scholarly journals Ownership, Decentralization and Development in Papua New Guinea: Sub National Participation in Aid Effectiveness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Edward Kapi
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Aid Effectiveness ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Paris Declaration ◽  
Decentralized System ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
High Level

<p><b>The debate on aid effectiveness and ineffectiveness continues to remain as a core issue for international development. The endorsement of the Paris Declaration on the principles of aid effectiveness in March 2005 by states and international agencies was a significant milestone in this regard. This declaration involved specific commitments for donors and partner countries and marked a paradigm shift for improving aid effectiveness. The overall aim was to improve the quality of aid and its impact on development and, in particular, recipient countries taking ownership of their development. The ownership principle has been echoed and reaffirmed in the subsequent series of high level forums on aid effectiveness.</b></p> <p>This thesis provides a critical examination of Papua New Guinea’s commitment to aid effectiveness. It examines and analyses aid and development effectiveness at the subnational levels of government. It finds that there is a substantial disjunction between national and subnational levels of government with regard to development ownership. This is demonstrated in current policies and practices, and it largely echoes studies elsewhere in the Pacific region on aid and development. However, in this wider literature, there is little evidence on important policy issues regarding leadership and effective aid and development coordination in a decentralized system of government, and this is where Papua New Guinea (PNG) offers some important new insights. This thesis argues that the subnational levels of government continue to remain isolated from the aid effectiveness discussion despite development ownership efforts and government objectives to practice ownership and leadership through all tiers of government.</p>

scholarly journals Ownership, Decentralization and Development in Papua New Guinea: Sub National Participation in Aid Effectiveness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Edward Kapi
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Aid Effectiveness ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Paris Declaration ◽  
Decentralized System ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
High Level

<p><b>The debate on aid effectiveness and ineffectiveness continues to remain as a core issue for international development. The endorsement of the Paris Declaration on the principles of aid effectiveness in March 2005 by states and international agencies was a significant milestone in this regard. This declaration involved specific commitments for donors and partner countries and marked a paradigm shift for improving aid effectiveness. The overall aim was to improve the quality of aid and its impact on development and, in particular, recipient countries taking ownership of their development. The ownership principle has been echoed and reaffirmed in the subsequent series of high level forums on aid effectiveness.</b></p> <p>This thesis provides a critical examination of Papua New Guinea’s commitment to aid effectiveness. It examines and analyses aid and development effectiveness at the subnational levels of government. It finds that there is a substantial disjunction between national and subnational levels of government with regard to development ownership. This is demonstrated in current policies and practices, and it largely echoes studies elsewhere in the Pacific region on aid and development. However, in this wider literature, there is little evidence on important policy issues regarding leadership and effective aid and development coordination in a decentralized system of government, and this is where Papua New Guinea (PNG) offers some important new insights. This thesis argues that the subnational levels of government continue to remain isolated from the aid effectiveness discussion despite development ownership efforts and government objectives to practice ownership and leadership through all tiers of government.</p>

scholarly journals Siutakahe'ahoafā: Navigating the Kingdom of Tonga's national development priorities under international aid.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faka'iloatonga Taumoefolau
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Development ◽  
National Development ◽  
International Aid ◽  
Aid Effectiveness ◽  
The Political ◽  
Paris Declaration ◽  
Unique Challenge ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
High Level

