The involvement of the private sector and other non-state actors in EU development policy: current ambitions and directions

Bergmann, Julian / Benedikt Erforth / Niels Keijzer
Mitarbeiter sonstige

in: Sven Grimm / Stephan Klingebiel (eds.), Transnational cooperation – an explorative collection, Bonn: German Institute of Development and Sustainability, 17-23

ISBN: 978-3-96021-229-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.23661/idp4.2024

The European Union (EU) is a unique cooperation actor that, together with its 27 member states, is the largest provider of official development assistance (ODA). This contribution describes the overall place and role of the EU and discusses two specific trends that reflect its current approach to respond to global challenges: a strong focus on promoting external investment in cooperation with the private sector, and a focus on multi-stakeholder approaches, the latter with a focus on conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities. Taken together, the two trends represent a stronger focus on transnational cooperation with, and through, non-state actors. Such a shift requires important investments on the part of the EU to understand business climates, investment as well as a more networked understanding of both local and international civil society organisations (CSOs). Although the EU is well-placed to navigate the transitions that are required, this transnational approach may also entail a reduced role for the state or sub-national actors, which, in turn, comes with additional costs – and might even have negative effects on specific stakeholder groups. Particularly in the case of cooperation in non-conducive and fragile contexts, the EU needs to adequately invest in continuous monitoring and evaluation processes that reflect its willingness to learn from both success and failure.