8/11/2019 Conflict and contestation in the war and post war development: Reflections from Nepal

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Conflict and contestation in war and post-war development:

Reflection on role of development partners in Nepal

Bishnu Raj Upreti

Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research

Kathmandu

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Outline of the presentation

1. The context

2. Major contestations and conflict in post-war

development

3. Rhetoric and realities of aid in development:

reflections from actual implementation

4. Responses from the government

5. Conclusion

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Major post-war development contestations

1. donors’ commitments and actual implementation of developmentprogrammes

2. conceptual and theoretical understanding

3. government’s policies and implementation

4. Understandings of development

5. Political parties’ commitments and actual delivery 

6. Political ideological contestation

7. ethnic and geographical fronts

8. Others

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3

Rhetoric and realities of aid in development reflections

from actual implementation

1. Commitments (Rhetoric):1. OECD and DAC Guidelines

2. The Paris Declaration

1. ownership-development strategy from/with parliament andelectorate2. alignment- donors to support these strategies,3. harmonization- work to streamline their efforts in-country 

4. result- works to be directed to achieving goals and5. mutual accountability- donors and recipients jointly

responsible for achieving these goals)3. Accra Agenda for Action4. Busan Partnership/Commitment in the situations of conflict and

fragility (‘New Deals’);

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2. Rhetoric s and realities of aid in development: reflection from

actual implementation-2

Realities : Some examples of serious contestations over major post-

conflict activities of donors (neutrality and impartiality)

1. UNMIN (United Nations Mission in Nepal): Written protest by theGoN against the UNMIN report to UNSC, NA opposed, NC opposed

2. Constitution making support to interest groups: about 120 million $• 40 % of time of CA members spent on donor funded activities

(international visits, workshops, meetings etc)• Numerous constitutions produced by interests groups

confusion and contradictions3. Support for inclusion [Social Inclusion Research Fund (SRIF) by

Norway  contestation as new form of exclusion

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3. Rhetoric s and realities of aid in development: reflection from

actual implementation-2

Realities ---2

3. Janajati Empowerment Project (JEP) for National Federation of

Indigenous nationalities-Nepal (NEFIN) by DFID]

IRIN Report [26/02/2013] “Dissent in Nepal over the role of ethnicity in a

post-conflict state has put donor agencies under increased scrutiny,with politicians and analysts accusing them of meddling, taking sidesand circumventing the government to push an agenda of “social

cohesion”.

“We got a lot of criticism from all sides. We took the brunt [from allsections of society including marginalized groups, citizens, media and

political parties] saying we interfered or didn’t do enough,” said thedirector of DFID, in Nepal

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3. Rhetoric s and realities of aid in development: reflection from

actual implementation-2

Realities ---3

4. Politics of INGOs registering as national NGOs ActionAid Int.

• Severe objection from NGO federation

• Intention questioned (compete with NGOs for funding)

•

Ministry of Home Affairs did not allow registration

5. Donors’ staff recruitment practice; another form of exclusion

• Increasing feeling of injustice

•

Interpreted by opposition as against Nepal’s constitution

• Growing opposition

6. Formation of Caucus inside the CA and societal radicalisation from the donors

support

• Severely questioned the intention of donors to fund for caucus

• Role of caucus was highly contested and dominated political process

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4. Responses from government

Government’s new policy in dealing with development cooperation :

• Vikas Sahayata Niti 2071 (Development Cooperation Policy 2014)• 2014 April 6 14-point instructions of Chief Secretary on

“increasing the effectiveness of foreign assistance mobilization and

utilization”. Few experts•assistance only for medium and big projects• International consultants only for locally unavailable experts• Don’t put provision for financing foreign study and visits from

foreign assistance funds.• Don’t put provision of procuring expensive, luxurious vehicles,equipments• accountability of advisors and consultants to perform their taskswithin scheduled time

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5. Conclusions

Though aid is crucially needed for post-conflict development in Nepal to achieve

peace and stability, it can introduce enormous challenges and complications if not

handled properly

Donors in Nepal are using a framework of ‘convenience’ instead of abiding by the

internal commitment to aid effectiveness (Paris Principles of aid effectiveness,

Accra Plan of Action and Busan Commitments have yet to translate into reality)

Donors in Nepal are sharply criticised for their alleged engagement in political

activities, lack of transparency and accountability and biases towards certain

groups and against other groups

Weak state and poor governance are the factors contributing to existing structures

of donor engagement in Nepal

Introspection and self-reflection is needed by aid agencies and INGOs

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