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Partnerships for development have become increasingly important for implementing ICT4D initiatives. But despite at least 15 years of such activities, organizations keep reinventing the wheel, and there is little agreement on the real benefits that such partnerships can offer.Join GBI and special guest speaker Tim Unwin, as we explore:• what makes ICT4D partnerships successful,• how they can be designed formaximum impact,• how they have evolved, and• when alternative arrangementswould be more effective.Featured SpeakerTim Unwin, CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization
Citation preview
Multi-stakeholder partnerships for ICT4D: in whose interest?
Reflections for USAID, 27th March 2012
Tim Unwin Chief Executive Officer
CTO
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
No-one ever enters a partnership without interests!
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Outline
• Context • Origins of PPPs • Why partnerships and ICT4D? • A move to MSPs • Key success factors • Defining interests • Will partnerships really deliver
better development outcomes in ICT4D?
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Context
• Rural development, ICTs, learning, Critical Theory…
• Imfundo: Partnerships for IT in Education (Africa)
• World Economic Forum’s Partnerships for Education initiative with UNESCO
• Systematic review for DFID on impact of ICT4D partnerships (2011)
• GEI review (2012)
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Origins of partnerships: Public and Private
• A new world order: economic growth and liberal democracy – Following the overthrow of the Soviet Union
• UK Private Finance Initiative 1992 – Investment by private sector in public infrastructure – Risk sharing by states with the private sector
• A European phenomenon – 1990-2009 1340 PPPs
• Why should this not also work for ‘development’? • MDG8 target (f) – ICTs and partnerships
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Early ICT development partnerships
Most were indeed Public-Private – Imfundo’s origins
• Under-theorised – Many had little understanding of conceptual issues
• Little empirical experience – Most kept reinventing the wheel (and still do!)
• Private sector actively urging engagement with governments
• WSIS 2003 and 2005 – First major UN summit with substantial private sector
engagement
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
These background factors have had lasting effects on ICT4D partnerships
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Why partnerships specifically in the field of ICT4D?
• Complexity of ICT4D initiatives – Need different skills sets
o Technical o Development
• Most government officials lack understanding of technical aspects of ICT4D – Thus require private sector capacity
• Private sector driver of globalisation – Business solution for sustainability
• Formalising role of WSIS
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Two extreme models: circular and linear
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Circular: sustainability of the partnership
IBLF and Ros Tennyson
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Linear: focus on development impact
World Economic Forum’s GEI by Tom Cassidy
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
The move towards multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) • Some attempts to ‘impose’ a one-size fits all
model – But growing recognition that this is not appropriate
• PPPs widely seen as – Failing to deliver in practice – Concerns over coalition of interests between the
private sector and the state (Martens, 2007)
• The role of civil society – Central to effective ICT4D implementation
• Increased attention to MSPs – And PPP now often used for contractual
arrangements
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Martens’ (2007) eight risks of partnerships
• Influence of business in shaping political discourse
• Risks to reputation – choosing the wrong partner
• Distorting competition • Fragmentation of global governance • Unstable financing • Dubious complementarity • Sensitivity – governance gaps remain • Trends towards elite models of governance
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
DFID systematic review: success factors
1. Local context and local stakeholders involved 2. Clear intended development outcomes 3. Scalability and sustainability focus from start 4. Key importance of
– Trust – Honesty – Openness – Mutual understanding – Respect
5. Supportive wider ICT environment
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
DFID systematic review: challenges with process
• Remarkably few good evaluations • Diversity of methodologies causes great
difficulties in comparing evaluations • Very few baseline studies
– It is extremely difficult to say anything about impact
• Much “wish-fulfillment” – Very difficult to detect wider impact and unintended
consequences
• Success criteria vary for different partners – Re-emphasises concerns with “interests”
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Partnership challenges: evidence from the GEI
• Ensuring long-term sustainability • Underestimating difficulty in reaching
common goals and activities • Balancing the different interests of the
stakeholders • Determining the levels of contribution
from each partner • Identifying the resources needed • Co-operation between private sector
and national bodies is needed • Monitoring and evaluation often left to
the end
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Reflections from the GEI
• The need for high-level leadership • The role of a partnership broker
– Trusted and neutral – Knowledgeable about development outcomes
• Must start with agreement on intended development outcomes
• Central role of government ministries • Effective project management • Adequate resourcing • Consistent strategy and flexible delivery • Effective internal and external communications
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
In whose interest?
