Gunilla Carlsson: This is how I'm going to open up development cooperation
Modernity, effectiveness and transparency. This is what Gunilla Carlsson wanted when she launched the debate on fresh thinking, transparency and participation in development cooperation earlier in the autumn. For one hundred days, work has been under way to find methods to fight corruption, make development cooperation more effective and create greater transparency and better results.
Photographer: Katarina Tracz
At an all-day seminar Wednesday the 9th of December on the future of development cooperation, the Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson presented an eight-point programme for how this is to be achieved.
Active transparency, active anti-corruption, the courage to speak out and more economists. These were some of the points in the reform concerning the future of development cooperation that Ms Carlsson presented this wednesday. However, the presentation of the eight-point programme was the last item on the agenda of a day filled with discussions.
Transparent vision of the future
The all-day seminar entitled 'How do we create modern, effective and transparent development cooperation?' began with Ms Carlsson outlining her vision of Swedish development cooperation in 2015. This included, among other things, development cooperation daring to be have a narrow target, being based on knowledge and open to scrutiny by everyone.
The next point on the programme was a lecture by Hans Rosling, professor in international health at Karolinska institutet and founder of the Gapminder foundation. He pointed to an updated view of the world as the most important path to better development cooperation. Dividing countries up into industrialised and developing countries is outdated, said Rosling, who illustrated his thesis with the help of animated data from Gapminder.
Innovative proposals
In the next lecture, Gunilla Törnqvist, Director-General of the Swedish Agency for Development Evaluation (Sadev), presented '10 innovative proposals for effective development cooperation in a world where corruption is a fact of life'.
"If I were allowed to make just one proposal. it would be for greater transparency," said Ms Törnqvist. She did, however, give a detailed presentation of the ten points below, and how they could be implemented:
1. See and recognise that the core of development cooperation is money.
2. See and proceed from the reality.
3. Adapt the use of money to the reality.
4. Streamline and strengthen the organisation.
5. Ensure that every function is equipped for the task.
6. Use and develop compliance with the UNCAC.
7. Strengthen the entire legal chain from reporting to repayment demands.
8. Better communication in both word and deed.
9. Work on leadership and attitudes.
10. Establish an international anti-corruption commission.
This is why development cooperation is being opened up
After lunch, it was once again the turn of the Minister for International Development Cooperation to talk about the future of development cooperation. This time she focused on why she initiated the project to open up development cooperation. According to Ms Carlsson, development cooperation can be seen from two perspectives: from the perspective of the Swedish taxpayer who works an average of 24 minutes per week for development cooperation; and from the perspective of the poor person to whom development cooperation is supposed to be of benefit. Both have to know that the money has been used for the right purposes, the Minister said.
"For me, this is a key issue of accountability, one of democracy's most important functions", said Ms Carlsson.
The future of development cooperation
Before the day was brought to a close, the participants were able to take part in five different workshops that looked at their visions of, and proposals for, the future of development cooperation. The topics of the workshops were: Development cooperation is to be opened up, but how?; Micro-credits are just the beginning, what other help for self-help tools are there?; What role can the business sector, innovators and entrepreneurs play in modern development cooperation?; eDevelopment cooperation and digital democratisation, what is possible?; and Good news from Africa over the last ten years. How does Sweden use the Policy for Global Development and development cooperation to strengthen the positive trend?
After the workshop sessions, all participants gathered for a joint discussion where they had the opportunity to present conclusions and innovative proposals from each group.
The day ended with Ms Carlsson presenting her eight-point programme.
"Today I wanted to expose some of the shortcomings in Swedish development cooperation; we are the best, but we can be better!"
