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Political Will, Who can get it Done?!?!
It has been a theoretical and an empirical phenomena that almost all development endeavours presuppose some form of positive government engagement. This incudes the promotion of democracy, sustainable development and many more. In contrast, African countries have long been lacking in the political will needed to support all the positive endeavours.
And there has emerged two perspectives on how to obtain the political will. The frist one looks at the government machinery and methods to inculcate the benefits of adopting such a strategy for a common goal. The other option looks at ways of mobilizing communities to understand and demand their rights. I really want to learn about your country experiences concerning these different approaches. Thank you very much.
And there has emerged two perspectives on how to obtain the political will. The frist one looks at the government machinery and methods to inculcate the benefits of adopting such a strategy for a common goal. The other option looks at ways of mobilizing communities to understand and demand their rights. I really want to learn about your country experiences concerning these different approaches. Thank you very much.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tamirat Yacob on -
Dear Woubet Kifle and all,
Greetings and Happy New Year!
I think in many african countries, as you have wrightly indicated, there is a "lack of" political will. Which many of us agree on that it is imperative to bring the change that we are looking for. In many African countries, including mine-Ethiopia, the state is a big machinery. Still the state is, for example, the one that hires many staffs, and play many roles in amny areas of the development endeavours as the private sector in many african countries are still growing and not reached the leavel at which they can bring the needed impact. So in my opinion, and as i can see from my country, when the government/state takes the leadership and show the "political will " i think it would be more effective to guide and achive a common goal. And if we can define the "political will" of the state as the states's real willingness, commitment and devotion to engage the community and mobilize them to understand and clearly know their role and rights in development interevention i still can see the state has the opportunity of doing it. So for me still the government takes the centre role of doing it, taking in to account the current situation in our continent and i go for the first option. And in saying so i am not disregardiing the second option. As i am saying the above if there is a real willingness or what we call political will from the state, it can mobilize communities and hence the working approach, in my oppion, becomes the blend of the two approaches.
Best regards,
Tamirat Yacob, Ethiopia
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Permalink Reply by TAFARA MATANGA on -
Basically in my country there has been a decate of apathy on the side of communities in terms of participating on national programmes. This was pretty much emanated from the previous exprience where government would consult these community just for the sake it but in actual case the would do those programmes through technorats/consultants and all the people,s ideas are discarded. Back to your question i can say it is now very had even to implement people initiated programmes or programmes that are beneficial to the economy because the politician themselve are very intolarant of any programme that will not benefit them personally. Given that these politician are thw figurehead of the government, you would realise that the commitment to act on developmental projects that benefit the man on the street has been facing brick walls. So according to your two schools of thoghts, ithink for my country neither will apply unless the communities are sentised on their capacities to make change and views of the government for their better.
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