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Dialogue in Pursuit of Development - Are you looking for one of ...

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<strong>Dialogue</strong> is <strong>of</strong>ten considered to be the hub <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />

relations, not the least <strong>in</strong> development co-operation.<br />

However, it is extremely difficult to achieve dialogue, <strong>in</strong> its<br />

true sense, between partners <strong>in</strong> development. Its efficiency<br />

is severely constra<strong>in</strong>ed due to the assymetry <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial and<br />

human resources and knowledge. <strong>Dialogue</strong> <strong>in</strong> development<br />

co-operation is <strong>in</strong> that respect not an <strong>in</strong>teraction between<br />

equals. How to overcome such constra<strong>in</strong>ts is a challenge <strong>for</strong><br />

all actors <strong>in</strong>volved and the ma<strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>quiry <strong>in</strong> this study.<br />

More than twenty practiti<strong>one</strong>rs with long experience <strong>of</strong><br />

work<strong>in</strong>g with development co-operation present personal<br />

reflections and ideas about the concept and process <strong>of</strong><br />

dialogue.<br />

Fourteen factors are s<strong>in</strong>gled out as highly <strong>in</strong>fluenc<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

quality <strong>of</strong> dialogue:<br />

• Who listens?<br />

• Asymmetric relationships<br />

• Asymmetric knowledge<br />

• <strong>Dialogue</strong> capacity<br />

• Women’s participation<br />

• Sensitivity and secrecy<br />

• Ethical consideration and coherence<br />

• Conditionality<br />

• <strong>Dialogue</strong> as a cont<strong>in</strong>uous process<br />

• Trust<br />

• Time<br />

• Cont<strong>in</strong>uity<br />

• Language<br />

• Donor co-ord<strong>in</strong>ation<br />

These factors are discussed with examples from <strong>in</strong>ter alia<br />

Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Mauritius, India and Tanzania.<br />

Sixteen recommendations <strong>for</strong> how dialogue can be<br />

facilitated are identified and center around concepts such as<br />

the dialogue process, capacity development and ownership.<br />

About the editors: Jan Olsson is the Head <strong>of</strong> policy division<br />

at Sida (Swedish International <strong>Development</strong> Co-operation<br />

Agency), Stockholm and Lennart Wohlgemuth is the<br />

Director <strong>of</strong> the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala, Sweden.<br />

Almqvist & Wiksell International ISBN 91-7496-309-0

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