ABSTRACT
Partnership has become an increasingly common term used within the discourse and literature of the international development sector to describe the working relationships between a range of development actors – bilateral and multilateral donors, governments of aid recipient countries, international non-government organisations, academic intuitions, etc. Partnerships for development are a response to these trends in development thinking, and are now both one of and a part of these complex and adaptive systems within which we practice. Putting the core partnership principles of equity, transparency and mutual benefit into practice in a complex industry populated by competing interests, shifting contexts and complex problems presents significant challenges for establishing and delivering effective partnerships. The development effectiveness agenda has provided the industry with a key message and focus for strengthening our efforts by seeking to engage in more meaningful partnerships with a range of stakeholders in order to deliver on development outcomes.
