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

2. Structure of the Roundtable Discussion • Objective: • Peer Review of Accountability Definition • Tasks: • Present Accountability Study and Definition • Group Feedback • Outputs: • Record Feedback from Today’s Discussion to Integrate into our Definition • Share Publications with Stakeholders Soon

3. Background • Study: “Accountability at the Provincial Level” • Context: D&D Reform • Focus: Formal and Informal Systems • Research Objectives: • Understand Current Management Systems at the Provincial Level • Analyse Accountability Implications for the D&D Reforms

4. Study Assumptions • Assumption 1: • Formal and Informal Components = Accountable System • Assumption 2: • Lack of Accountability in System => Cannot Achieve Democratic Development

5. 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…” -D&D 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?”

6. Practical Challengesin 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

7. 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’

8. 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,

9. Current Available Definitions and Explanations • “Implementation of one’s 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

10. 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…

11. CONCEPTUALIZING ACCOUNTABILITY

12. Answerability, Enforcement A B Delegation, Finance, Performance, Information, Enforcement Accountability as a Relationship Between Two Actors

13. 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?)

14. A E B C D Systems to Promote Accountability Relationships Between Actors System Policy Inputs Pro-Poor Service Delivery

15. Rational- Bureaucratic System Traditional Patronage System Mechanisms Mechanisms A/C of Actors A/C of Actors Pro-Poor Incentives Clientelism Formal and Informal Systems Influencing Accountability ? ?

16. Accountability in Formal, Patrimonial and Neo-Patrimonial Systems

17. Cambodian Traditional Values, Culture, History Western Concepts of Public Admin & Development Cambodian Current Accountab. System Cambodian Desired Accountab. System Definition of Accountab. System Framework to Understand Accountability in Cambodian Context

18. 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

19. DEFINING ACCOUNTABLE SYSTEMS FOR PRO-POOR SERVICE DELIVERY

20. More Operationalised General Definition Provincial Level Function Specific 3-Tiered Definition of Accountability

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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”

26. 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?

27. 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 Governor’s 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.

28. 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 guaranteeadequate, equitable, timely and transparent transfer.

29. 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.

30. Definition for PEM (cont.) • A competitive and attractive incentive/remuneration provided through adequate and efficient intergovernmental transfers. • A neutral HRM administration. • Strict enforcement and sanction of performance of public officials.

31. 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.