-Nepal Council of World Affairs ( NCWA) Editorial Team
Introduction:
Good Governance and Sustainable Development is one of the five thematic groups constituted by Nepal Council of World Affairs (NCWA). The Council recognizes that good governance is a crucial precondition to meet Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The Council is also aware of the fact that while good governance always does not guarantee the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals as targeted, its absence will hamper the attainment of the goals and can render the achievement elusive. 1.2. It is in this context that the Council constituted a Team consisting of Council Members to come up with a policy paper that should be useful to the economy to achieve sustainable development. This policy paper is the outcome of several deliberations among the members of the Council and is expected to be useful as a policy input to the government for achieving sustainable development through good governance. It is understood that since the link between good governance and sustainable development is characterized by complex relationship, the paper does not intend to address all the facets of governance that might have an impact on the achievement of SDGs. But certainly, it seeks to cover major issues that will unfold the intricacies involved in the search for appropriate tools of good governance for achieving SDGs. 2. Status of good governance 2.1 Nepal has been trying to adhere to the principles of good governance which is considered a primary condition to achieve sustainable development and is consistent with the periodic development plan and policies being adopted by the government.
“Governance”, in the common parlance, refers to the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented. Good governance has eight major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. Good governance is a critical tool for advancing sustainable development and a crucial element to be incorporated in sustainable development strategies. Poor governance generates an environment that is detrimental to development (YK Sheng, UNESCAP, 1992). Efforts to achieve good governance in practice in Nepal have been ongoing for long. Recently, a series of governance reforms measures have already been undertaken.
Policy Guidelines for Maintaining Efficiency and Effectiveness in Public Expenditure, 2075 (2018) is being executed. Likewise, the creation of “Action Room” in the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the revised version of earlier “Operation Room” in the National Planning Commission is a recent attempt to help enhance efficiency in project implementation. The creation of national Projects Bank is yet another move adopted by the National Planning Commission which contains projects that the economy is expected to subsequently adopt for eventual implementation. The creation of Policy Research Institute in the Public Sector is yet another Think Tank designed to help the government with inputs for the formulation of policies. The online monitoring of implementation through electronic means has been introduced. (The Economic Survey. (TES) Currently at the Federal level, 1091 Office structures have been approved, including 22 ministries and 54 departments and department level offices.
At Province level, altogether 676 Office structures have been approved including seven ministries (Ibid.). The total number the staff has reached is 138, 622. In terms of creating regulatory framework to achieve sustainable development, 165 laws have been amended and many other frameworks have been created (TES, 2018/19, pp. 155- 159). Despite all these measures in creating basic institutional structures, policy and legal infrastructure, the problem of implementation continues largely because” disproportionate reform measures with the capacity of the government to implement them or that reform measures not sensitive to the known sources of resources including human , physical and others to implement them’.
Similarly, following the first UN Summit on the SDGs since the adoption of the land mark 2030 Agenda in 2015, Nepal has been concentrating its attention on trying to meet 17 goals, 169 quantitative targets, and 232 indicators. These include social, economic and environmental aspects of development. With a view to achieving Sustainable Development Goals, some significant works have been accomplished. Till the first eight months of the fiscal year 2018/19, as many as 342 participatory Local Adaptation Plans have been designed (TES,) and are expected to help maintain ecological balance between environment and development.
Nepal did also introduce Climate change budget code and made an analysis of the climate change budget for the fiscal year 2013/14 in terms of amount and sectors. This analysis showed that climate budget as % of GDP and as % of total budget was 3.1 % and 10.3 % respectively (NPC, 2013, ) The Plan has made an attempt to internalize SDGs while designing national level targets at the macro level, determining the destination of development path, defining indicators, etc. Sectoral development policy, strategies and working policies have been formulated in accordance with SDGs. The Plan has accorded importance to the role of public, private, community sectors as well as that of internal and external development partners for achieving targets of the Plan (The Fifteenth Plan Approach Paper, 2019,) Several programs have been included in the Plan in the field of environment that will help achieve related targets of SDGs, 2.6 Despite all these developments, serious efforts need to be further made and intensified. But the lack of integrated planned development, haphazard urbanization lack of balance between infrastructure development and environment, the lack of coordination and collaboration among stakeholders etc. continue. Recent environment policy and program innovations are yet to become more effective and successful. 2.7 Given this backdrop, it is time to acknowledge what works and disregard what does not (Jomo Kawme Sundaram, World Economic Forum, 2015). Creation and recreation of institutions alone do not yield outcome unless accompanied by the introduction of new laws and regulations, back- up appropriate administrative and procedural infrastructure and creation of conducive environment that can help achieve objectives envisaged.
The message is clear and transparent. The development agenda should not be overloaded with governance reform, beyond the capacity of the state machinery to implement and monitor. We should be aiming for “good enough” governance, selecting a few imperatives from a long list of possibilities (Harvard’s Merilee Grindle, ). The issue to be determined is what constitutes elements of “Good enough” governance. 3. Priorities of Good Enough Governance for sustainable development.
