Page 19 - IB FEB 2020

Politics Politics

is happening in our aid sector? If development assistance the percentage of people around the Pacific with no clean
in the Pacific is failing, it’s the donor that has to be held water to drink and who need to improve their literacy. The
accountable as most M&E [monitoring and evaluation] Framework doesn’t address the critical development needs of
frameworks, transparency and accountability mechanisms are the majority of people in the Pacific and requires a rethink if
drawn up using Australian expertise.” the Pacific is to truly grow.”
The discussion comes as submissions to the Australian DFAT is a major donor for numerous regional organisations,
International Development Policy Review have come to a including the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and The
close. While the FWCC has not made a submission, Ali says Pacific Community. The newly appointed head of the
three priority areas could lift Pacific development; continued Secretariat of Pacific Community, Australian Stuart Minchin
support for women’s development including around women’s says the responsibility for aid effectiveness is a shared one.
oppression and violence against women, an area she says “From planning with our members, to donor contribution,
“DFAT has done good work in”, plus women’s political and to coordination and management, to implementation, to
economic empowerment. But Ali says Pacific women need to monitoring and evaluation and even the end user. Each plays
take leadership in implementing these programs. a part in ensuring that development funds are effectively
Both Ali and Aqorau place the building of Pacific expertise serving their intended purpose, and that the intended
and capacity as extremely important factors. Ali says even purpose is in line with the development objectives, regional
when Pacific expertise is available, “people with poor aspirations and national priorities of our members.”
understanding of the Pacific are brought from outside.” Dr Minchin says the SPC has clear accountabilities. “We
She questions the re-emergence of international INGOs are ultimately responsible to our members- which obviously
and contractors, saying in some cases development dollars includes Australia. Each and every project/program is
are going to these organisations, and that local, regional carefully examined to ensure it is in-line with the declared
organisations need more autonomy to operate without priority areas of SPC, that it is viable within our budget, that
interference. “No aid is bad aid if it is properly thought out its outputs and objectives are clear and that it will have a
and if the interest of the Pacific people is at the heart of measurable and positive impact.”
development… Pacific leaders and donors need to talk openly “We are an organisation that stresses the importance
and donors need to tell Pacific people where they are going of innovation, and innovation requires some level of risk.
wrong. On our part we need some soul searching by Pacific But even the projects that don’t ultimately achieve the
Government and NGO leaders who are aid recipients. At the ideal results still provide valuable lessons that enable us to
end of the day aid effectiveness and frameworks to guide it continuously improve,” he says.
are a partnership between donors and recipients with both Australian Assistant Minister for Defense, International
playing equal roles here” she added. Development and the Pacific, Alex Hawke has told Islands
Dr Aqorau feels it is time the region went back to basics Business that the Australian Government won’t apologise
with the development assistance it seeks. “Education in the for making the Pacific its priority in granting development
Pacific is not compulsory, so not mandatory for everyone. assistance. “This doesn’t come at the expense of other
As a vision, our leaders should say we want assistance regions…South East Asia is also a priority, a different region
with achieving 100 per cent literacy and numeracy for our with different features. The Pacific is certainly our first
populations. No Pacific government has a policy that says approach”.
it wants 100 per cent literacy or numeracy rates. Also it is Hawke expects Australia’s International Development
rather ironic in some of our villagers we don’t have running Policy Review to suggest how to better collaborate with
water. If you want to develop the Pacific let’s get the basics Pacific Island countries to measure outcomes. “We have
right before bringing in all these grandiose development heard through partners and NGOs about these measurements
ideas. People have gone back to digging wells and using and making sure that when we spend money, we capture
nearby streams for drinking water and washing. We need to outcomes. Sometimes it’s harder than it sounds. Long-term
identify our basic needs and let the donors know what we programs have long-term benefits, so we don’t want to be
want and not have the donors tell us what they need to do for too brutal about it. But we also need to ask hard questions of
us.” where money is best spent.
Ultimately he says, Pacific Leaders should seek assistance Minister Hawke says monitoring and evaluation frameworks
which will help us move out of our aid dependence. “In the are a partnership. “DFAT does not set them arbitrarily, we do
Pacific our regional organisations, an important part of our work through our missions and partner governments. However
regional architecture are beholden to Australia and would governments do change and priorities do change, things do
never survive without Australia. It is the same with some of shift in program lives… we need to be honest when programs
regional governments.” do succeed or when they are not working and can be.”
“For the Pacific to retain its sovereignty while taking
development assistance from its numerous partners, it should Sen is an independent regional development, governance
know what it wants. Has any government in the Pacific shown and communications consultant.
a real vision in what it wants for its people? The Pacific
Framework for regionalism is rather fancy…. but look at editor@islandsbusiness.com

Islands Business, February 2020 19