The Center for Global Development shares a video of Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. In her speech, President Sirleaf announces the intention to lead her country to be free of foreign assistance within a decade.
That may be a tall order, a long journey (pick your metaphor), fraught with challenges and unwanted effects. But I see this as a first furtive sign on the horizon that big changes are going to come. I remember the head of a bilateral agency in one of the poorest countries on us telling me: "we will align when they make us."
The transition to country ownership--whatever this means (hopefully not again government domination over civil society)-- is unlikely to be smooth and linear, when we have created self-replicating systems and institutions. There might be some turbulence before more functional inter-workings are found. But no matter what, it will start by countries and their governments raising a voice and taking charge.
Not sure it will always be pretty, but I think it's necessary.
Eric
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