Uganda roads: A A problem-focused political bl f d liti l economy exercise using a economy exercise using a ‘layered’ approach Presentation to Joint Donor Workshop, Analysing Governance and Political Economy in Sectors, London, 5-6 Nov 2009 Stefan Kossoff (DFID) and David Booth (ODI) ( ) ( )
How was it problem focused? How was it problem focused? � Big changes in the Uganda roads sector in 2008 � Big changes in the Uganda roads sector in 2008 • National Roads Authority and Road Fund launched after 10 years of preparation • Large increase in sector budget; big EC grant and major WB loan in the pipeline • National roads identified by all as a binding constraint on • N ti l d id tifi d b ll bi di t i t growth � DFID keen to support/complement these efforts on a � DFID keen to support/complement these efforts on a large scale but not sure how • Governance and other institutional issues recognised as g critical • Needed: criteria for decisions about taking opportunities and managing constraints and managing constraints 2
How was the political economy ‘layered’? Understanding behaviour by identifying systemic constraints: structural settings, historical legacies, power relations and institutions (rules) structural settings, historical legacies, power relations and institutions (rules) Understanding institutions in terms of actors’ decision logics and choices Locating the room-for-manoeuvre arising from dynamic features of change processes dynamic features of change processes
What were the conclusions? What were the conclusions? � Layer 1: the search for political rents likely to remain a � Layer 1: the search for political rents likely to remain a powerful negative factor, so effects of institutional reform + new resources will be severely blunted � Layer 2: Stakeholders with interest in real change do exist but face major problems of collective action – typical logjam t i l l j � Layer 3: Nonetheless, scope for donor-supported action to tip the balance ‘against the odds’ to tip the balance against the odds – faciliation and faciliation and brokering of interactive change � DFID rules permit such an approach and there are � DFID rules permit such an approach, and there are precedents � Needs a ‘process design’ and plenty of the right human � Needs a process design and plenty of the right human resources 4
How helpful to the sector specialists? � An ongoing drama – programme design still being negotiated � The current political economy of UK aid is not very friendly to process designs or spending on human resources � Nevertheless, the layered approach demonstrated the potential of political economy analysis to generate more potential of political economy analysis to generate more than dire warnings and dismal prospects � In the respect DFID’s political economy work is coming � In the respect, DFID s political economy work is coming of age 5
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