Multilateral initiatives have recently flourished to overhaul development cooperation and finance landscape. Amongst others, the alliance for financial inclusion launched in 2008 and the publication of the report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda in May 2013 can be mentioned. Public authorities and donors are increasingly seeking out efficient forms of aid delivery and implementation and new concepts emerge from this general “brainstorming”, such as the “resilience” which boosts the impacts of aid and promotes sustainable development while creating a link between humanitarian and development assistance.
The participation of the private sector is also considered to be a solution to fulfill development policies with significant long-lasting impacts and benefits in regards to public objectives and expectations. One of the most successful forms of this involvement is enabled through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). Setting aside the traditional definition of PPPs, it is worth observing them as a long-term and close cooperation between public and private sectors with risk-sharing and without immediate profit-making goal, which make them clearly appear as an important vehicle to address development needs in a wide range of issues (food and nutrition, access to education, care and health facilities, culture services, etc.).
Furthermore, projects coordinated by both public and private stakeholders (through partnerships, consortia, etc.) provide all parties involved with benefits through, for instance, a maximization of the input of private sector skills and expertise, the alignment of private sector activities with policies objectives or the clarification of public authorities required outcomes. Moreover, exchanges of best practices are fostered through PPPs, and those have proved to be a good basis to develop successful and innovative programmes.
Developing PPPs can also be considered as a way to strengthen transparency in project implementation. Both parties are linked together and through their involvement within the programme are committed to predetermined rules and practices. Transparency is a critical component for maintaining a clear focus on results and accountability and for building up a relationship of trust and a quality dialogue between all stakeholders (including citizens of developing countries).
On November 6th, in Brussels, this sixth Policies and Practices’ session will focus on:- The definition and characteristics of an efficient PPP to implement development policies- The role of PPPs to reach and fulfill development policies’ objectives- The rules and guidelines to ensure transparency within development policies, in particular in the context of PPPs, and how to best enforce them”More information, registration and source : Policies and Practices