HONDURAS:

1
HONDURAS Poverty Reduction Strategy and Politics
.

Juan Zaratiegui Biurrun, Coordinator G 16 PRS F
ollow Up Technical Group
4th LAC PRS DONOR NETWORK MEETING
World Bank, June 14 and 15, 2007
2
HONDURAS Political Culture
UD

• Two almost centenary mainstream parties receive
  93 of the votes.
  
• Political parties without clear ideologies.
• Mainstream political parties are composed of
  competing factions (corrientes).
  
• Highly personalized around faction leaders which
  are elected in primaries.
  
• Political debate about electoral promises, more
  than programmes.
  
• President cannot be re-elected.
• Heavily clientelistic political system,
  Government as an Employment Agency.
  
• No professional public administration in most
  ministries and institutions.
  
• Poor management of Government.
• No clear plans or policies.
• Weak partisan control of Congress benches.
• Strong influence of economic pressure groups.

3
HONDURAS PRS has survived three different
Governments of two different parties.
Source Government of Honduras
President Flores
President Zelaya
President Maduro
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HONDURAS In the last 6 years no significant i
mpact on poverty has been detected.
?
Source Government of Honduras
5
HONDURAS The many faces of PRS
Government 27.000 Million Lempiras, encompassing
all social spending with a framework document to
keep donors happy.
Donors A National Strategy to reduce poverty and
reach the MDGs in 2015, using Debt Relief,
National Resources and International Cooperation.
Municipalities 700 Million Lempiras each year
for Projects.
Population A fund for Municipalities? Projects
for NGOs? Funds from Debt Relief?
Civil Society Debt Relief, channelled through
NGOs to reduce poverty
Congress Fund for Municipalities and for
Congress members to manage social projects.
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HONDURAS What the PRS needs
Clear Macroeconomic Framework
Clear Medium Term Budgetary Framework
Clear Programmatic Framework
Solid Sector Strategies in Education and Health
Clear political and institutional framework
Strengthen the role of the CCERP (Civil Society)
Solid Monitoring System
Reform Measures Macroeconomic stability and
Fiscal reform
More transparency and accountability
WE NEED A CLEAR AND CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE WITH
GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUES
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HONDURAS How do we dialogue?
G16 - Harmonization
Budget Support
PRS - Alignment
Work with Civil Society, Political Parties,
Congress, Media to improve everyone's knowledge
of PRS
Sector Level (Tripartite Dialogue)
Being Political Vs. Being Diplomatic