Originally posted at CIPE Development Blog
An increasing number of policy and governance challenges around the world demand private sector participation to generate viable solutions. Such challenges include poverty reduction, inclusive growth, government accountability, business integrity, national competitiveness, innovation, and access to opportunity. Although the obstacles to dialogue can be high, the value of dialogue is now widely recognized by governments and business leaders alike. Notably, the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea, recommended that countries embrace “inclusive dialogue for building a policy environment conducive to sustainable development.”
In CIPE’s latest Economic Reform Feature Service article, Benjamin Herzberg, Program Lead, Leadership, Learning and Innovation at the World Bank Group, my colleague Kim Bettcher, Senior Knowledge Manager at CIPE, and I explore the importance of PPD and discuss its practical applications around the world.
Public-private dialogue (PPD) is a structured, participatory, and inclusive approach to policymaking. It is directed at reforming governance and the business climate, especially where other policy institutions are underperforming. Dialogue improves the flow of information relating to economic policy and builds legitimacy into the policy process. It also seeks to overcome impediments to transparency and accommodate greater inclusion of stakeholders in decision-making.
Public-private dialogue creates a foundation for market-friendly policies that deepen economic reform and enhance national competitiveness. It has many applications, but is typically geared toward improving the investment climate, removing constraints to development, or formulating industries-specific policies. From the viewpoint of democratic and open governance, a vibrant private contribution to dialogue expands participation in policymaking, improves the quality of business representation, and supplements the performance of democratic institutions.
To learn more about best practices and international experiences in PPD, join the community of practice:
- Visit PPD hub: www.publicprivatedialogue.org
- Connect on Facebook: facebook.com/ publicprivatedialogue
- Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/PPDialogue and tweet using the #ppdialogue hashtag
- Follow the upcoming 8th International Workshop on Public-Private Dialogue in Copenhagen, Denmark #ppd2015
Anna Nadgrodkiewicz is Director for Multiregional Programs at CIPE.