Presenter Richard Ssewakiryanga Coordinator PEAP/PRSP Revision Secretariat

1. Thematic Group IIBuilding the Capacities of CSOs for Participating in Policy Dialogue and Monitoring Presenter Richard Ssewakiryanga Coordinator PEAP/PRSP Revision Secretariat Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development P.O.Box 8147, Kampala, Uganda Tel: 254 41 236205 E:mail: Richard.Ssewakiryanga@finance.go.ug Presented at the Enriching the Paris Declaration Promoting Democratic Ownership Workshop A Forum for Partner, Donor and Civil Society Dialogue Eigtveds Pakhus Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen, Denmark 13th May 2008

2. Outline • What are the preconditions for Democratic Ownership? • Which key issues were raised by CSOs on aid effectiveness? • What can Govts, Donors, International and Local CSOs do to support democratic ownership? • Funding modalities and democratic ownership • Issues for critical reflection towards Accra

3. Preamble • The main function of the state is to provide its citizens with optimal goods and services to meet citizens’ satisfaction • Performance of the public sector system is critical to citizens’ satisfaction in a democratic system • Democratic ownership is therefore are foundational principle in the implementation of the Paris Declaration

4. What are the preconditions for Democratic Ownership • Constitutional Governance with separation of powers is paramount • Functioning Parliament through which the will of the people is expressed, laws are passed and government is held to account is key • Vibrant Civil Society, Political Society and Government that respects the rule of law and diversity of ideas • Civil Service that delivers Public Value to the citizens i.e …(Outcomes, Services and Trust) • Locally supported national budget with low aid volumes

5. Key issues raised by CSOs on Aid Effectiveness • CSOs are agencies which spend aid • much of their aid is not coordinated with or reported to the governments of the countries in which they operate • CSOs as agencies which receive aid from official donors • Like Partner Govts there is no multi-year predictability in aid • CSOs monitor aid effectiveness and advocate improvements • Governments also often see CSOs as representing no clear constituency and therefore do not acknowledge them as legitimate

6. What can actors do to support CSOs in democratic ownership processes? • Support mechanisms that bring voices of citizens into policy accountability spaces • Develop capacity for in-country evaluative research and monitoring systems that are state-wide (Govt and Non-Govt) • Strengthen CSO internal legitimacy by supporting devt of ethical standards/codes of conduct for local CSOs • Support collaborative work btn Govt and CSOs in the areas like aid effectiveness and development results and report all aid volumes • Strengthen Parliamentary oversight role and collaboration with CSOs

7. CSO Funding modalities and democratic ownership • Basket funds for CSO groups may need to be seen as ways of strengthening upstream and downstream work • Reporting funding and aligning it to agreed Government priorities is key to democratic ownership • Where possible finding innovative ways of funding CSOs through budget support should be considered

8. Issues for critical Reflection towards Accra • Reflect and agree on the role of Parliamentarians • Generating best practices for sharing in areas of: • Collaborative work btn Govt and CSOs • Best modalities of funding • CSOs quantified contribution to aid effectiveness • Functional linkages btn CSOs, Political Parties and other specialized professional associations • Develop concrete steps for moving forwards to Accra (AAA) and beyond

9. Thank you for listening