BHOS-beleidsnota
Reactie
| Naam | SNV (SNV I.R.A.C. Stalpers) |
|---|---|
| Plaats | Den Haag |
| Datum | 14 april 2022 |
Vraag1
(see english below)Nexus (samenhang) Ontwikkelingssamenwerking & Buitenlandse Handel
Het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven kan door middel van handel, investeringen en marktkracht een belangrijke rol spelen bij een aantal van de grote wereldwijde uitdagingen van deze tijd. Om de Nederlandse inzet richting het bedrijfsleven een focus mee te geven wordt gekozen voor een focus op de “twin-transities”; de digitale transitie (via onder meer artificiële intelligentie) en de verduurzamingtransitie. Deze twin-transities op digitale innovatie en verduurzaming zullen de komende jaren een grote rol spelen om de Parijs en Glasgow-doelen voor klimaat te halen. Die doelen moeten we in Nederland halen, maar ook wereldwijd. Hoewel er een grote behoefte is aan Nederlandse expertise en investeringen, zien we dat meer nodig kan zijn om het Nederlandse bedrijven te betrekken bij deze transities in (lage en) midden-inkomenslanden.
1. Hoe kan het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven meer betrokken worden bij de twin-transitie in (lage en) midden-inkomenslanden?
(EN)
Nexus between development cooperation and foreign trade
Through their trade, investment and market position, Dutch businesses can play a key role in tackling some of the major challenges facing the world today. The focus of Dutch policy vis-a-vis the private sector will be on the 'twin transitions' of digitalisation (including artificial intelligence) and sustainability – both of which will be key to achieving the Paris and Glasgow climate goals in the years ahead. We must achieve these goals not only in the Netherlands, but across the world as a whole. While Dutch expertise and investment funding are in great demand, we also see that more may be needed when it comes to getting Dutch companies involved in these transitions in low- and middle-income countries.
1. How can we increase the involvement of Dutch companies in the twin transitions in low- and middle-income countries?
SNV believes that international businesses and related supply channels in developing countries can contribute more significantly to furthering climate goals, poverty alleviation and in advancing progress towards the SDG’s. We notice increased stated interest among Dutch companies, both larger and smaller, to be more extensively involved. We also continue to note barriers to investing in more peripheral, poorer and more fragile geographies where different mechanisms to underwrite risks, more flexible partnership configurations and longer timeframes are required. In our interconnected world, true ‘sustainability’ cannot be secured unless the benefits from trade are experienced inclusively. Therefore, the trade agenda must continue to identify opportunities to reach those at risk of being left behind, with Dutch ODA money being used explicitly to reduce this gap.
Specifically, we recommend:
1.1 Greater support to blended financing models that enable larger volumes of grant-based ODA mon-ies for technical assistance, relationship strengthening and capacity building, to be leveraged with pri-vate sector capital
1.2 Developing more effective Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in furtherance of scaling impact
1.3 Deepening involvement of specific digitalisation expertise, for example through the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) and research institutes, whilst ensuring initiatives in furtherance of digitalisation do not leave the most marginalised and those lacking access to technologies and capacities – especially women – further behind.
See PDF document attached for further details.
Vraag2
Nederland kent een lange traditie van publieke private samenwerking. Nu de mondiale uitdagingen steeds groter worden, is het van belang deze publiek-private samenwerkingen te verdiepen en te versnellen. De duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen zijn in 2015 vastgesteld als actieplan voor overheden, bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en burgers om duurzame ontwikkeling te verwezenlijken wereldwijd.2. Hoe kunnen overheid, bedrijfsleven en kennisinstellingen beter samenwerken om de duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen te halen?
(EN)
The Netherlands has a long tradition of public-private partnership. As the global challenges grow ever bigger, it is important to deepen and accelerate these partnerships. The Sustainable Development Goals were presented in 2015 as a plan of action for governments, companies, knowledge institutions and private individuals to achieve sustainable development worldwide.
