Publication

This policy brief argues that support to good governance in fragile states requires a considerable degree of skill and sensitivity to the political context on the part of donors. According to the author, pursuing too broad a governance agenda can increase the fragility of the state rather than reduce it. Further, the brief states that donors should not permit fundamental disagreements with the political nature of a regime to determine aid policy without assessing the relative capacities of different state elements to practice good governance, including the executive, legislative and administrative elements of government, the judiciary, and not least the police and armed forces.