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State Fragility as Key Development Challenge
A third of the world’s poor live in countries where the state lacks either the will or the capacity to engage productively with their citizens to ensure security, safeguard human rights and provide the basic functions for development. Fragile states are different from better performing countries in that they confront particularly severe development challenges such as weak governance, limited administrative capacity, chronic humanitarian crises, persistent social tensions, violence or the legacy of civil war.
Progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in fragile states is slower then in many other countries of the developing world. Half of all children dying before the age of five and over one third of people suffering from HIV/AIDS live in fragile states.
The spill over effects resulting from state fragility—violent conflict, organized crime, migration, drug trafficking—resonate with concerns about international stability and global development.
Improving international engagement in fragile states
The special circumstances in fragile states and situations confront the international community with particular challenges. Bilateral donors and multilateral organisations increasingly recognize the need to improve their engagement in fragile states. The DAC fragile States Group works to shape a consensus on how to design and implement policy approaches that are tailored to these contexts.
During 2007-2008, the FSG work programme focuses on:
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