2003年-世界发展银行全球_Nurturing_Capacity_in_Developing_Countries___From_Consensus_to_Practice_4页_336kb

Capacity Enhancement Summary

Core Content

The document "Capacity Enhancement: BRIEFSHARING BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED" by Govindan G. Nair, Lead Economist at the World Bank Institute, outlines the evolution and challenges of capacity building in developing countries. It emphasizes a shift from supply-side, donor-driven models to demand-led approaches that prioritize local ownership and sustainability.

Main Views

1. Demand-Led Capacity Building

• Shift in Focus: Capacity building should move from donor-driven to demand-led, placing recipient countries in the "driver's seat" to manage and coordinate external assistance.
• Evaluation Culture: A transparent evaluation culture is essential, focusing on poverty impacts and involving participatory methods.
• Skill Retention and Utilization: Retaining and using skilled individuals is more important than just acquiring skills. Utilizing diaspora resources and addressing local incentives can help.
• Political Commitment: Vigorous political commitment and favorable local conditions are crucial for long-term success. Even strong institutions can fail without effective governance.

2. Emerging Global Consensus on Capacity

• Definition of Capacity: Capacity refers to the ability of individuals, institutions, and societies to perform functions, solve problems, and achieve development goals in an effective, participatory, and sustainable way.
• Key Factors: Institutional economics and the recognition of governance's role in development have led to a new understanding of capacity.
• Comprehensive Development Framework: This framework, which includes PRSPs and MDGs, highlights the importance of embedding capacities within country-driven strategies.
• Three Strands of Consensus:
  • Skills must be embedded in organizations and shaped by institutional incentives.
  • Supply-driven approaches are unsustainable; ownership by recipient countries is essential.
  • Capacity building must be results-oriented and focus on "capacity for what and whom".

3. From Consensus to Practice: Challenges

Demand-Side Challenges

• Evaluation Capacity: Requires a culture focused on poverty outcomes and participatory approaches, not just monitoring inputs.
• Skill Retention: Countries like El Salvador and Armenia have successfully tapped into diaspora resources, while others struggle with skilled emigration.
• Country Ownership: Recipient countries must take the lead in managing aid, including the ability to refuse irrelevant assistance. Examples include Vietnam, Ghana, and Tanzania.

Supply-Side Challenges

• Donor Practices: Historically, donor support has focused on tracking disbursements rather than building national evaluation capacity.
• Technical Assistance: International technical assistance often undermines local skill retention and utilization.
• Institutional Capacity: Donor practices can hinder the development of national capacity, especially in countries with weak governance. Recent harmonization efforts show progress but remain uneven.

Key Information

• Time and Process: Capacity building is a long-term process, often taking several years to a decade, and requires transformational changes.
• Governance Impact: Weak governance and institutional capacity can undermine even significant development efforts.
• Country Ownership: The shift toward country-led strategies is not straightforward and involves complex political and institutional dynamics.
• Diaspora Role: Diaspora can be a valuable resource for skill retention and knowledge transfer.
• Partnerships: Donor-recipient partnerships must be aligned with country-owned strategies, with a focus on results and transparency.

Conclusion

The document underscores that capacity building is not a technical fix but a complex, political, and institutional process. It calls for a systemic approach that integrates evaluation, skill retention, and governance, and emphasizes the need for recipient countries to lead the process while donors adapt their practices to support sustainable development.