Mittwoch, 19. März 2008
Noch 2 Tage
achjar, 13:24h
Jetzt sind es noch zwei Tage bis zum Aufbruch nach Mexiko. Am Freitag um 7.50 Uhr geht unser Flug von Frankfurt über Madrid nach Mexiko-City - insgesamt 17 Stunden sind wir unterwegs.
Das Reisefieber hält sich zwar noch in Grenzen, aber langsam steigt die freudige Spannung auf 12 sicher äußerst interessante Tage. Ich werde euch in dieser Zeit in diesem Blog bestmöglich (was auch immer das genau bedeutet) auf dem Laufenden halten. Das Programm sieht ungefähr folgendermaßen an: Bis Sonntag bleiben wir in Mexiko City. Dann brechen wir nach Puebla auf, wo wir bis Freitag, den 28.3., an der WorldMUN teilnehmen werden. Gemeinsam mit Ole Funke werde ich dort Serbien in der Weltbank vertreten. Danach geht es noch zwei Tage nach Tlaxcala bevor wir am 31. März wieder von Mexico-City aus nach Frankfurt fliegen.
Für alle die es interessiert, könnt ihr hier noch unsere zwei Position Papers zu den beiden Themen nachlesen - danke an Isabelle für's Korrigieren:
Topic A: The Role of Good Governance
The Republic of Serbia believes that the principle of Good Governance, namely a notion of leadership that embodies transparency, accountability, predictability and responsiveness, is among the core prerequisites of the legitimacy of any legitimate rule. Furthermore, these principles constitute the general framework, which solely allows for sustainable development. We have learned that a public administration committed to these values is not a result but rather a precondition for building a peaceful and prosperous society. Against this background Good Governance should be at the core of the discussion about how to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
During the last decade the Republic of Serbia has undergone comprehensive developments in its political system. Committed to the principles above, Serbia has implemented fair and free elections in line with OECD standards taking place in a competitive political system. Fundamental liberty rights are safeguarded by the constitution and enforced by an independent judiciary in a system of distinct separation of powers. In recent years, Serbia has put the fight against corruption on top of its agenda, implementing one of the most developed anti-bribery frameworks. As acknowledged by the international community these measures have constituted Serbia’s success in improving its political system and public administration.
Growing out of the status of a state in transition, Serbia has developed its way to achieve the high standards of Good Governance. Furthermore, it welcomes the attention the topic has experienced by international and non-governmental organizations in recent years that has lead to an increase in different indicators making Good Governance measurable and comparable. However, against the experiences of its own history, Serbia stresses that it is crucially important that countries develop their strategies tailored on the basis of their history, culture and political and social characteristics. The claim for Good Governance constitutes a claim for mutual learning but may not be mistaken as a set of detailed prescriptions on how institutions must be designed. In this sense the Republic of Serbia calls for mainstreaming of Good Governance in capacity building for the least developed countries. Here, the principle of ownership goes hand in hand with the success of any reform aiming at the improvement of Governance structures. Experience shows that donor-driven initiatives, especially when externally imposed, can weaken the legitimacy of domestic efforts and may be counterproductive. Therefore, countries themselves must be in the driver’s seat when governance reforms are involved.
National progress will not occur in isolation. Global governance structures are still often not favourable to least developed countries’ needs regarding their integration into global and political governance systems as well as their decision making bodies.
Topic B: The Role of private investment in the public sector
The Republic of Serbia believes that building up infrastructure is among every country’s main tasks in order to facilitate a fast and sustainable development. This fact becomes clear when considering that most of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals are inextricably linked to the extension of public infrastructure. Good infrastructure is also the basis for every nation’s economic growth.
In view of these facts, the Republic of Serbia thinks that new forms of building up, financing and operating infrastructure must be taken into account. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are among the most interesting and most efficient alternatives for this purpose.
The Republic of Serbia has established several very successful PPPs during the last few years, for example Beograd’s new water and sewage system. As the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic pointed out “Serbia should become an intuitionally and economically developed country within ten years, with infrastructure according to EU standards, economy based on know-how, rich human resources and preserved environment.” Therefore about 80% of Sebia’s National Investement Plan are invested in infrastructure projects.
Nevertheless the Republic of Serbia believes that in most countries, public investment alone can not handle today’s great infrastructural challenges. National and international aims can only be reached by daring to implement new forms of infrastructural organisation such as PPPs.
If they succeed, PPPs are able to improve the lives of an enormous number of citizens all over the world. As many economists have highlighted, adequate preparation for PPP projects is decisive for their success. The World Bank has the great opportunity to give nations - especially developing countries - theoretical and practical help, which is required to launch prosperous and lasting PPPs. To achieve this goal the World Bank Institute’s PPP learning program is a brilliant institution, which should be strengthened: There should not only be seminars and conferences, but the World Bank should also create an institution providing practical support in planning and implementing PPPs.
Moreover, the World Bank should create a regulatory framework, which should be implemented by all nations with regard to PPPs. The reason for this is that the importance of an adequate regulatory system can not be underestimated. Both under- and overregulated PPPs will lead to unnecessarily higher costs, and possibly a much weaker structure. Furthermore, there are several environmental and social standards which should be fulfilled by every PPP.
