In the last few months I have as a new vice chairperson of EBA had the privilege of participating in three EBA seminars of which I have moderated two; one in Stockholm and one in Gothenburg. The attendance has more than met expectations and the three studies presented have been received by the participants with interest and inspired lively exchanges. The two Norwegian researchers Rune Jansen Hagen and Kjetil Bjorvatn came to the EBA-hosted seminar at the Joint Nordic Conference on Development Research in Gothenburg last week for a second presentation of their studies Concentration difficulties? An analysis of Swedish aid proliferation and Youth, Entrepreneurship and Development respectively. These reports had already been officially launched in Stockholm. Marcus Tannenberg gave a short presentation of the forthcoming EBA report on quality of government and development policy. The engaged discussion that followed clearly indicated that this study is of great relevance for the ongoing consideration of Swedish support for institutional development and good governance. Another recent EBA-study, presented earlier this autumn by Matt Andrews with the title ”Has Sweden injected realism into financial management reforms in partner countries” gives similar insight. Both Hagens and Bjorvatns studies were at the seminar deemed to be policy relevant and to be building blocks in more comprehensive reviews of how well aligned Swedish development cooperation is with the new SDG-agenda.
Gun-Britt Andersson, Vice Chair EBA