2. How can government, the private sector and knowledge institutions work together better to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
SNV sees increasingly constrained ODA budgets at a time of increased global challenges. At the same time, we notice -despite serious efforts- unused ‘development capacity’ in the form of a highly fragmented donor and de-velopment actor landscape, unharnessed potential from utilising fewer strategically chosen partners, unused relevant research findings and untapped business interests to reach the Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP).
Therefore, we call for:
2.1 More strategic partnerships across borders and sectors that would enable more effective collaborative ef-forts. SNV believes defragmentation and longer-term projects/programmes (10-15 years) are needed to go beyond narrow project impact towards sustained systemic change, in furtherance of the SDGs.
2.2 Increase evidence-based and data driven decision making, with greater recognition of the importance of joint learning and knowledge sharing between the 'Dutch Diamond' i.e. government, private sector, research institutes and NGOs.
2.3 Exploration of opportunities to be innovative in establishing success / impact metrics that work for both political cycles, business needs and long-term benefits.
2.4 Strengthen governance at local levels. SNV experience shows where different stakeholders truly feel ownership and come to common action plans, impact is more extensive and more sustainable. This requires extensive knowledge and embedding within local contexts.
See PDF document attached for further details.
Vraag3
Nederland heeft sinds 2016 een actieplan beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling. Beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling heeft als doel om in niet-hulp (OS) beleid schade voor ontwikkelingslanden te verminderen en synergiën en samenwerking te versterken. Het Nederlandse actieplan is in 2018 herzien en geeft een overzicht van vijf Nederlandse beleidsthema’s die een invloed hebben op de ontwikkelingskansen in ontwikkelingslanden. Deze thema’s zijn: (1) het tegengaan van belastingontwijking/ontduiking, (2) ontwikkelingsvriendelijke handelsakkoorden, (3) een ontwikkelingsvriendelijk investeringsregime, (4) verduurzaming van productie en handel en (5) het tegengaan van klimaatverandering.3. Hoe kan de bovengenoemde Nederlandse inzet op beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling verder versterkt of verbeterd worden?
(EN)
The Netherlands has had an action plan on policy coherence for development since 2016. The aim of policy coherence is to reduce the negative effects on developing countries caused by policies in areas other than development, and to strengthen synergies and cooperation. The action plan, which was revised in 2018, identifies five Dutch policy themes that can enhance developing countries’ opportunities for development: (1) combating tax avoidance/evasion, (2) development-friendly trade agreements, (3) a development-friendly investment regime, (4) more sustainable production and trade, and (5) combating climate change.
3. How can the Netherlands’ efforts to achieve policy coherence for development be further strengthened or enhanced?
SNV embraces the importance of more collaborative, joint programming and overall policy coherence within the context of Netherlands’ programming, alongside the policy frameworks of other like-minded development actors, including harmonisation of efforts, as agreed in the Paris declaration of 2015. This should include better utilising country structures to implement aid programmes rather than parallel structures created by donors. This provides opportunities for more effective and efficient development cooperation, especially as the development staff capacity of EU Member States is reducing.
Therefore, we recommend:
1.1 Championing and supporting more effective and strategic participation in Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) through country-based working groups as well as in Brussels (among others the Practitioners Network), resulting in more efficient, co-funded programmes through EU.
1.2 Strengthening bilateral cooperation between EU Member States with whom DGIS has common objectives and aligned priorities, resulting in basket funded and/or co-funded programmes on a bilateral basis.
3.1 More strategic linking to Team Europe, stimulating a programme approach.
With “Building Back Better” at the core of Team Europe, TEIs can directly contribute to the Netherlands’ trade and investment agenda while supporting defragmentation (more efficient joint programming & implementation instead of projectisation), coherence between trade and aid, strengthened coordination, synergies and complementarity; all in furtherance of greater impact. More effective Dutch foreign trade and development cooperation could be enabled by enhanced and more inclusive technical and financial cooperation. Thus, it could be jointly programmed and implemented through TEIs and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe*. For this purpose, relevant TEIs would be aligned with the Dutch and broader EU priorities such as the Green Deal, energy transition and climate adaptation; investing in green(ing) and resilient SMEs for youth and women (e.g. in the dedicated Africa strategy); green growth with larger businesses and investments and, in doing so, working better with European DFIs such as FMO on aggregated investment models / blended finance facility (as in the DFCD ); and digitalisation.
