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the establishment of the Na� onal Compact. The Forum should be a loose
pla� orm, as informal as possible and as inclusive as the current discussions
wants aid to be. The representa� on of Na� onal, Interna� onal, local
organiza� ons should be ensured together with ins� tu� onal stakeholders,
star� ng from the Government of Nepal and external development partners.
The issue of representa� on could be a thorny one but the door should be
open to all organiza� ons willing to work on prac� cal and result oriented way.
Those interested to work on a be� er aid framework at local level should be
welcome.
The risk to use this Forum for old and present recrimina� ons is real one
and a simple code of conduct could be prepared in order to be� er clarify the
purposes of the Forum. Those willing to join the Forum will be compelled
to sign up the code of conduct, leaving out any space for bickering on false
misunderstandings.
This will not be an easy endeavor as historical diff erences among
stakeholders might impede the kick off of a serious na� onal debate. Self
interest might prevail in order to derail the en� re process. Not only the
external development donors should play an ac� ve role but also the
Government of Nepal through the Social Welfare Council. The fi nal outcome
might be uncertain but it is worthy a try.
Towards a Global Compact
In quest of establishing the na� onal compacts, the Global Compact on
Grassroots Aid Eff ec� veness could off er minimum standards for bringing aid
eff ec� veness at local level through a set of principles and benchmarks. The
methodology should be clear with a bo� om up approach prevailing through
discussions for a Global Compact being held among diff erent na� onal civil
society pla� orms that already have come up with a set of na� onal compacts.
The Siem Reap CSO Consensus on the Interna� onal Framework for CSO
Development Eff ec� veness could be a good base for discussions although it
will need legi� macy at country levels through tangible results in enhancing
local accountability framework.
At the same � me, once a substan� al “Coali� on of the Willing” will
emerge from developing countries, there will be the scope to discuss the
global framework that once fi nalized could off er a global benchmark for the
civil socie� es around the world who are s� ll lagging behind in the quest for
a na� onal pact on local aid eff ec� veness.
The Global Compact should be detailed enough to ensure consistency
in the fi nal pursuit of be� er aid at local level but should not be prescrip� ve
and should off er wide margins of fl exibility and re-adapta� on for local
interpreta� ons. Na� onal compacts emerging from the Global Compact
will have the fl exibility to be shaped and nourished according to their own
na� onal features and context.
The exis� ng civil society networks currently involved in the aid debate
should take the lead in discussing and framing the Global Compact. Are they
really ready to take up this challenge?
Changing paradigms of aid eff ec� veness in Nepal 87