<p><b>The title of this thesis - Siutaka he ‘aho afā – is interpreted as ‘Day storm voyager’. This title encapsulates the journeys undertaken by the Kingdom of Tonga as it navigates the ocean of international development and the frequent challenges or ‘storms’ it encounters. This research seeks to understand better how Tonga articulates and pursues its national development priorities in the context of international aid. It focuses in particular on Country Programmable Aid to Tonga from Australia and New Zealand in the years 2013-17 and how the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness Principles are applied to Tonga. The main research question addressed is: ‘To what extent are the national development priorities of Tonga shaped or supported by international aid?’ </b></p><p>The research is qualitative in approach and is composed of two sources of data: from in-depth interviews with a range of both Tongan and donor officials; and analysis of key aid and development documents. It examines the political and administrative context of Tonga, highlighting the political environment, changing leadership and the direction set by its strategic goals for development. It then looks in detail at the aid activities of, respectively, Australia and New Zealand, and analyses their various priorities and ways of operating. </p><p>The research uses the five Paris Declaration principles for aid effectiveness as a framework to analyse the way aid relationships and interactions occurred in Tonga over the period. There was generally high-level support for the Paris principles and these supported the idea that the Government of Tonga should ‘own’ its development, by drafting and implementing its development priorities and strategies. This was supported by agreement to abide by the principles of alignment with Tongan systems and Harmonisation amongst donors as well as pursuing practices which enhanced results-based management and accountability. However, in the details of daily interactions and practices, we also saw how these high-level agreements were often diluted or confused. Although Tonga had its own set of priorities, donors continued to choose which of these they would fund, according to their own strategic goals and concerns. Furthermore, given significant issues of capacity to operate effectively in the aid environment, with much onus on Tongan officials and agencies to provide data, report on progress, consult with the public and engage closely with donors, we saw how Tonga often struggled to exert strong and consistent leadership and control of aid-supported development. </p><p>In drawing broader conclusions, the Paris Declaration is found to be a step in the right direction for improving the effectiveness of foreign aid to Tonga. However, what determines the likelihood of effectiveness is multifaceted, and dependent on will, need, and, perhaps most importantly, on Tonga’s leadership. It is found that the most fundamental factor for Tonga – both a unique challenge and a strength - is the enduring resilience of our culture together with our leadership code. </p>

scholarly journals Siutakahe'ahoafā: Navigating the Kingdom of Tonga's national development priorities under international aid.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faka'iloatonga Taumoefolau
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Development ◽  
National Development ◽  
International Aid ◽  
Aid Effectiveness ◽  
The Political ◽  
Paris Declaration ◽  
Unique Challenge ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
High Level

<p><b>The title of this thesis - Siutaka he ‘aho afā – is interpreted as ‘Day storm voyager’. This title encapsulates the journeys undertaken by the Kingdom of Tonga as it navigates the ocean of international development and the frequent challenges or ‘storms’ it encounters. This research seeks to understand better how Tonga articulates and pursues its national development priorities in the context of international aid. It focuses in particular on Country Programmable Aid to Tonga from Australia and New Zealand in the years 2013-17 and how the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness Principles are applied to Tonga. The main research question addressed is: ‘To what extent are the national development priorities of Tonga shaped or supported by international aid?’ </b></p><p>The research is qualitative in approach and is composed of two sources of data: from in-depth interviews with a range of both Tongan and donor officials; and analysis of key aid and development documents. It examines the political and administrative context of Tonga, highlighting the political environment, changing leadership and the direction set by its strategic goals for development. It then looks in detail at the aid activities of, respectively, Australia and New Zealand, and analyses their various priorities and ways of operating. </p><p>The research uses the five Paris Declaration principles for aid effectiveness as a framework to analyse the way aid relationships and interactions occurred in Tonga over the period. There was generally high-level support for the Paris principles and these supported the idea that the Government of Tonga should ‘own’ its development, by drafting and implementing its development priorities and strategies. This was supported by agreement to abide by the principles of alignment with Tongan systems and Harmonisation amongst donors as well as pursuing practices which enhanced results-based management and accountability. However, in the details of daily interactions and practices, we also saw how these high-level agreements were often diluted or confused. Although Tonga had its own set of priorities, donors continued to choose which of these they would fund, according to their own strategic goals and concerns. Furthermore, given significant issues of capacity to operate effectively in the aid environment, with much onus on Tongan officials and agencies to provide data, report on progress, consult with the public and engage closely with donors, we saw how Tonga often struggled to exert strong and consistent leadership and control of aid-supported development. </p><p>In drawing broader conclusions, the Paris Declaration is found to be a step in the right direction for improving the effectiveness of foreign aid to Tonga. However, what determines the likelihood of effectiveness is multifaceted, and dependent on will, need, and, perhaps most importantly, on Tonga’s leadership. It is found that the most fundamental factor for Tonga – both a unique challenge and a strength - is the enduring resilience of our culture together with our leadership code. </p>

scholarly journals ‘Food is life’: Documenting the politics of food in Melanesia

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Ceridwen Spark
Keyword(s):  
Gender Roles ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Population Management ◽  
Creative Performance ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
West Papua ◽  
The Impact