See PDF document attached for further details.
Vraag4
Buitenlandse HandelInternationale handel en investeringen zijn van groot belang voor de Nederlandse welvaart en werkgelegenheid. De Nederlandse welvaart wordt voor een derde verdiend door internationale handel en een derde van onze banen zijn verbonden aan internationale handel. Onze internationale concurrentiepositie is onderhevig aan de “twin-transities” (digitalisering/innovatie en klimaat/duurzaamheid) en verschuivende geopolitieke verhoudingen. Het is voor Nederland van groot belang om het verdienvermogen te versterken nu en in de toekomst.
Strategisch en duurzaam handelsbeleid
In anticipatie op de geopolitieke en transitie-ontwikkelingen sturen ook buitenlandse staten sterker op hun nationale en internationale beleid. Zo passen staten in toenemende mate assertievere economische diplomatie toe en zetten zij economische machtsinstrumenten in om hun internationale doelen na te jagen. Nederland kan hierin niet achter blijven. De verwevenheid van ons land met de rest van de wereld is groter en kwetsbaarder dan ooit. Als onderdeel van een samenhangend buitenland beleid, zal Nederland zich toeleggen op een strategisch en duurzaam handelsbeleid.
4. Hoe kan de overheid het duurzame verdienvermogen van Nederlandse bedrijven in het buitenland versterken?
Foreign trade
International trade and investment are crucial to prosperity and jobs in the Netherlands. International trade accounts for a third of our national income and is linked to a third of our jobs. But our international competitiveness faces risks posed by the twin transitions (digitalisation/innovation and climate/sustainability) and the shifting geopolitical balance of power. It is therefore vital for the Netherlands to strengthen its earning capacity, both now and in the future.
Strategic and sustainable trade policy
Other states are also anticipating the above-mentioned transitions and geopolitical shifts, and are adjusting their national and international policies accordingly, for instance by pursuing their international objectives through more aggressive economic diplomacy and the use of economic instruments of power. The Netherlands cannot afford to fall behind. Our country’s interconnections with the rest of the world are both greater and more fragile than ever. The Netherlands will therefore focus on strategic and sustainable trade policy as part of its coherent foreign policy.
4. How can the government strengthen Dutch companies’ sustainable earning capacity abroad?
SNV fully recognises the importance of trade to the Netherlands, as well as the dangers and risks of heightened competition resulting in increasingly unsustainable practices and terms of trade and investment from other emerging powers that further widen disparities and inequalities. We subscribe the sustainable business needs (of which earning capacity is one of key elements) towards the twin- transition and considering the shifting geopolitical balance of power, in both lower and middle-income countries.
Therefore:
4.1 Innovative Public Private Partnerships are needed that enable more effective blending of financial instruments that both support existing trade mechanisms, whilst stimulating opportunities for trade volumes to be increased with higher risk, lower volume partners. An effective trade policy should stimulate both trade with the Netherlands and within regional markets and should not just look to preserve historical norms which will maintain or exacerbate inequalities.
4.1 Successful partnerships, including PPP’s, are those where public funding leverages private sector actors and financing upon the identification of viable business cases. Financial Institutions (especially DFIs) have an important role in such partnerships, in promoting financial inclusion for Bottom of the Pyramid populations, particularly for women and young people, and those in Fragile States. Innovation is an important enabler of scale, with MSME’s (including business start-ups) having a particularly important role to play. However, DFIs are inherently more interested in working with larger companies that can absorb large ticket sizes. Therefore, there is still a gap – which requires particular attention – in enabling innovative ideas to scale, which is in part stifled by the risk aversion of mainstream Finance Institutions.
See PDF document attached for further details.
