Round Table Discussion Defining an Accountable System in the Cambodian Context

1
Round Table DiscussionDefining an Accountable
System in the Cambodian Context

• Democratic Governance and Public Sector Reform
  Programme, CDRI
• May 25, 2006

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Structure of the Roundtable Discussion

• Objective
• Peer Review of Accountability Definition
• Tasks
• Present Accountability Study and Definition
• Group Feedback
• Outputs
• Record Feedback from Todays Discussion to
  Integrate into our Definition
• Share Publications with Stakeholders Soon

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Background

• Study Accountability at the Provincial Level
• Context DD Reform
• Focus Formal and Informal Systems
• Research Objectives
• Understand Current Management Systems at the
  Provincial Level
• Analyse Accountability Implications for the DD
  Reforms

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Study Assumptions

• Assumption 1
• Formal and Informal Components Accountable
  System
• Assumption 2
• Lack of Accountability in System gt Cannot
  Achieve Democratic Development

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Why Accountability?

• The administrative system at sub-national level
  will operate with transparency and accountability
  in order to promote local development and
  delivery of services -DD Framework, 2005
• Enhancing accountability reduces poverty
• -Cambodia at Crossroads, 2004
• Civic institutions that lack transparency and
  accountability generate perverse incentives.
• -Arthur Goldsmith, 2005,
• How Good Must Governance Be?

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Practical Challenges in the Absence of
Accountability

• Planning
• Survival Planning
• Lack of Horizontal and Vertical Coordination
• Human Resource Management
• Recruitment Process
• Official Appointments
• Public Expenditure Management
• Inadequate and Unpredictable Transfers
• Non-Transparent Procurement

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Lack of Understanding of Term Findings from Data
Collection

• Confusion by Cambodian officials About the Term
  Kanakney-Pheap
• Kanakney Account'
• Pheap Ability or Status or Being
• Status or Being of Accounts

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Interpretations

• The term is understood differently as
• Related only to Accounting and Financial Matters
• Compliance to Laws and Regulations
• Responsibility, Transparency, Non-Biased
• Less than 5 of Villagers Have Ever Heard the
  Term
• -Kim Sedara, 2005, Government
  Responsiveness Study,

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Current Available Definitions and Explanations

• Implementation of ones responsibilities or
  duties within the process of decisionmaking and
  responsibility for his or her actions by
  reporting and giving reason for such actions.
• Accountability is not just responsibility to any
  particular person, but is responsibility to all
  the relevant stakeholders.
• - Good Governance Handbook for Commune
  Councils,MoI, DOLA, 2005
• Responsibility -CDRI Economic Lexicon

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Challenges We Encountered

• Definition Conceptually Well-Constructed?
• Is It Complete?
• Is It Contextualized Enough for the Cambodian
  Context?
• Is It Useful? (e.g. Operationalised
  Appropriately to Be a Practical Guide for
  Policymakers?)
• CDRI Team Conducts Literature Review to Answer
  These Questions

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• CONCEPTUALIZING ACCOUNTABILITY

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Accountability as a Relationship Between Two
Actors
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Two Dimensions of Accountability Relationship

• Accountability of Whom, to Whom?
• (e.g. Horizontal vs. Vertical
  Accountability)
• Accountability For What?
• (e.g. Compliance, Financial, Performance,
  Political?)

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Systems to Promote Accountability Relationships
Between Actors
System
Policy Inputs
Pro-Poor Service Delivery
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Formal and Informal Systems Influencing
Accountability
?
?
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Accountability in Formal, Patrimonial and
Neo-Patrimonial Systems
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Framework to Understand Accountability in
Cambodian Context
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Assumptions

• Both formal and informal institutions must be
  considered in study of Cambodian accountability
• Both systems have strengths and weaknesses to
  consider
• Accountability will not happen overnight.
  Sequenced solutions needed
• Solutions must Cambodian-owned and tailored to
  administrative environment and specific needs
• Awareness of political sensitivity important
• Consensus needs to be built

