Accountability in Aid Effectiveness
By Charles Mutasa, AFRODAD
The paper discusses three levels of accountability needed to ensure aid effectiveness. These are Accountability of international financial institutions (IFIs) and donors, Accountability of Governments and CSOs and Accountability among CSOs.
The author emphasise that although IFIs and donors have stated their commitments to poverty reduction, aid continues to be strongly determined by other interests. In that sense, for mutual accountability to be viable reform of the IFIs is fundamental.
Regarding the relationships between Governments and CSOs, the author points out that governments find it difficult and expensive to consult the broad masses. In the South, civil society ability to engage government policy is very limited and when it occurs it tends to be restricted to middle class groups (mostly NGOs more than community based- groups) presenting the challenge of giving the poor a voice.
The article also states the importance of accountability among and within CSOs. CSOs should be accountable to donors, governments and foundations, to beneficiaries, to the organisation’s own staff and mission, and to peers”
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