Vraag5
Thema’s en sectoren van de toekomstNu de wereld in transitie is om een goede toekomst voor ons en de generaties na ons te bewerkstelligen verandert de focus van bedrijven, overheid en kennisinstellingen.
5. Op welke thema’s of sectoren ziet u kansen om internationaal te ondernemen?
(EN)
Themes and sectors of the future
The focus of companies, governments and knowledge institutions is changing in light of the global transition to ensure a bright future for current and future generations.
5. In which themes or sectors do you see opportunities for international enterprise?
The transition to a Multi-Stakeholder approach needs to be accelerated and more fully embraced, with firmer commitments from both the government of the Netherlands and Dutch multinationals which work for political and shareholder cycles, but extend the timeframes further out.
The Netherlands is especially strong in international agribusiness for which it is well-known and well-respected in partner countries. The long-term vision of many partner countries targets internationalisation of their agricultural sector. Recent developments show the vulnerability of supply chains, especially in food. SNV sees here both significant opportunities and challenges, which could be addressed by Dutch development cooperation initiatives.
Therefore, we recommend:
5.1 Improving local supply chains within and between developing countries (international business have difficulties sourcing products)
5.1 Recent covid-19 lockdowns have shown how vulnerable supply chains are, especially in food, both for domestic and international markets. International business would benefit significantly if such supply chains are reinforced. MSME development, along with support for the informal trade sector in many ODA-recipient contexts (such as cross-border between Rwanda and The Democratic Republic of Congo, for example) will also be the key driver for youth employment and inclusion.
The trade-off between stimulation of trade and export production for economic development for e.g. horticulture sector, versus the local and regional supply and food and nutrition security in the countries in DGIS prioritised countries critical. In some cases, malnutrition is worst in districts and provinces where food productivity is often highest, such as in Rwanda where the province with the highest vegetable production is suffering from the highest rates of stunting. This is often because of the strong commercialization of production and the deviation of home production from consumption to sales, as well as other factors. This trade-off needs to be openly discussed and negative effects mitigated.
Vraag6
Samenwerking publiek-privaat en rol Midden en Klein Bedrijf (MKB)Een succesvolle aanpak op het gebied van internationale handel vraagt samenwerking tussen burgers, bedrijven, maatschappelijke organisaties en de overheid. Het is nuttig om aan te sluiten op de behoeftes van de markt. Waar zijn bedrijven (specifiek het MKB) mee geholpen om de exportkracht en innovatiekracht te vergroten?
6. Hoe kan de overheid het bedrijfsleven (specifiek het MKB) dat internationaal onderneemt (of dat zou willen) beter ondersteunen om zaken te doen in het buitenland?
a. Welke ondersteuning hebben bedrijven nodig om internationaal succesvol te zijn op terreinen van digitale innovatie (innovatiesamenwerking) en verduurzaming?
b. Voor handel met welke landen (of regio’s of markten) zou ondersteuning moeten zijn?
c. Wat zou de overheid op het gebied van handelsbevordering niet meer moeten doen?
(EN)
Public-private cooperation and role of SMEs
A successful approach to international trade requires cooperation between the public, companies, civil society and government. It is also useful to align with market demand. What would help companies, and SMEs in particular, to increase their export performance and innovative capacity?
6. How can the government better support companies (and SMEs specifically), that are doing or wish to do business abroad?
a. What type of support do companies need in order to achieve international success in the areas of digital innovation (innovation partnerships) and sustainability?
b. For what countries, regions or markets should the government provide private sector support?
c. What type of trade promotion activities should the government stop doing?
SNV Response to question 6:
Recent developments, in particular Covid-19 and Ukraine, have shown us the vulnerability of international supply chains, especially in food. We also notice that supporting (Dutch) international business only does not have the potential substantial and sustainable benefit to domestic (MSME) business. Development of local business clus-ters/chains (with or without connection to international companies/trade) requires de-risking at appropriate (smaller) scales and reinforcement of inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogues that explore opportunities for the creation of win-wins.
