In the context of the unfolding financial and economic crises, the need for concerted European Union action is a hot topic. A new independent study examines existing EU institutional mechanisms and argues for reform to enable greater citizen scrutiny.

This paper by the International Council on Social Welfare discusses the role of NGOs in development aid and analyzes the events leading up to, and following, the Paris Declaration. The authors also look at how international NGOs can work for better aid effectiveness by improving cooperation between themselves and local organizations in developing countries. Full document in PDF format; Number of pages: 34p

GuideStar UK has produced a video which features views from a variety of stakeholders, such as local and international charitable organisations and grantmakers regarding the importance of information in the development of the sector. We would like to thank Dragonfly Productions, (previously Firefly Productions) for their generous support in the making of this film Have a look at the video.

The 3rd GuideStar Assembly entitled ‘From local to global: The importance of CSO information for citizen engagement’ was held at 2 Temple Place in London on the 2nd- 3rd December 2008. The Assembly gathered 90 people from 19 countries to discuss the ways in which information can empower civil society and decision-makers at all levels, to engage and surmount barriers that limit the civil society sector today. A report and presentations, are now available on the GSI website

This paper is intended to provide a common, though evolving, frame of reference to guide consultations sponsored by the Advisory Group on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness (AG) in the pursuit of three outcomes:

• Better understanding and recognition of the roles of civil society organizations (CSOs) as development actors and as part of the international aid architecture, and engagement of CSOs in general discussions of aid effectiveness (recognition and voice)

• Improved understand more...

A substantial increase in aid and making it effective were goals laid down in the 2002 Monterrey Consensus. The need for co-ordinated and coherent development policies and strategies has been stressed since then. How far has this been achieved? Source: Id21

In this interview Christiansen asserts that transparency of aid is the prerequisite for effective country leadership and management for results. She also discusses the role civil society organizations are playing to improve coordination and enhance their own effectiveness as development actors

Delegates attending the United Nations climate talks in Accra on 21th - 27th August focused on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries (REDD) but environmental campaigners are warning against the inclusion of forests in carbon markets. Friends of the Earth International warns that the inclusion of forests in carbon markets enables developed countries to avoid real carbon emissions reductions at home.
Further, any proposal that increases the value of forests may trigger a r more...

A global initiative to make overseas aid work better in helping poor people and to make it easier for them and their governments to track how aid is spent was unveiled on September 4 by UK International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander.
In a plan backed by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and the European commission, Britain intends to make it easier for people in poor countries to track how aid budgets are being spent.
The UK wants donor countries to provide ful more...

The Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness was launched at the end of June 2008 at the Exploratory Meeting on the Effectiveness of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Over 70 representatives from platforms, networks and organisations from global civil society gathered for this meeting to discuss how to take up the challenges to their own effectiveness as development actors. The objective: a global effectiveness framework for CSOs that reflects their diverse roles in development (as service more...