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UNU-WIDER and University of Ghana Seminar: Donors, Democracy and Development

This seminar addresses whether and how foreign aid has impacted the democratic trajectories of countries within sub-Saharan Africa. By disaggregating foreign aid into democracy and development assistance, the seminar will highlight that these disparate resource flows exhibit differential, and sometimes contravening, impacts on the consolidation of democracy, which involves strengthening accountability between elected officials and citizens, enhancing the capacities of parliaments and judiciaries, and promoting a competitive party system. Case studies on Benin, Malawi, and Mozambique will be complemented by an in-depth discussion of Ghana's democratic experience and highlight donor preparations for Ghana's 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.

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Presentations in order of appearance.

Dr Danielle Resnick, UNU-WIDER, gives a presentation on 'Foreign Aid and Democracy in Africa: Framework, Concepts, and Mechanisms'.

Professor Mamoudou Gazibo, University of Montreal, gives a presentation on 'Beyond Electoral Democracy: Foreign Aid and the Challenge of Deepening Democracy in Benin'.

Professor Carrie Manning, Georgia State University, gives a presentation on 'The Changing Dynamics of Foreign Aid and Democracy in Mozambique'.

Dr Danielle Resnick, UNU-WIDER, gives a presention on 'Two Steps Forward, One Step Back? The Limits of Foreign Aid on Malawi's Democratic Consolidation'.

Dr E. Gyimah-Boadi, Director of CDD-Ghana, gives a presentation on 'Ghana: The Limits of External Democracy Assistance'.

Benjamin Kauffeld, USAID Ghana, gives a presention on 'Democracy, Governance, and Ghana's 2012 Elections'.