Therefore:
6.1. More inclusive tripartite agreements and strategic partnerships are needed between DGIS/businesses and NGOs. MSMEs are the drivers of economic development around the world, providing long-term green jobs and income, especially in furtherance of youth entrepreneurship/employment gen-eration.
6.2 Further, SNV sees digital innovation as a necessity in a more inclusive policy in reaching to local MSMEs and individuals.
See PDF document attached for further details.
Vraag7
OntwikkelingssamenwerkingDevelopment cooperation
Nederlandse inzet op Ontwikkelingssamenwerking
Nederland is op verschillende thema’s actief op gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Zo investeren we in het realiseren van de Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) en zetten we extra in op opvang in de regio, toegang tot vaccins, klimaatadaptatie en -mitigatie. Nederland gaat door met wat goed gaat en focust op waar Nederland goed in is, zoals verbinding tussen diplomatie en ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Meer informatie over het ontwikkelingssamenwerkingsbeleid van Nederland is te vinden op www.nlontwikkelingssamenwerking.nl.
7. Waar is Nederland op het gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking volgens u goed in? Op welke thema’s zou Nederland een aanjagende rol kunnen vervullen?
(EN)
Dutch development cooperation activities
The Netherlands is actively pursuing a number of policy themes in the area of development cooperation. For example, we're investing in efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reception in the region, access to vaccines, and climate adaptation and mitigation. The Netherlands will continue its efforts in areas where progress is being made and will focus on its strengths, such as linking diplomacy and development. For more information about Dutch development policy, go to www.nlontwikkelingssamenwerking.nl.
7. In your opinion, what are the Netherlands’ strengths when it comes to development cooperation? In which policy themes could the Netherlands play a leading role?
The Dutch government has a strong trust building role within the G2G, European development institutions landscape and the international development setting. In climate adaptation NL can play a leading role. Also in water technology and in agribusiness with Dutch interest in improving supply chains of specific commodities, both international and national business. A focused approach, leveraging specific areas of Dutch expertise, should be maintained, whilst looking for deeper synergies with other development actors with complementary capacities.
Therefore:
7.1 Develop trust building role and stimulate more holistic approaches, inclusive of leveraging financing, in furtherance of deeper systemic change
7.2 Adopt a stronger leadership role in landscape management
7.1 Focus, interconnectivity and leveraging: SNV is of the opinion that Development co-operation of the Netherlands is strong due to its focus on a relatively small number of key themes and the interconnections between them, as well as its geographical focus on specific priority countries. Strong technical leadership is provided on the themes prioritised by the Ministry, including climate change, food and water security, with key Dutch research institutes to support this. Cross-sectoral working to maximize impact, as well as cross-country/regional frameworks should be expanded (examples of Dutch/DGIS regional, scalable approaches are the Great Lakes region, Sahel, Mekong, all representing opportunities for further integrated development frameworks.
DGIS has significant energy and water budgets, which afford considerable opportunities for expanded leverage within the TEI arena.
7.2 The Netherlands expertise with integrated landscape management brings a holistic approach to landscape restoration. Dutch expertise can be made more accessible to a wider range of development stakeholders through sharing of tools, advice, networks and know-how to maximize the economic, social and ecological returns of improved landscape management at scale. Landscape investment and Dutch climate adaptation examples such as “ruimte voor rivieren”, “sand motor”, “peatland restoration”, “delta plan”. The Netherlands’ strong commitment to the Amsterdam/New York Declaration, and investment on several landscape projects at scale with universities, embassies and NGOs (i.e IDH, DFCD, IUCN-NL/WNF, etc..) have received great international recognition, providing opportunities for further leveraging and scaling.
Vraag8
Innoveren op OSNederlandse internationale samenwerking is flexibel en kennisintensief, we zijn vernieuwend. Zo ontwikkelt Nederland nieuwe manieren van werken en partnerschappen die daarna door bijv. de Europese Commissie en Wereldbank worden opgepakt of opgeschaald. De Nederlandse internationale samenwerking fungeert dus veelal als een creatieve en kennisintensieve incubator (een broedplaats voor nieuwe ideeën. Nederland is een relatief kleine donor, maar als lidstaat van de EU en via bilaterale hulp kan Nederland de zichtbaarheid van EU-hulp vergroten en additionele relevante kapitaalstromen generen.
