|
|
|
|
| Lockhart Describes Challenges of Fixing Failed States |
| by Caitlin Chalmers |
|
Clare Lockhart, co-founder and director of the Institute for State Effectiveness, explained the challenges of fixing failed states in the 21st century during a seminar at the LKY School on Sept. 8.
Reflecting on her experiences as a senior advisor to the Afghan government, she explained the challenges confronted in the pursuit of state building.
“Currently 40 to 60 countries suffer from a sovereignty gap and are unable to serve their populations,” she said. “This creates a vacuum and source of multiple threats including instability, criminality, and disease.”
International institutions need to adapt to these new realities in order to help bring stability to these states, she said.
 We are therefore using a 20th century toolbox for 21st century challenges.
|
Clare Lockhart
Co-Founder and Director, Institute for State Effectiveness |
“The international institutions that the world utilises to assist these states towards stability and prosperity were designed in the immediate post World War II environment,” she explained. “We are therefore using a 20th century toolbox for 21st century challenges.”
In terms of global state building, no guidebook exists within any organization as how to build governments or negotiate peace agreements, Lockhart said.
Our current state-building approaches are often band aids, she argued. They are not providing long-term solutions and are costing billions of dollars rather than tackling the root causes.
A phenomena taking place is an “aid complex” whereby there are parallel NGO organisations undertaking similar activities, not always efficiently or effectively. At the same time, they are taking capacity away from the state. The result is a double failure of government and aid, leaving the country at hand with a vacuum of competent governance.
An important mantra when approaching state building is to look at: “What do we need to bring in from the outside? And, more importantly, what are the capabilities within the country we can harness?” she argued.
We should build on the social mechanism that exists, rather than rely on NGOs to be doing this work, she said. In order to foster long-term capacity and sustainability, home-grown initiatives and enterprises need to be fostered.
Leadership
Lockhart pointed to Singapore as a country that has transformed successfully in the past 50 years. She stressed the importance of good leadership in creating prosperous states.
According to Lockhart, the common factors for success include: the importance of a sound leadership team, relentless focus on accountability in public finance, explicit investment in the domestic construction industry, the creation of a middle class and citizenship rights, and a leadership with a long range vision and disciplined focus.
The most success has been achieved when change and capacity is driven by the people of the country, she said. There needs to be reform of international organizations as well as the creation of a narrative of success stories on the ground.
Clare Lockhart is the director of the Institute for State Effectiveness and, together with Ashraf Ghani, is author of the book Fixing Failed States: a Framework for rebuilding a fractured world.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Photo Gallery
