Transcript Moldova Poverty Trends 2001/2002

RIGHT OR FIGHT TO
DEVELOPMENT: Role of CSOs in
Trade Policy Processes
MAVUTO BAMUSI
National Coordinator
Human Rights
Consultative
Committee-HRCC
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Summary
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The right to development entails societal
participation in national development policies
including trade policies
Lack of people participation in previous
policies has resulted into policy failures
However, Malawi has for some time been
characterized by the fight to development as
citizens are marginalized and CSOs have to
fight for or beg for participation
Policy Dictatorship
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Policy dictatorship reigns supreme in Malawi where an alliance of
a handful technocrats connive with some donors to determine
national policies for the entire population and invite a few CSOs
for mere document coloring
The right to development means overthrowing the policy dictators
through deliberate empowerment of poor sections of the
population for participation
Donors have to show clear commitment in funding civil society
towards democratic policy processes
Min. of Trade, EP &D and a few others have shown interest to
remove tendencies of policy dictatorship by creating avenues for
people participation
CSO Experiences in Policy Making
Processes –the PRSP
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Initially, CSOs role was less recognized
PRSP was regarded too technical, very
difficult for CSOs to understand
CSOs had to fight our way to participate
However, with challenges as information
could be circulated selectively
Experience of CSOs in policy was another
internal challenge
Citizens were consulted through “helicopter”.
Transition from PRSP to MGDS
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In between was the MEGS
Only Govt and Private sector developed policy
Focused on enhancing pillar 1 of PRSP
No citizen participation
MEGS had nothing on the social aspects of
society like health, education etc
But had linkages to trade, therefore no voice of
CSOs on those trade issues
The MGDS
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MGDS is an amalgamation of the MPRS and the
MEGS
Based on Vision 2020 which emphasized on
participation by all
MGDS launched in 2007 although document ready
in 2006
Formulated through internal consultation within
Govt, and interaction between TWG and MPRS
Review Team
MGDS and Right To Development
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Civil society participation was lower in the MGDS
compared to the MPRS
Government unilaterally came up with the background
document for MGDS formulation
Lesser number of thematic working groups structurally
limited participation not only by the civil society
Time allocated for formulation was restricted
Political directives deciding on the 6 key priorities
metal-jacketed stakeholders thinking more so for a civil
service that is reluctant to question political orders
Role of CSOs in the PRGF
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Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF)
influential on national policy
Right to development in Malawi was, arguably, under
the automation of key institutions like the IMF
PRGF contained conditionality for Malawi’s debt relief
among other objectives
Contained advise on expenditure ceilings, wage
ceilings, recruitment, and pension revisions etc.
PRGF resonated the 23 trigger points that had to be
satisfied for debt relief
PRGF and Right To Development
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Citizen and civil society participation almost no existent
in the PRGF
PRGF designed in Washington boardrooms and
agreed with a handful technocrats in Government to be
handed down to the people (Policy Dictatorship?)
Yet the PRGF was influential in deriving resource
envelopes and expenditure allocations
Malawians were “being shaved in their absence”
This is similar to some trade agreements
CSOs in Trade Policy
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Trade Policies linked to Malawi Foreign Policy
which entails promotion of trade interests
Foreign Policy developed without integrating
the voices of the people
Min. of Foreign Affairs has no clear guidelines
for citizens participation in its processes
CSOs in Unilateral, Regional, and
Trade Arrangements
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Malawi’s policy thrust is trade liberalization
Malawi’s trade liberalized unilaterally through SAPs
over the years
CSOs largely absent in policy decision making
processes related to liberalization
Liberalization agenda has been externally driven
Poorest and small holders have been harmed (MEJN
Study)
CSOs in Bilateral Trade
Agreements
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Malawi has had biggest number of bilateral
agreements in SADC
However, these agreements lack the important
voices of the citizens and majority CSOs
The executive arm of Govt. is supreme over
other players, with private sector being a
favorite
Role of CSOs in SADC and
COMESA Debate
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CSOs voices need to be integrated
CSOs can provide alternative angles from
analytical perspectives
However, Malawi needs to make a choice
between SADC and COMESA
The search for answers on the best options
needs citizens and CSOs
Key CSO Challenges
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-lack of analytical skills and competencies within CSOs
-trade policy regarded as too technical
-inadequate access to information on trade policy
-ideological variances between private sector and CSOs on trade
regime options, e.g. liberalisation vs. state interventionist
approaches
-citizens more interested in issues related to petty trading or mere
vending (micro-level) than the bigger issues of policy
-external influences on trade policy aligns Malawi government
away from CSOs and more to multilateral institutions
Key Demands (Recommendations)
on the Right To Development
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Improvements in societal participation in
national development policies are prerequisite
to the full attainment of people’s right to
development. These improvements can be
influenced by all groups of actors in Malawi
including the Government, donors, and civil
society.
Demands/Recommendations
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Promoting participatory structures instead of
torpedoing them: This involves providing lasting forms
of civil society and citizen participation support beyond
the formulation of national policies.
Integrating civil society in dialogue structures created
for donors and the Malawi government
Malawi Parliament should be recognized as an integral
player in the national development policy processes,
and should therefore be strengthened as well as
increase its interaction with civil society.
Demands/Recommendations
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Societal participation should be strengthened in
development policy reviews and production of periodic
reports.
More attention should be given to the establishment of
legal frameworks for civic participation in national
policies. Effective participation requires more than just
constitutionally guaranteed basic rights. Civil society in
Malawi should be supported with establishment of
Access to information Laws.
Strengthening the legitimacy of the participatory
processes by emphasizing the importance of core
principles like country ownership, involvement of
elected institutions, and the strengthening of civil
society networks.
Demands/Recommendations
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Weak and marginalized sections of the poor Malawian
population need to have a say in national development
policy processes.
Strengthening the ability of the civil society to act: All
donors are called upon to state how strongly they
intend to support the capacities of civil society in the
long run. This issue needs in-depth discussion and
urgent attention as it is illusory to think that civil society
in Malawi will be able to deal with complex
macroeconomic and macro policy issues for national
development without additional resourcing.
Trade Related Recommendations
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-collecting and use of evidence for meaningful participation in
trade policy dialogue and negotiations
-analysing trade policy towards pro-poor regimes
-advocating govt. and donors for people-centred trade policy
-need for more CSO space in actual formulation based on
experiences in PRSP, and MGDS.
-access to information legislation for CSO access to trade
information
-popularising, dissemination of trade policy information to citizens
as a way of demystifying trade from being regarded as a
“technocrats only” area
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Recommendations
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strengthening CSO networking on trade (learn from EPA
collaborations where MEJN, MCC, CISANET, Oxfam, Action Aid,
and others walked together)
-prioritise citizen participation and action on trade policies through
the strengthening of trade weather stations and other community
based networks.
-campaign for the need of strong capacity within Malawi Ministry of
Trade towards enhanced negotiating capacity,
-Enhance the role of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in trade diplomacy
through realistic steps towards career diplomacy with emphasis on
trade and related development oriented international relations
As a matter of urgency!
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Special and urgent recommendation: Any efforts for
attaining the right to development for Malawians largely
depend on the governance environment. Free and fair
elections are a critical component of governance.
Malawi civil society therefore urgently and desperately
requires funding for conducting electoral related
interventions for the fast approaching 2009 General
Elections. Civil society work on elections needs to start
now and not in 2009!