8. Op welke manier en op welk vlak kan de Nederlandse ontwikkelingssamenwerking nog meer innoveren?
(EN)
Innovative development cooperation
Dutch international cooperation is flexible and knowledge-intensive. We are also innovative, developing new ways of working and new types of partnership that are subsequently adopted or scaled up by others, like the European Commission and the World Bank. In this respect, Dutch international cooperation is like a creative and knowledge-intensive incubator. We are a relatively small donor, but as an EU member state and through bilateral aid we can make EU aid more visible and generate additional, relevant capital flows.
8. In what other ways and areas could Dutch development cooperation innovate more?
The Netherlands is widely known as providing a supportive and enabling environment for innovation. Building on this, the project experiences and working in partnerships, we believe that Dutch Development cooperation can be enabler of larger scale, accelerated innovation. To do so, cultivating trust across stakeholders, promoting transparency and acceptance of failures, and enabling high degrees of flexibility will be key.
We propose:
8.1 Innovative finance
8.2 Fragility
8.3 Innovation in agroecology
8.1 Innovative finance. There are already several strong examples of the leadership role of the Netherlands in the innovative finance sphere; these represent considerable opportunities to build off in more effectively influencing other bilateral donors, the EU and multilaterals to scale innovative financing mechanisms. Enabling an expansion and diversification of lending products and mechanism to increase both access and volumes. The DFCD is providing significant scaling of impacts through the leveraging of financing and offers a platform for other ODA providing countries to establish greater synergies. To enable greater inclusiveness (BoP), especially in fragile areas, as well as longer term sustainability and scale, more courage and greater risk appetite is required, with a willingness to absorb higher transition and technical assistance costs in the short term, as well as ongoing provision of capacity and mentoring services.
8.2 Fragility. We strongly encourage commitments for the necessary, flexible financing and partnership mechanisms which allow for both replication of proven successful innovations in other geographies into more fragile contexts, as well as for the piloting and testing of innovations within protracted crisis, humanitarian and fragile settings.
8.3 Innovation on Agroecology. The Netherlands should actively embrace and propagate the 10 agroecological principles. The Ministry of LNV has expressed its intention to join the Coalition on Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture. Formal accession to this Coalition, and an active commitment based on the Dutch role in the global food system is a great first step in the recognition of agroecology as an important steppingstone for a sustainable food system. The Netherlands must actively advocate the integration and application of these principles in the relevant Convention on Biological Diversity targets, in order to reverse the decline of global biodiversity.
Vraag9
Een donor met durfDe Nederlandse internationale inzet is gedurfd, omdat we financiële investeringen koppelen aan onze diplomatieke inzet en expertise. We continueren thema’s waar we traditionele meerwaarde hebben: seksuele en reproductieve rechten en gezondheid (SRGR), water, voedselzekerheid en veiligheid & rechtsorde. Daarbij kunnen we nog meer gebruik maken van het diplomatieke gewicht van o.a. de EU. We investeren in systeemverandering om te zorgen dat we de SDG’s in 2030 realiseren. Met systeemverandering bedoelen we dat we de systemen die armoede en ongelijkheid in stand houden aanpakken.
9. Op welke manier/welk vlak kan Nederland als donor nog meer durf te tonen?
(EN)
A bold donor
Dutch international efforts can be characterised as bold, because we link financial investment to diplomatic efforts and expertise. We will continue our work on themes where we have always added value: sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), water, food security, and security and the rule of law. We will also make better use of the diplomatic weight of the EU. To ensure we achieve the SDGs by 2030, we will invest in systemic change, i.e. tackling the structures that maintain poverty and inequality.
