The Weekly
CEO Top of Mind
Marc Purcell, what is at the top of your mind this week?
Two things stand out in New Zealand’s INGO community from Australia: the intimacy of the partnership between a select number and MFAT, and cultural literacy. I was privileged to be a speaker at the NZ Council for International Development held its annual conference this week in Wellington.
What was immediately apparent was the efforts to embrace Maori culture over the last 20 years had born fruit. Pakeha speakers all got up in succession and greeted colleagues in Maori language. The second day of the conference was held at the Pepitae Marai, a cultural centre for the Maori in Wellington and delegates all sang confidently in Maori too. An interesting synthesis is occurring in NZ society between the culture of colonists and Maori based on respect for first nations and hard won recognition of Maori rights under the Treaty of Waitangi. While New Zealand’s younger generations have some greater fluency in Maori than older persons, and some argue that cultural understanding is only superficial, the state of race relationships seems more advanced than in Australia.
Secondly, a small group of INGOs enjoy a close relationship with MFAT as preferred funding partners. MFAT staff are trained in partnership brokerage in some cases, but seem well versed in partnership collaboration
This doesn’t extend to the majority of NGOs who don’t receive consistent funding. There is no equivalent of the ANCP. Nevertheless there’s much to learn about the MFAT approach to partnership that would inform DFATs new commitment to partnership.
ACFID AGM notification
ACFID’s thirty day notice of the Annual General Meeting went out to CEOs on Monday, advising the 2023 AGM will take place on Wednesday 18 October (4:20pm – 6:00pm). All ACFID members are encouraged to attend the AGM, however a member must be financial to vote. There is no cost to attend the AGM, organisations can register as part of the Conference, for the AGM alone here.
The CEO email contained notification of Resolutions regarding the Amended Code of Conduct, and details of the voting for Board members and Code of Conduct Committee members which will open next Friday. If your CEO did not receive this notice, please contact [email protected] or 02 8123 2213.
To Watch
Development Policy Forum – Session Recordings
Last week ANU Development Policy Centre, the Australian Council for International Development, the International Development Contractors Community and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade held a successful Development Policy Forum event. Answering ‘Australia’s development program – where to from here?’, the forum brought together leaders, experts, and practitioners to discuss Australia’s recently launched International Development Policy, accompanying Performance and Delivery Framework and Development Finance Review.
Should you wish to watch recordings of any of the sessions, you can do so at the link here.
To Read
Supporting global efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics.
Australia has committed $100 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support global efforts, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. The Australian Government will provide $75 million in voluntary core funding over five years to the WHO, and a further $25 million for the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. Read the Government’s media release here. ACFID has welcomed the announcement.
To Attend
AP4D Dialogue | Strengthening Australia’s Indian Ocean Engagement
The Indian Ocean is central to global trade and connectivity and home to several key emerging economies. Yet despite its growing importance to Australia, the region is often overshadowed by the eastern half of the ‘Indo-Pacific’. When it is discussed the India relationship tends to dominate.
The interactive dialogue will explore how Australia can be an invested Indian Ocean stakeholder, contributing to regional stability and prosperity across all its tools of statecraft. With a particular focus on the northeast Indian Ocean, discussions will focus on Australia’s key interests in the region, the challenges and opportunities that exist, and how it can partner with Indian Ocean countries including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives.
Who: Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue
When: Thursday 5 October 2023
Time: 3 – 4pm AEDT
Where: Online via Zoom
Click here to register.
Australia signs High Seas Biodiversity Treaty
Australia has joined like-minded nations, including Pacific Partners, as a founding signatory of the historic High Seas Biodiversity Treaty. Read the Foreign Minister’s full media release here.
UN General Assembly adopts declaration to accelerate SDGs
World leaders adopted a political declaration to accelerate action to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to drive economic prosperity and well-being for all people while protecting the environment. Read the media release and declaration in full here.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sen the Hon. Penny Wong’s Interview with Christiane Amanpour.
On the 19th of September, Minister Wong was interviewed by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. You can find the transcript here.
To Action
AP4D Dialogue | Shaping the Information Space
The global information space is now a key part of Australian political, economic and social life, bringing with it new kinds of connectivity and opportunity. It is simultaneously a vector for serious threats to Australia’s national interests, its democratic political system and to global stability more broadly. While regulatory and civil society efforts have succeeded in raising awareness, political and security risks remain.
This interactive dialogue will explore how Australia can use and coordinate its tools of statecraft to address these risks and proactively shape the information space. We want to hear from those in the development sector with expertise related to the information space, including but not limited to mis- and dis-information, market manipulation, data theft, artificial intelligence, extremism and digital authoritarianism.
Who: Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue
When: Thursday 28 September 2023
Time: 1 – 2pm AEST
Where: Online via Zoom
Click here to register.
Previously in The Weekly:
- ACFID Conference 2023 – Register here!
- Proposed changes to the ACFID Code – Read more on the Code Review webpage.
- ACFID anticipates the release of the Government’s new Development Policy, led by DFAT in the coming weeks. Read our submissions below.
Upcoming Events
| Date | Time (AEST) | Event |
| 19 September | 12:30pm – 2pm | Cybersecurity Protecting your Agency: CEO Viewpoint |
| 20 – 21 September | CID Annual Conference 2023 | |
| 28 September | 1pm – 2pm | AP4D Dialogue | Shaping the Information Space |
| 5 October | 3pm – 4pm | AP4D Dialogue | Strengthening Australia’s Indian Ocean Engagement |
| 18-19 October | ACFID National Conference 2023 (Sydney) | |
| 16 November | 2pm – 4pm | Understanding Race & Racism Workshop |
Food for Thought
The yearly “Commitment to Development Index”, as released by the Centre for Global Development has Australia ranked 17 out of 40 donors, which is 13 ranks lower than its position in the 2021 edition of the CDI. Notably, Australia ranks 38 in the environment component, Australia has the second-highest greenhouse gas emissions of any CDI country, totalling 19.3 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per capita compared to a CDI average of 10.5 tonnes. Its direct emissions from energy, waste, agriculture, and industry contributed 20.6 tonnes of the total—lower than only the United Arab Emirates. You can read the research in full here.