In this article, I discuss two recent examples of women’s filmmaking in Melanesia. The documentaries are Tanah Mama (2014), focused on West Papua and Café Niugini (2015), set in Papua New Guinea. Both films explore and represent food in profoundly different ways. Here, I consider their respective depictions of food, demonstrating that Tanah Mama represents food as sustenance while Café Niugini renders food as ‘cuisine’ through the ‘creative performance’ of cookery. Nevertheless, and as I argue, both documentaries reflect the filmmakers’ interest in representing issues associated with food in the Pacific, including the importance of Indigenous access to land, population management, gender roles and the impact of changing cultural values on food consumption and health.

scholarly journals Strengthening the Effectiveness of Aid Delivery in Teacher Education: A Fiji Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Donasiano Kalou Ruru
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Development ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
National Development ◽  
International Aid ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Aid Effectiveness ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Paris Declaration ◽  
The Pacific

<p>As a result of increasing development challenges and higher aid allocations to the Pacific, questions of aid effectiveness have become increasingly important. Efforts to professionalise aid delivery tools have been accompanied by debates over whether delivery tools are effective and compatible with more democratic and empowering relationships with beneficiaries. My research examines the effectiveness of international aid to teacher development, using the AusAID funded projects at Lautoka Teachers' College as a case study and the Fiji College of Advanced Education as background study. The conditions governing aid delivery mechanisms are explored, including logical frameworks, participatory processes, and financial probity. These conditions have been drawn from the 'Paris Declaration of Aid Effectiveness' and each is considered to be critical if aid effectiveness is to be enhanced and the investment sustained. Based on participatory research methodology, carried out through 'talanoa sessions', semià à ¢ structured interviews, and analysis of programme documents, the study explored the extent to which aid programmes and management practices are constrained by donor conditions, succeed in meeting their stated aims, and what sort of unintended consequences are generated. Further, the research identified how aid can best improve future aid to the Fiji education system through its delivery, impact and sustainability for national development, as laid out in the Pacific Principles of Aid Effectiveness The study also highlights the growing convergence between the 'aid donors' interests' and 'aid recipients' needs'. The debate on this relationship is necessary to reinvigorate thinking on the effectiveness of aid delivery for Fiji. The study draws up a practical framework, an aid bure designed as a heuristic device to assess the effectiveness of aid delivery for Fiji. The model may also be relevant to the wider Pacific context, and contribute to the global quest for a concrete guide to best practice which above all will continue to foster more sensitive, effective and enduring links between recipient countries and international aid donors.</p>

The World’s Oldest Tsunami Victim at the Gateway to the Pacific—and Beyond

Tsunami ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 37-48
Author(s):  
James Goff ◽  
Walter Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Mass Graves ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The World ◽  
The Pacific Ocean ◽  
Settlement Abandonment

The 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami was a significant puzzle for scientists who finally cracked the cause, but it also marks the most recent event of many that can be dated back to at least 6,000 years ago where the skull of the oldest tsunami victim in the world was found. Papua New Guinea was also the starting point for the most remarkable navigational feat in the world, with Polynesians moving rapidly east into the Pacific Ocean, their settlement of the region being punctuated by hiatuses caused by catastrophic tsunamis approximately 3,000, 2,000, and 600 years ago. It was on isolated Pacific islands that humans first came into contact with the deadly Pacific Ring of Fire. Settlement abandonment, mass graves, and cultural collapse mark their progress.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document