Building State Capacities: From Ambition to Action
Why do some governments deliver on their promises while others fall short even with the same resources? Our Executive Vice Chair joined a thematic workshop to examine why this happens.
Convened under the Future of Development Cooperation Coalition, the workshop, themed “Building State Capacities,” brought experts together to discuss why many low- and middle-income countries struggle to turn policy ambition into results.
The discussions pointed to gaps in tax collection, civil service management, policing and trade regulation. Participants explored five perspectives on state capacity: the political bargains needed to prioritise reform; the functional capabilities that turn strategy into delivery; the role of citizen voice in strengthening accountability; the particular challenges of decentralisation; and the distinct demands of building capacity in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
The discussions resulted in six priorities, including treating capacity-building as a strategic and urgent part of development cooperation; supporting reform-minded civil servants directly; strengthening connections between political leadership and frontline service delivery; learning deliberately from peer countries, rather than only from advanced economies; prioritising accountability at every level of government; and building a future-focused pipeline of public service talent.
These insights reinforce our conviction that reform takes root when capable people are given the tools to navigate complex institutions, connect with others doing similar work, and access the support they need to drive change.