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• DEFINING ACCOUNTABLE SYSTEMS FOR
• PRO-POOR SERVICE DELIVERY

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3-Tiered Definition of Accountability
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Iterative Process for Contextualizing Definition

• Documented Existing Technical Arrangements Of
  Provincial Governance In Planning, PFM, HRM
• Brainstorming and Defining In Khmer Identified
  Major Accountability Issues In The 3 Areas
• Reviewed International Definitions
• Compared Cambodian and International
  Understandings Gaps in Each?
• Worked Between 2 Formed Contextualized
  Definition Based that Also Encompasses
  International Criteria

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General Definition of an Accountable System

• A Personal, Administrative Political Value of a
  Cambodian-Owned System
• Mechanisms To Achieve Accountability
• Clear Assignment Of Roles and Responsibilities
• Adequate and Predictable Resources
• Horizontal and Vertical Coordination
• Transparency
• Law Enforcement

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General Definition (cont.)

• Focus of Government
• Build Trust In Public Institutions
• Exhibit Administrative Neutrality
• Embody Responsible Performance
• Including Broader Actors
• Public Participation
• Political Support
• Outcome
• Serve the Public Interest, Particularly the Poor,
  Effectively

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Definition Accountable System at Provincial Level

• A Unified Administration
• Run According to the Principles of Democratic
  Development
• Adherence to the Rule of Law
• Transparency of Operations
• Open Door Policy for Public Participation
• Proper Assignment Of
• Functions
• Adequate And Predictable Resources
• Decisionmaking Authority
• To Serve Local Needs, Especially The Poor

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Next Steps

• Definition Structures Data Collection for Rounds
  2 and 3 Fieldwork in 4 Provinces
• Production of Short Policy Brief Series
• Audience Cambodian Policymakers at Different
  Levels, Civil Society Actors
• Publication of Literature Review Accountability
  and Neo-Patrimonialism

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Questions for Discussion

• General Impressions of Definition Presented?
• Conceptualisation of Accountability Clear?
  Useful?
• Is Definition Properly Contextualized? Useful for
  Policymakers? Donors?
• Comments on Normative Approach?

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Definition for Planning

• Accountability in relation to planning cannot be
  implemented without clear guidelines as well as
  adequate fiscal resources, staff remuneration and
  capacity building in the Governors Office and
  the provincial line departments.
• It requires an effective linkage between planning
  and budgeting, and good vertical and horizontal
  coordination between and within sectoral
  ministries, as well as donors.
• It also requires coordination between national,
  provincial and local planning processes. It
  should build on existing participatory planning
  processes, and must also include political
  accountability.

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Definition for PEM

• An accountable PEM system within the new
  provincial administration must be a unified
  system. It requires political will from and
  collaboration among government agencies at both
  national and sub-national level, as well as donor
  community to design a system which has
• Function and expenditure assignments that are
  clearly defined among national and sub-national
  actors and that promote efficiency and
  effectiveness in service provision.
• An intergovernmental transfer system that can
  guarantee adequate, equitable, timely and
  transparent transfer.

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Definition for PEM (cont.)

• Harmonised and coordinated financings between on-
  and off-budgets to promote Cambodian ownership
  over service deliveries.
• An expenditure management system run by capable
  staff at provincial level to ensure transparency
  and efficient uses of available resources.
• Minimised personal and/or political interferences
  over the execution and enforcement of financial
  management issues.

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Definition for PEM (cont.)

• A competitive and attractive incentive/remuneratio
  n provided through adequate and efficient
  intergovernmental transfers.
• A neutral HRM administration.
• Strict enforcement and sanction of performance of
  public officials.

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Definition for HRM

• An accountable HRM system in Cambodian provincial
  administration would be a system that serves
  public interests and performs the best of its
  capacity to deliver outcomes. It requires
• A competitive transparent recruitment process
  based on merit.
• A clear delegation of roles and responsibility to
  appropriate level with specific expectations and
  outputs.