Monthly Highlights from ECDPM's Weekly Compass Update, GREAT Insights, Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2013)

Cyprus and the world: how to make a difference? Weekly Compass, no 118, 20 July 2012 Holding the rotating EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2012, Cyprus is chairing the Council’s Working Parties on Development Cooperation and ACP in this period. An ECDPM Briefing Note targeting Cypriot policy-makers and NGOs gives an overview of opportunities for them to engage in EU development cooperation and outlines possibilities for making a difference in this field. Key areas for Cypriot action are the on-going budget negotiations, aid effectiveness and policy coherence for development. Others interested in the state of affairs of EU development policy modernisation will also find this paper a useful orientation tool. EC report: despite crisis EU must deliver on aid commitments. Weekly Compass, no 117, 13 July 2012 As a whole, the EU has kept up progress on its aid pledges, but the situation differs greatly between Member States, the EU Accountability Report 2012 on Financing for Development finds. Together with this report, the EU published a Communication proposing further action to reach agreed EU aid targets, such as spending 0,7% of GNI for development by 2015. In view of the fact that domestic resources mobilisation, not aid flows, is the largest source of development finance, Europe is “considering ways to provide greater emphasis to this area, notably as part of budget support operations”. Innovative financing, such as blending, is seen as “essential”. Swazi farmers could again be hard hit by EU CAP reform. Weekly Compass, no 117, 13 July 2012 When the EU reformed its sugar trade regime in 2006, it reduced the reference price for sugar by 36%. This drop affected sugarcane producers in the 18 ACP countries, which had preferential access to the EU. Swaziland, a significant sugar exporter whose economy is highly dependent on the industry was hard hit, experiencing labour losses and welfare rollback. To cushion this impact, the EU agreed an Aid for Trade Programme - the Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol. A new ECDPM Discussion Paper analysing Swaziland’s experience reveals deficiencies in the practices of EU aid delivery. It warns that the upcoming reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy, comprising further changes of sugar policy, could undermine the positive effects of the Aid for Trade programme. Private sector and development: common or conflicting interests? Weekly Compass, no 116, 6 July 2012 “Profit and developmental objectives can be obtained together, but more needs to be understood about where the alignment of interests takes place” explain ECDPM’s Bruce Byiers and Anna Rosengren in a new discussion paper on the private sector’s role in development. But before we can identify common interests, it is important to be clear about what we mean by "engaging the private sector". The paper distinguishes between “private sector development” - focusing on domestic economies of poor countries - and engaging the “private sector for development” - making international business contribute to inclusive growth. Although there are overlaps, these two forms of engagement operate through different channels and thus have different practical implications and impacts. A clear understanding of reasons behind past successes and failures should form the basis of ongoing policy discussions. This article was published in GREAT Insights Volume 1, Issue 6 (August 2012).