Many claim that traditional development assistance has played out its role, while others persist that ODA will continue to have a unique role. At the same time, new actors and other flows are growing in importance. Meanwhile, lack of funding remains a major obstacle in the fight against global poverty and environmental degradation. But what do today’s financial flows look like? Is the money really reaching the most vulnerable? How can we best address problems such as capital flight and tax evasion? And last but not least: will the UN member states be willing – and able – to finance the vision they may agree on?
Considerable changes have taken place in the world in the last decade. The financial crisis, the burden of accelerating climate change and a completely changed geopolitical power balance are just a few shifts worth mentioning. This seminar sets out to describe and discuss various means of financing in this new landscape – seen from the perspectives of different actors.
How poverty eradication and sustainable development should be financed after 2015 is at the heart of the debate. The role of public and private donors – from domestic and international sources – and how transparency and mutual accountability can be ascertained for both developed and developing countries will also be key. Further, the recently released EU Accountability Report 2013 on Financing for Development as well as the role of the Intergovernmental Expert Committee, appointed by the UN will be described.
The main questions discussed were:
- What role can traditional donor countries take on and how can we guarantee transparency and accountability when it comes to new actors?
- How can domestic resource mobilization be enhanced and illicit capital flight be stopped?
- How can we assure that trade, lending and financial flows are working for development?
Participants
Jesse Griffiths, Director of Eurodad, the European Network on Debt and Development. He is also a member of CONCORD Europe’s Aidwatch Network. Jesse was previously the Coordinator of the Bretton Woods Project since 2008. Prior to that he headed Action Aid UK’s aid and development finance policy group, worked for the UK Department For International Development (DFID) in Nigeria, as well as for other NGOs in the UK and elsewhere on both development finance and international environmental policy.
Petra Lantz, Director of the UNDP Representation Office in Geneva, she has also served as UN Resident Coordinator and Representative for UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF in the Cape Verde Joint Office. Petra Lantz has also worked for UNDP and UNFPA in Mozambique (2003-2008) and Estonia (1997-2001). Before joining UNDP, Petra was a researcher on labor market and gender issues, working for private industry, academia and the Swedish government. She holds a MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics.
Taku Fundira is a South African analyst with special interests in quantitative economic research. His work for SPII (Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute) includes developing a regional economic model for a basic income grant. Prior to working at SPII, he worked for the Trade Law Centre (tralac). He holds a MSc. Degree in Agricultural Economics and is a member of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA). He is also a founding member of the African Food and Agricultural Policy Platform (AFAPP) and a member of the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) Trade Reference Group.
The seminar will be moderated by Annika Söder, Executive Director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and Monica Lorensson from UNDP’s Nordic Office.
Details
Organised by: The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, UNDP Nordic Office and CONCORD Sweden
For further information, please contact:
Annika Söder, Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, 0708 75 75 54,annika.soder@dhf.uu.se,
Monica Lorensson, UNDP, 0768 83 96 56, monica.lorensson@undp.org or
Peter Sörbom, CONCORD Sweden, 0733 80 80 30, peter.sorbom@concord.se
This event is part of a seminar series on the post-2015 agenda, jointly organized by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and UNDP Nordic Office. The next seminar, is to take place in November – more information to come!