States in development

Two studies for DFID, 2009

Testing the state building framework

HLSP and ODI for DFID, April 2009

This study aims to improve our understanding of why and how some states have been able to achieve more responsive state building than others, and to draw implications for the DFID state building framework.

It looks at state building in three pairs of countries (Angola and Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, and Cambodia and Lao PDR), based on the assumption that one country in each pair is more ‘responsive’ than the other.

Authors: Steve Commins, Alina Rocha Menocal and Timothy Othieno

State building and service delivery

HLSP for DFID, April 2009

This study seeks to illustrate how, when and why basic services matter for responsive state building through four country studies: Cambodia: health service delivery; Nigeria: the delivery of education; South Sudan: basic service delivery; Zimbabwe: water services.

The study finds that the causal links between state responsiveness and service delivery are not straightforward. Support for service delivery is usually predicated on achieving better sector outcomes rather than state building per se – but it is also important to identify ways of providing services that support wider state building.

Authors: Jack Eldon and Derek Gunby