• Private Sector – Markets and sales – Innovative ideas and labour – Influencing geopolitical agendas
• Governments – Financing and risk reduction – Getting re-elected
• Civil Society – Raising international profiles – Delivering on needs of supporters
• Bilateral donors and international agencies – Delivering on development agendas
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
If development outcomes are achieved, does it matter if benefits are unevenly distributed?
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Resolving partnership interests
• Transparency throughout – Especially in interests
• Built around resource supply and demand framework
• Shared agreement on development objectives from the very beginning
• Clear allocation of financial resources
• Managing expectations
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Discussion
http://turkmenistan.usembassy.gov/usaid20110719b.html
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Exemplification of benefits (supply) and needs (demand) framework
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Towards a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership model
Demand partners
Supply partners: each has a niche role
Govern-ments
Local private sector
Private sector
Bilateral donors
Civil Society
Internat-ional agencies
Contributions
Expectations
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
The types of partner
Demand Supply End Beneficiaries
Local Partners Funding agencies
Private Sector Civil Society Organisations
Research Institutions
International Organisations
Local communities; p e o p l e w ith disabilities; teachers; health workers; learners
National and regional governments; local private sector; local c i v i l s o c i e t y organisations; religious groups
Multilateral and bilateral donors; International Financial Institutions; Charitable foundations
Companies providing hardware, software, networking, content, infrastructure, media organisations
Community action g roups ; non-governmental organisations; voluntary organisations; international advocacy and relief agencies; religious groups
Universities; consultancies; knowledge providers; innovators
Global organisations s u c h a s UNESCO; GeSCI; UN ICT Tas k Force
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Contributions and benefits
• Partnership contributions – Human resources – Physical ICT resources – Social networks – Infrastructures – Financial contributions
• Partner benefits – Corporate identity – Networking opportunities – Economic returns – Research and development opportunities
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Human resource contributions
Demand Supply End Beneficiaries
Local Partners Funding agencies
Private Sector
Civil Society Organisations
Research Institutions
International Organisations
Partnership Contributions Human resources § Knowledge
of relevant demands
§ Linguistic skills
§ Cultural sensitivity
§ Labour § Knowledge
of relevant health and educational initiatives
§ Technical support § Indigenous
knowledges § Cultural sensitivity § Linguistic skills § Labour § Capacity building
skills
§ Expertise in ‘development’ practice
§ Procurement expertise
§ Advisory capacity
§ Staff skilled in technology
§ Media skills § Project
manage-ment skills
§ Network engineering skills
§ Training expertise
§ Research and develop-ment skills
§ Staff secondment
§ Technical support
§ Expertise in delivery of practical activities
§ Local knowledge and networks
§ Knowledge of development practices
§ Project management
§ Linguistic skills
§ Advocacy skills
§ Staff secondment
§ Generic research skills
§ Knowledge of information and resources
§ Teaching and capacity building skills
§ Monitoring and evaluation skills
§ Staff secondment
§ Expertise in ICT and ‘development’
§ Expertise in delivery of educational initiatives
§ Lobbying expertise
© Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
Corporate Identity Benefits
Demand Supply End Beneficiaries
Local Partners Funding agencies
Private Sector
Civil Society Organisations
Research Institutions
International Organisations
Benefits of Partnership Corporate Identity § Opportunity
for enhanced visibility of poverty agendas
§ Raised international profile f o r l o c a l businesses and organisations
§ Opportunity to deliver on core mission to reduce poverty
§ Through local partnerships helping to ensure relevance and sustainability
§ Delivery on Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility targets
§ Raising brand identity internationally
§ Visible contribution t o a country’s economy
§ Delivery on core mission to reduce poverty through ICT activities
§ Increased international visibility
§ For some, opportunity to deliver on commitment to Knowledge for All
§ Opportunity to deliver o n core mission to reduce poverty
§ Through local partnerships helping to ensure relevance and sustainability