Building partnerships in development: What needs to change?

The International Development Committee, a parliamentary oversight body, recently launched an inquiry into the future of the UK’s international aid and development assistance programmes.

It is looking at “how the UK can continue to deliver high impact international aid and development assistance in the face of a 40% budget cut as the Government seeks to fund increased defence spending in the name of national security”.

A key question the inquiry seeks to answer is:

“What needs to change to realise the goal of moving from paternalistic models and relationships to partnerships?” 

We believe the design and experiences of the African Cities Research Consortium offers important insights and our CEO, Professor Diana Mitlin, submitted written evidence to the inquiry.

Cautioning against the inefficiencies of “business as usual” development practices and research, Diana draws on her experiences of running ACRC to propose five key recommendations to help maximise the effectiveness of future UK development policy and programming:

1. A focus on issue-based programming that tackles locally identified problems: For ACRC, focusing on interventions that are prioritised according to local contexts and underpinned by detailed situational analysis has provided an effective basis for action.

2. Ensuring local leadership of interventions: Projects fail when local knowledge is not sufficiently incorporated. So while improving representation of marginalised communities is important in itself, it also helps ensure development assistance reaches those most in need.

3. Cultivating an adaptive, politically informed approach to programming: Cities are embedded in contested political processes. Political settlements analysis was central to ACRC’s initial research, and the ongoing contribution of political analysts has enabled city teams to adapt to changing urban contexts.

4. Nurturing reform coalitions: Work that focuses on both catalysing and nurturing reform coalitions has significant potential to boost FCDO’s impact. These coalitions are aggregations of relevant agencies, who come together to address areas of interest and advance common objectives around urban reform.

5. Funding pilots to catalyse systems change, not wholesale delivery: ACRC has combined a deep understanding and engagement of city politics, with a flexible approach to programming. The goal is to catalyse the adoption of large-scale, self-funded African initiatives, rather than donor-funded projects.

So, with those five recommendations in mind, where does that leave UK expertise?

Complex reforms are inherently political, requiring local knowledge, credibility and legitimacy. But, as Diana highlights in her submission, sensitive and strategic support from UK-based organisations can help to nurture alternatives, legitimise ideas and advance more effective development options – and ultimately play a role in realising locally held, global ambitions for a better world.

Header photo credit: Chris Jordan

Note: This article presents the views of the authors featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.

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