Second volume of PDG Series launched in Stockholm

As a follow-up to the joint PDG-AfDB conference held in Tunis last June, the Advisory Unit is pleased to announce that the second volume in the PDG Series, titled Contracting Out Government Functions: Emerging Lessons from Post-Conflict and Fragile Situations, has been published. This addition to the PDG Series includes the proceedings of the PDG-AfDB conference, as well as a special contribution from Prof. Paul Collier. The Advisory Unit released the publication to the development community and the general public during last week's European Development Days in Stockholm. A French version will also be available during the first quarter of 2010.

The Partnership for Democratic Governance Series has been established through OECD Publishing in order to increase the visibility of the work of the Partnership. Forthcoming volumes of the series will include a study on the use of Diasporas in post-conflict and fragile situations, as well as a report on recruitment practices in situations of fragility. The first volume, Bridging State Capacity Gaps in Situations of Fragility, which was released in March 2009, will be republished as a second edition and includes additional contributions from the PDG Experts’ Group.

Print copies of these books are available for purchase through OECD Publishing. Members of the Steering and Experts' Groups will be provided with an electronic copy at no charge. For additional information, please contact the Secretariat.

Identification of experts begins for Guatemala project

Based on the Terms of Reference agreed upon between the PDG Advisory Unit and the Government of Guatemala, the Advisory Unit has launched the process of identifying the most appropriate experts to recommend to the Government under the aegis of the PDG project to support municipal governance in the country. In addition to making use of its international networks, the Advisory Unit has started to approach specialised non-profit and private institutions in countries such as Argentina, El Salvador, Mexico and Spain. Members of the Experts' Group were also sent the Terms of Reference earlier this week and are invited to recommend individuals matching these profiles to the Advisory Unit. For more information on this process, please contact the Secretariat.

Meeting marks beginning of work on PDG Contracting Out Handbook

The Advisory Unit welcomed a select group of experts to Paris from 27-28 October in order to lay the groundwork of a forthcoming PDG Handbook on contracting out government functions and services in fragile situations. Participants included representatives from partner countries, bilateral agencies, international organisations, academia and the private sector. The work started this week in Paris allowed experts to exchange their views on how to structure the Handbook, which will be aimed at policymakers from partner governments to help inform their choices and guide their possible decisions to contract out certain functions. A first draft of the Handbook will be presented to the Steering Group during their meeting in December, and the final Handbook will be published in the second quarter of 2010. For more information on the meeting, including access to background documents and a list of participants, please click here.

PDG collaborative effort in Grenada to be presented to cabinet

The collaborative effort in support of public procurement reform in Grenada is underway and moving toward the policy advice stage. On 23 November 2009, the PDG Secretariat will present to the Cabinet of Grenada a policy brief on public procurement and PDG support to its reform in Grenada. Meetings will also be held with senior Grenadian officials to discuss the new draft Public Procurement Act and secondary legislation, currently being drafted with PDG support, as well as the strategic work plan for implementation and international collaborative support by donors.

PDG engages in outreach activities at EU Development Days

The Partnership for Democratic Governance was part of the OECD delegation sent to Stockholm to present the work of the Organisation at the European Development Days (EDD), 22-25 October. EDD is an annual event co-organised by the European Commission and the Presidency of the European Council, and is attended by over 6 000 representatives of the international development community. Particular interest was given to the Partnership's activities in Georgia, Guatemala and Liberia

Reminder: PDG Communications Tools

A number of communications tools have been made available online by the Advisory Unit for our members and the interested public. An updated version of the PDG Brochure, which includes information on the composition of the Partnership and a brief overview of its activities, is available for download in English, French and Spanish. Should you require additional materials, please contact the Secretariat.

Reminder: Invitation to join PDG Online

The Advisory Unit continues to extend an invitation to all interested parties to join our community of practice by creating a PDG Online account today. PDG Online is a unique, custom-built web platform where users can comment on and participate in an ongoing intellectual debate, learn more about the latest work of the Partnership and more. The website is also being enriched with a new series of discussion papers from a number of development experts on issues ranging from contracting out to the role of non-traditional donors and South-South co-operation