Nonetheless, the World Bank has to respect each country’s economic and territorial sovereignty. All nations should be free whether they want to implement PPPs or not because without high-level political support for the PPP program, a PPP will most likely fail. Therefore the placing of World Bank credits should not depend on the organisational form of infrastructure projects, but only on their importance and chances of success.
Das Reisefieber hält sich zwar noch in Grenzen, aber langsam steigt die freudige Spannung auf 12 sicher äußerst interessante Tage. Ich werde euch in dieser Zeit in diesem Blog bestmöglich (was auch immer das genau bedeutet) auf dem Laufenden halten. Das Programm sieht ungefähr folgendermaßen an: Bis Sonntag bleiben wir in Mexiko City. Dann brechen wir nach Puebla auf, wo wir bis Freitag, den 28.3., an der WorldMUN teilnehmen werden. Gemeinsam mit Ole Funke werde ich dort Serbien in der Weltbank vertreten. Danach geht es noch zwei Tage nach Tlaxcala bevor wir am 31. März wieder von Mexico-City aus nach Frankfurt fliegen.
Für alle die es interessiert, könnt ihr hier noch unsere zwei Position Papers zu den beiden Themen nachlesen - danke an Isabelle für's Korrigieren:
Topic A: The Role of Good Governance
The Republic of Serbia believes that the principle of Good Governance, namely a notion of leadership that embodies transparency, accountability, predictability and responsiveness, is among the core prerequisites of the legitimacy of any legitimate rule. Furthermore, these principles constitute the general framework, which solely allows for sustainable development. We have learned that a public administration committed to these values is not a result but rather a precondition for building a peaceful and prosperous society. Against this background Good Governance should be at the core of the discussion about how to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
During the last decade the Republic of Serbia has undergone comprehensive developments in its political system. Committed to the principles above, Serbia has implemented fair and free elections in line with OECD standards taking place in a competitive political system. Fundamental liberty rights are safeguarded by the constitution and enforced by an independent judiciary in a system of distinct separation of powers. In recent years, Serbia has put the fight against corruption on top of its agenda, implementing one of the most developed anti-bribery frameworks. As acknowledged by the international community these measures have constituted Serbia’s success in improving its political system and public administration.
Growing out of the status of a state in transition, Serbia has developed its way to achieve the high standards of Good Governance. Furthermore, it welcomes the attention the topic has experienced by international and non-governmental organizations in recent years that has lead to an increase in different indicators making Good Governance measurable and comparable. However, against the experiences of its own history, Serbia stresses that it is crucially important that countries develop their strategies tailored on the basis of their history, culture and political and social characteristics. The claim for Good Governance constitutes a claim for mutual learning but may not be mistaken as a set of detailed prescriptions on how institutions must be designed. In this sense the Republic of Serbia calls for mainstreaming of Good Governance in capacity building for the least developed countries. Here, the principle of ownership goes hand in hand with the success of any reform aiming at the improvement of Governance structures. Experience shows that donor-driven initiatives, especially when externally imposed, can weaken the legitimacy of domestic efforts and may be counterproductive. Therefore, countries themselves must be in the driver’s seat when governance reforms are involved.
National progress will not occur in isolation. Global governance structures are still often not favourable to least developed countries’ needs regarding their integration into global and political governance systems as well as their decision making bodies.
Topic B: The Role of private investment in the public sector
The Republic of Serbia believes that building up infrastructure is among every country’s main tasks in order to facilitate a fast and sustainable development. This fact becomes clear when considering that most of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals are inextricably linked to the extension of public infrastructure. Good infrastructure is also the basis for every nation’s economic growth.
In view of these facts, the Republic of Serbia thinks that new forms of building up, financing and operating infrastructure must be taken into account. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are among the most interesting and most efficient alternatives for this purpose.
The Republic of Serbia has established several very successful PPPs during the last few years, for example Beograd’s new water and sewage system. As the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic pointed out “Serbia should become an intuitionally and economically developed country within ten years, with infrastructure according to EU standards, economy based on know-how, rich human resources and preserved environment.” Therefore about 80% of Sebia’s National Investement Plan are invested in infrastructure projects.
Nevertheless the Republic of Serbia believes that in most countries, public investment alone can not handle today’s great infrastructural challenges. National and international aims can only be reached by daring to implement new forms of infrastructural organisation such as PPPs.
If they succeed, PPPs are able to improve the lives of an enormous number of citizens all over the world. As many economists have highlighted, adequate preparation for PPP projects is decisive for their success. The World Bank has the great opportunity to give nations - especially developing countries - theoretical and practical help, which is required to launch prosperous and lasting PPPs. To achieve this goal the World Bank Institute’s PPP learning program is a brilliant institution, which should be strengthened: There should not only be seminars and conferences, but the World Bank should also create an institution providing practical support in planning and implementing PPPs.
Moreover, the World Bank should create a regulatory framework, which should be implemented by all nations with regard to PPPs. The reason for this is that the importance of an adequate regulatory system can not be underestimated. Both under- and overregulated PPPs will lead to unnecessarily higher costs, and possibly a much weaker structure. Furthermore, there are several environmental and social standards which should be fulfilled by every PPP.
Nonetheless, the World Bank has to respect each country’s economic and territorial sovereignty. All nations should be free whether they want to implement PPPs or not because without high-level political support for the PPP program, a PPP will most likely fail. Therefore the placing of World Bank credits should not depend on the organisational form of infrastructure projects, but only on their importance and chances of success.