Some priorities for good governance for achieving sustainable development at all levels – federal, provincial and local- could be :i.
Elimination of widespread corruption. This is a serious impediment for development. “Zero tolerance against corruption” needs to be translated into reality. ii. Establish a predictable framework and the rational of application of laws, rules and regulations. Streamlining excessive rules, regulations, and procedures, reducing unnecessary tension emerging out of their application. iv. Government planning and budgetary processes supportive to each other and overall development at all levels.
An effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation:
It is understood that the government is thinking of introducing Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) in large development projects in which the government will release only 70 percent of the cost to the contractor during the project phase and the rest will be released only at the end of the repair period of 10 years with interest. There may also be other methods worth considering, and vii. Avoid nontransparent decision making.
Measures to be undertaken:
The following are some of the measures that deserve serious consideration to achieve SDGs: i.e Developing and strengthening good governance at all levels- federal, provincial and local – needed. ii. Development of a good governance plan is useful to be in place as an integral element of sustainable development plan. Such a plan has to be based on an integration of all relevant sectoral plans at all levels in a way that facilitates their implementation. iii. Good governance for sustainable development is a collective responsibility of all sectors – the public, the private, cooperatives. and N/INGOs. They need to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environmental protection at national, provincial and local levels. It is vitally important that the plans of these institutions be integrated with the overall plan of the government, mutually enforcing each other, and iv Enhancing vertical and horizontal cooperation and coordination at all echelons of the government and bureaucracy.
A study is useful on how good governance is reflected in our sustainable development strategies. Such research studies may be particularly important for designing future innovative policies, offer opportunities for effective implementation and bring sustainable development strategies closer to local people at all levels of government in a manner that will help them understand the significance and utility and help them develop SDG friendly behavior.
Enhance institutional effectiveness of Ministry of Foreign Affairs through constituting multidisciplinary teams with diplomats, and subject matter specialists (such as economists, environmental experts, legal experts and so on) for policy discussion and negotiation. Nepal is committed to translate in action and fulfill the goals of SDGs. Hence, all possible efforts need to be undertaken in consultation with all the important stakeholders. This requires: i. Technically consistent, implementable and amenable to monitoring and evaluation strategic planning. Failure to generate results will add to the despair of the people at large which is difficult to regain Likewise, the decisions we make today must also be consistent with our long-term plans, and build capacity to implement. Short-term decision-making can lock us into expensive mistakes in financing and developing infrastructure (Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General)
Develop a framework to ensure that implementing agencies include the governance and SDGs progress in the annual progress reports of Federal, Provincial and Local governments. Support Provincial and local governments to create their own plans for the implementation of the governance reforms plans and SDGs in their jurisdictions;e must ensure fiscally sustainable budgeting. The cost of addressing the climate challenge today may seem significant, but it is small in comparison to the financial and societal costs for future generations if left unaddressed. Nepal should plan for future generations by leaving a sustainable fiscal and economic legacy. Effective mobilization of financial resources is critical to achieving the SDGs.
The achievement of sustainable development goals requires the generation and application of creative ideas and innovative techniques. For this, the government needs to partner with the private sector, development agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs) and Think Tanks to provide strong institutional and financial support for research in development planning and policies, cooperation with development partners on sharing good practices about implementation mechanisms and so on. All these should be backed by appropriate legal frameworks and strict enforcement of regulations to ensure that all the stakeholders comply with the SD agenda. vii. There is a need to constantly update Nepal’s development goals, targets and indicators contained in sectoral master plans, medium term plans and establish close integration among provincial development plans.
NCWA stands ready to cooperate with the government and the private sector in working for this far reaching transformation. This demands a profound systemic process of change, of which we are all part at the moment. 6. Conclusion SDG (2016-30) provides a blueprint for dignity, global peace and prosperity for people and the planet now and in the future. ()Guterres, Secretary General, UN. Also, it is necessary to carefully consider what is needed for effective implementation of the SDGs to ensure that these trans-formative goals can be achieved, if more urgent, and pragmatic response is designed and put into operation.
With “good enough” governance in place, Nepal needs to win trust and confidence of all the stakeholders involved in this field.
References:
1. Ministry of Finance (2018/19), The Economic Survey, 2075/76 (in Nepali), Government of Nepal, Kathmandu. National Planning Commission (2019/20), The Fifteenth Plan (2019/20-2023/24) in Nepali) -An Approach Paper, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu. Shakya, Rabindra K. (2009).
Why Civil Service Reforms Fail? -A Case of Nepal in Administration and Management Review, Vol.21, No. 2, August 2009, The Nepal Administrative Staff College, Lalitpur. National Planning Commission (2013), Climate Change Budget Code, Application Review, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu. — (2017), National Review of Sustainable Development Goals,
Kathmandu… 6. — (2019), The Fifteenth Plan – An Approach Paper, (in Nepali,), Kathmandu.
# Our own contact email address: editor.telegraphnepal@gmail.com
# Thanks the editorial team of the NCWA: Ed. Upadhyaya. N. P.