9. In what ways or areas could the Netherlands, as a donor, be even bolder?
The challenges the world faces require new forms of partnerships. At a time of heightened competition, multi-polarity and erosion of a rule-based systems, strong multilateral institutions and international order are more needed now than ever. Therefore:
9.1 Embrace more adaptive, inclusive approaches and the building of better partnerships
9.2 Focus particularly on influencing and forging alignment within the EU and across EU Member States, fostering NL themes on water, energy and food systems
9.1 Embrace more adaptive, inclusive approaches and the building of better partnerships
It would take guts to aspire more larger scale ambitions within longer-term timelines (10+ years), whilst enabling iterative and adaptive management approaches based on well-monitored milestones (eg. Pro-ARIDES).
The Netherlands should more vocally champion the rule-based systems, whilst also promoting both greater support for – and reform of – the multilateral system.
9.2 Influencing at EU by joining hands in fostering “NL’’ themes and advocate for a broader water, energy and food systems perspectives
Within the EU, the Netherlands should more proactively and vocally seek to influence towards more effective TEIs that are better grounded in the countries/context the funds are oriented to, in particular with like-minded EU Member States on NL themes.
Dutch strong reputation should be leveraged by forming more strategic collaborations in areas such as water governance, where there are also significant opportunities for private sector engagement.
The climate transition in water management will require a water cycle perspective, including legal and institutional aspects aimed at protecting the water resources. We therefore encourage an updating of the current water strategy at central and embassy levels, including accountability issues and climate change.
The Netherlands should strengthen its position as a clean cooking champion, by increasing ownership and being more proactive in promoting and enabling a systems approach towards clean cooking.
A gender equality and climate lens should be applied in all development interventions. It would show guts if all projects financed by the Netherlands would be carbon neutral or net zero.
SNV subscribes to the Netherlands Food Partnership policy inputs. In food systems, the focus on local markets and value chains - especially in fragile context - should be continued, also in relation to the Trade and Aid agenda.
Vraag10
Afrondende algemene vraag10. Heeft u nog andere punten van aandacht die u vindt dat meegenomen dienen te worden in de nieuwe beleidsnota?
(EN)
General closing question
10. Are there any other points that you believe should be included in the new policy document?
10.1 Don’t frame trade and fragility as dichotomies; look for trade mechanisms that contribute to reducing fragility. Trade and fragility seem to be too often framed as a dichotomy (either or). This is, of course, not the case. For example, more effective and equitable trade linkages between Nigeria and the Netherlands could play a part in redressing some of the issues in the Sahel, with several export commodities from Nigeria rely on inputs or connections from other border Sahelian countries, and vice versa, with improvements in trade flows and terms to Nigeria offering benefits further afield in West Africa. Thus more comprehensive systems perspectives are necessary, encompassing both fragile and less fragile geographies.
Along with a systems focus, we also encourage longer-term approaches which combine a mix of humanitarian (e.g. shorter-term investment in public-private infrastructure) and development (longer term support towards fostering enabling environments, TA and development of private sector capacity) interventions.
10.2 Power imbalances and outdated and simplistic notions of power contribute to persistent sub-optimality in the aid sector. The ‘donor-recipient’ dynamic often means recipient governments are more accountable to donors than their public. Inequalities are growing and multi-dimensional – not just economic, but also gender, voice, knowledge, culture, with issues around power and development increasingly complex. Resources and power are increasingly concentrated. Policy should more fully embrace to realities of today’s poly-nodal world, by being future focused, forging more cross-sectoral collaborations inclusive of governments, other players, such as businesses, lobbyists, think tanks, international institutions and cities, play a significant role.
Wherever possible the policy should avoid deepening competition and seek to generate win-wins, even with historically less aligned partners. The Africa policy should commit to inclusive engagement and more genuine partnership with African partners, whilst tailoring initiatives to specific contexts and avoiding simplistic defaults to a homogenisation of such a vast, diverse continent.
10.3 As a significant contributor to an array of development actors and international organisations, DGIS can leverage their influence towards the promotion of higher levels of operational efficiency and more effective partnership frameworks.
See PDF document attached for further details.