08 February 2006

GPPi hosts dinner discussion with Kemal Dervis

 

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On February 6, the Global Public Policy Institute hosted an informal dinner discussion with Kemal Dervis, head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and a GPPi advisory board member, on the future challenges of development and the United Nations. The roundtable discussion brought together a number of senior representatives from the German government, the parliament, civil society, business, and academia.

 

Participants included, among others, Klaus Zumwinkel (Chairman of the Board, Deutsche Post World Net),  Karin Kortmann (Parliamentary State Secretary, BMZ), Gert Haller (Chairman of the Board of Wüstenrot & Württembergische AG) Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (Member of the Bundestag), Peter Eigen (founder of Transparency International), Lord Ralf Dahrendorf (Member of the House of Lords), and Constanze Stelzenmüller (Director GMF Office <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Berlin).

 

In his opening remarks, GPPi director Wolfgang Reinicke emphasized that the dinner discussion was a reflection of the goals of the Global Public Policy Institute. In addition to its applied foreign policy research programs, the institute seeks to promote substantive dialogue on key issues by bringing together representatives from business, civil society, and government. Despite its growing relevance and engagement in international affairs, Reinicke argued that Germany needs to invest more in the development of new strategic communities that can help foster public dialogue on global issues and improve decision-making.

 

In his remarks Kemal Dervis, a former Turkish finance and economics minister and senior World Bank official, addressed key reform issues in the United Nations. In particular, he highlighted the progress that has been made in management reform at the United Nations Development Programme under the leadership of his predecessor Mark Malloch-Brown, also a GPPi Board member. He indicated that he would build on these reforms. He sees one key area for further action in better coordinating the work of different UN agencies through such coordination mechanisms as the UN Development Group. Dervis also argued that his own institution needs to work more effectively with the World Bank Group towards common goals.

 

Finally, he discussed the role of business in development. He noted that the private sector is key to solving the development challenge and that public-private partnerships are one tool that can help to leverage business resources and expertise in cooperation with UNDP's work. He also emphasized, however, the continued importance that governments play in promoting the international development agenda. Without effective governments, the Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved, he said. Partnerships can be a helpful tool, but they are no substitute for effective states.

 

GPPi hosted the dinner discussion on the occasion of Kemal Dervis' first official visit to Germany as head of UNDP. Dervis was appointed as Administrator of UNDP in August 2005; this position is the third highest in the United Nations. 

 

For pictures of the event click here; list of participants here.

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