Doing development in a down-turn Simon Maxwell

1.Preamble: on praxis in development studies 2.The story so far: an evolving agenda of international development : the year of the Call to Action 4.But will the ‘project’ be derailed? 5.The search for a new narrative 6.Conclusion: what is to be done?

Praxis in development studies (a) The story-teller(b) The networker (c) The engineer (d) The fixer

The international think-tank not but The airline alliance model: ‘Policy code-sharing’

The story so far FAU 2007 Revisioning aid

Two ‘elephant’ issues 1.Is Paris enough? The missing discussion about aid architecture. 2.The new development agenda – beyond the MDGs.

Is it time to stand the aid architecture on its head? Multilateralism: only one quarter of all aid is multilateral, three quarters bilateral

‘New’ issues China and the analytics of globalisation Security and development The shift from national development to global public goods

Implication for governments? Aid Trade Foreign Policy ?

Implications for bilateral agencies? (a) Spyglass(b) Spigot(c) Spoon(d) Spanner

2008: the Year of the Call to Action on the MDGs (July 2007: Gordon Brown in New York) May: Business Call to Action; TICAD IV June: EU Council July: Hokkaido G8 September: UN Call to Action Summit November: FFD in Doha

Aid: the $30bn shortfall

Leaving mountains to climb Source: DAC

Watch out for the politics Sector initiatives More special purpose vehicles

What will derail the project? The credit crunch Slow growth/recession House prices Retail sales Food prices Oil prices Budget deficits N.B. This is not an argument about de-linking

The problem Support for development is wide but shallow

When asked, people say that global poverty is important to them... Q I am going to read out a list of global issues. Using the answers on this card, please tell me how important or unimportant they are to you? War/Conflict % Important International migration Climate change Global poverty Disease % Not important Base: 1,043 British adults aged 15+, 4-10 April 2008 Source: Ipsos MORI

But global poverty is not seen as a key challenge for Britain QWhat would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today? Education/Schools Race relations/immigration NHS/Hospitals Morality/Individual Behaviour Taxation Top spontaneous mentions Economy Defence/Foreign affairs Crime/ law and order Housing Inflation/Prices Base: 1,037 British adults 18+, Feb 2008 Source: Ipsos MORI Political Monitor

‘New’ issues China and the analytics of globalisation Security and development The shift from national development to global public goods

When asked, people say that global poverty is important to them... Q I am going to read out a list of global issues. Using the answers on this card, please tell me how important or unimportant they are to you? War/Conflict % Important International migration Climate change Global poverty Disease % Not important Base: 1,043 British adults aged 15+, 4-10 April 2008 Source: Ipsos MORI

Caution: the impacts on us are perceived to be negative Refugees / asylum seekers coming to UK (67%) Workers from developing countries coming to the UK for work (46%) Ill feeling towards the UK, resulting in terrorism (44%) By leading to conflict and war (41%) Damage to the earth’s environment (27%) Increasing risk of tropical / other diseases (25%) UK public donations / government funds going overseas (24%) Base: 1,256 British adults 16+, July 2006 Source: DFID Public Attitudes Towards Development, July 2007

Messaging Spending Institutions Conclusion

Messaging Construct a narrative relevant to both North and South which is anchored in a framework of global social justice; celebrates the progress being made on the MDGs; and builds political momentum behind the Call to Action; but also recognises the need to manage our engagement with markets; mobilises a range of economic, diplomatic and military resources to tackle global threats; and engages internationally to make sure global institutions work better than they currently do.

Content Better instruments Better geographies

Institutions