How can the international community advance the implementation of a Coherent, Coordinated and Complementary (3C) approach in fragile states? This paper from the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ outlines the findings of previous OECD-DAC studies on whole of government approaches as well as the main recommendations of three thematic meetings in 2008. While progress has been made, a number of challenges remain, including how to develop common objectives for diplomatic, defence, security, finance and development actions.
The particularly complex and severe development challenges of fragile situations require joined up and coherent action by political, economic, security and development actors within and among governments and organisations. Donor countries need to adopt coherent policies and a ‘whole of government’ approach (WGA). A WGA is considered to contribute to the overall objective of longer-term development and stability in fragile states at a lower overall fiscal cost; it reduces the risk of objectives either being compromised, or simply not being met; and coherent policies and activities are generally considered to have greater legitimacy in the eyes of recipient countries.
Previous OECD-DAC studies on whole of government approaches as well as three thematic meetings in 2008 have identified the following with regard to what is needed to achieve WGA:
- Only where the political level (ministers/Cabinet) provides consistent guidance and leadership, do officials of the various departments and agencies feel motivated and at ease to creatively find innovative ways of working together.
- For donors to effectively support highly political and complex change processes in fragile situations in an integrated manner, clear (political) guidelines or frameworks for staff formulating and deciding on the processes is required.
- It is recognised that there is no “one-size-fits-all” strategy for addressing state fragility; there is a need for developing practical, country-specific approaches for engagement in fragile situations that link the activities of the different actors involved to a set of broader, common country-specific objectives.
- In the OECD-DAC policy workstream, progress has been made on WGAs. Less progress has been made on processes for agreeing common objectives and on leadership arrangements for effective whole of government work.
- Considerable gaps remain between what has been agreed in principle and the practice of implementation.
A number of challenges remain to be addressed by the international community on its path to a 3C approach in fragile and conflict situations:
- The WGA workstream needs to consider several strategic issues including how to develop common objectives for diplomatic, defence, security, finance and development actions.
- Taking into account these strategic issues, some issues of a fundamental character present themselves. For example, one can question whether the development of common objectives is sufficient to achieve a true unity of effort.
- The challenge of an effective division of roles and tasks within the international architecture to address situations of fragility and conflict remains on the agenda. Tentatively, a number of elements of a future division of roles that may be effective are starting to transpire internationally, and these are worth exploring further.
- There is also need for clarity in concepts, as a large number of concepts are being used to describe both process and content.
