Map for Development Partners - Insights from Africa and the Caribbean
02 July 2001
The European Union's Political and Development Response to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
02 July 2001
The European Union's Political and Development Response to Somalia
02 July 2001
Mise en commun de l'assistance technique dans les programmes sectoriels au Mali
01 July 2001
The European Union's Political and Development Response to Sudan
This study explores the European Union’s (EU) political and development response to Sudan, which is a classic case of a complex political emergency.
01 July 2001
The European Union's Political and Development Response to Rwanda
This study explores the European Union’s (EU) political and development response to Rwanda.
01 July 2001
The European Union's Political and Development Response to Burundi
An analysis of the EU development response towards Burundi, looking particularly into policies and instruments under the new ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.
01 July 2001
Decentralised Cooperation and Joint Action: Building Partnerships Between Local Government and Civil Society in Africa
02 April 2001
Decentralised cooperation and joint action: Building partnerships between local government and civil society in Africa
Currently, the development community is seeking innovative strategies to address the challenges of local development and poverty alleviation, decentralisation and local governance, and improving the effectiveness of aid transfers.
01 April 2001
Reforming European Development Cooperation: What do the practitioners think?
01 March 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Building Capacities
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Organising to Participate
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: The Cotonou Agreement at a Glance
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: History and Evolution of the ACP-EU Cooperation
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Innovations in the Cotonou Agreement
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Some Basic Facts
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: The Institutions
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Obtaining Resources
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: The Instruments
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: From Lomé to Cotonou
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Participating in Programming
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Regional Economic Partnership Agreements
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: The EC Reform and the ACP
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: ACP-EU Trade Negotiations after Cotonou
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: New Policy towards Private Sector
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Instruments for the Private Sector
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Towards a Stronger Political Partnership
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: This Infokit
02 January 2001
Cotonou Infokit: Opportunities and Challenges
02 January 2001
Beyond the Partnership Rhetoric: Reviewing Experiences and Policy Considerations for Implementing 'Genuine' Partnerships in North-South Cooperation
02 December 2000
Involving Non State Actors and Local Governments in ACP-EU Dialogue
02 December 2000
Monitoring and Evaluating Support to Decentralisation: Challenges and Dilemmas
01 November 2000
Acteurs et enjeux de la décentralisation et du développement local : Expériences d’une commune du Burkina Faso
La présente étude souhaite apporter une contribution à la compréhension des aspects institutionnels de la décentralisation. Basée sur la méthode de recherche – action, elle a eu lieu au Burkina Faso, en particulier dans la commune de Ziniaré, entre les mois d’octobre 1999 et février 2000.
01 November 2000
Promoting the Participation of Women in Local Governance and Development: The Case of Ghana
02 October 2000
Decentralisation and Poverty Reduction: Elaborating the Linkages
02 October 2000
Lomé Negotiating Brief: Implementing the New ACP-EU Partnership Agreement
01 June 2000
Assessing Trends in EC Development Policy: An Independent Review of the European Commission’s External Aid Reform Process
01 May 2000
Building the Capacities of Political Parties in Southern Africa: Reviewing the Strategy of the Netherlands
03 April 2000
Implementing Institutional and Capacity Development: Conceptual and Operational Issues
01 March 2000
Linkages between Decentralisation and Decentralised Cooperation in Ghana
01 November 1999
EU Cooperation with Politically Fragile Countries: Lessons from Angola
A case study on Angola, outlining the country's performance with respect to the utilisation of EU aid funds and facilities, and in particular Lomé funds.
01 October 1999
Aid for Trade Development: Lessons for Lomé V
02 August 1999
Lomé Negotiating Brief: How can Dialogue be extended to Decentralised Actors?
01 July 1999
What Role for Local Authorities in Decentralised Cooperation under the Convention of Lomé?
02 June 1999
Lomé Negotiating Brief: The Future of Lomé’s Commodity Protocols - Fiddling while Rum Burns?
01 June 1999
The Future of Lomé’s Commodity Protocols: Fiddling while Rum Burns?
01 June 1999
What Future for Lomé’s Commodity Protocols?
01 June 1999
Improving the Complementarity of European Union Development Cooperation: From the Bottom Up
01 May 1999
The Impact Studies on the Effects of REPAs between the ACP and the EU
01 March 1999
The EC’s Impact Studies on Regional Economic Partnership Agreements
02 February 1999
Lomé Negotiating Brief: The EC’s Impact Studies on Regional Economic Partnership Agreements
01 February 1999
EU Cooperation with Politically-fragile Countries: experiences from Liberia
01 February 1999
Lomé Negotiation Brief: Exploring ACP Responses to the EU Proposal for Regional Economic Partnership Agreements
01 December 1998
Exploring ACP responses to the EU proposal for Regional Economic Partnership Agreements
01 December 1998
Comparing the ACP and EU Negotiating Mandates
02 November 1998
Lomé Negotiating Brief: Comparing the ACP and EU Negotiating Mandates
01 November 1998
Lomé Negotiating Brief: What Place for Small Island States in a Successor Lomé Agreement?
01 October 1998
Options for Future ACP-EU Trade Relations
02 August 1998
Lomé Negotiating Brief
01 May 1998
Lomé Negotiating Brief: What Future for ACP-EU Relations?
01 May 1998
Closing the loop: From research on natural resources to policy change
Policy Management Report 8 - Sustainable management of natural resources in agriculture is a goal shared by all nations. Achieving this goal may require a great number of changes in the way natural resources are allocated, utilised and regulated.
16 April 1998
Sustainable Finance for Development Activities: A Matter of Creativity and Skill
01 April 1998
Beyond Lomé IV: Preliminary Views of European Governments on Future EU-ACP Relations
The Fourth Lomé Convention will expire on February 29, 2000. The shape that EU-ACP cooperation will assume in the next century is the subject of much debate.
02 February 1998
Au-delà de Lomé IV : Points de vue préliminaires des gouvernements européens sur les relations futures ACP-UE
La Convention de Lomé IV arrive à son terme le 29 février 2000. La forme qu’adoptera la coopération ACP-UE fait l’objet de nombreux débats.
02 February 1998
Improving Coherence: Challenges for European Development Cooperation
01 December 1997
Performance Criteria in Future ACP-EU Cooperation
02 October 1997
Civil Service Reform in the Context of Structural Adjustment: A Triangular Relationship
02 September 1997
Towards an integrated approach to election observation? Professionalising European long-term election observation missions
01 September 1997
Beyond Lomé IV: Exploring options for future ACP-EU cooperation
02 October 1996
A new Africa in the 21st century: What policy agenda, what conditions?
02 February 1996
New avenues for technical cooperation in Africa: Improving the record in terms of capacity building
02 October 1995
Une nouvelle voie pour la coopération technique en Afrique : comment améliorer les résultats sur le plan du renforcement des capacités
01 October 1995
Partnership in the 1990's: How to Make it Work Better
05 December 1994
Phased Programming of Lomé Funds: Lessons from Current EU and ACP Experiences
02 July 1994
Challenges to ACP Trade with Europe after the Uruguay Round
01 July 1994