Mandate:   -    The Network was created by merging the DAC informal Network on Participatory Development and Good Governance (PD/GG) and the DAC informal Network on Institutional and Capacity Development (I/CD) during the 754th meeting of the DAC [DCD/DAC/M(2000)5]

   -   New mandate approved by the DAC on 17 September 2003 [DCD/DAC/M(2003)6/FINAL and DCD/DAC/GOVNET(2003)3/REV1]

   -   Mandate extended until 31 December 2006 by the DAC on 17 June 2004 [DCD/DAC/M(2004)8/PROV and DCD/DAC/M(2004)8/CORR]

   -   Renewal of the mandate approved by the DAC under the written procedure on 19 June 2007 [DCD/DAC/M(2007)7/FINAL and DCD/DAC/GOVNET(2007)2/FINAL]

   -   Revision of the DAC subsidiary body mandates approved by the DAC on 23 October 2008 [DCD/DAC(2008)39/REV2 and DCD/DAC/M(2008)9/FINAL, item V. para. 7]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2011 [DCD/DIR(2010)18]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2012 [DCD/DAC(2011)38/REV1, para. 17g. and [DCD/DAC/M(2011)9/FINAL, Item V]

   -   Revision of the mandate and decision to extend it to 31 December 2013, approved by the DAC on 12 November 2012 [DCD/DAC(2012)42 and DCD/DAC/M(2012)10/FINAL, item 4, para. 5]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2014, approved by the DAC on 17 September 2013 [DCD/DAC(2013)25 and DCD/DAC/M(2013)8/FINAL, item 8]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2015 in order to synchronise with the Committee mandate's date, approved by written procedure [DCD/DAC(2014)60 and DCD/DAC/M(2014)12/FINAL, item 3. para. 4]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2016, in order to synchronise with the Committee mandate's date, approved by the DAC on 15 April 2015 and confirmed to the DAC on 18 June 2015 [DCD/DAC(2015)9, para. 3.ii), DCD/DAC/M(2015)3/FINAL, item 7. para. 24, 25, 26 and DCD/DAC/M(2015)5, item 3. para. 4]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2017, in order to synchronise with the Committee mandate's date, approved by the DAC on 20 May 2016 [DCD/DAC(2016)26 and DCD/DAC/M(2016)5/FINAL, item 6. para.14]

   -   Decision to extend the mandate to 31 December 2018, approved by the DAC High Level Meeting on 30-31 October 2017 [DCD/DAC(2017)26/REV2, para.5 and DCD/DAC/M(2017)8/REV1 Item 10]

   -   Decision to revise and extend the mandate to 31 December 2022, approved by the DAC, via silent procedure, on 19 December 2018 [DCD/DAC(2018)39/FINAL].

   -   Decision to revise and extend the mandate to 31 December 2027, approved by the DAC on 24 November 2022 [DCD/DAC(2022)27/FINAL]

1.   The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is the principal forum through which bilateral donors deal with issues related to the volume and effectiveness of development co‑operation. It aims to impact donor policies and practices in ways that promote aid effectiveness, capacity development, and inclusive globalisation, in order to support poverty reduction and sustainable development in developing countries.

2.   Subsidiary Bodies of the DAC will function as communities of practice and sources of expertise that promote collective learning and produce deliverables in accordance with the DAC mandate. The deliverables of Subsidiary Bodies are to be based on the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) and on additional guidance from the DAC, as communicated by its Chair. They could include leading edge thinking, policy recommendations, good practices, and tools, which are to be relevant, practical, timely, and user-friendly. These deliverables should be accompanied by communication and dissemination strategies designed to ensure impact on behaviour change. Subsidiary Bodies will also promote synergies among other Subsidiary Bodies in contributing to the DAC’s PWB.

3.   The operations of Subsidiary Bodies, as part of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD), will be in line with the rules, regulations, and guidance of the Organisation. Together with the Secretariat, they will carry out horizontal work with other parts of the OECD where appropriate to particularly contribute to policy coherence for development. Furthermore, Subsidiary Bodies will develop substantive interactions with international organisations and non-DAC donors –including in support of the Organisation’s efforts toward enlargement and enhanced engagement– as well as reach out on a case by case basis to partner countries and other relevant actors.

Extract from document [DCD/DAC(2022)27/FINAL]

Mandate

I. Objectives

The Network on Governance (hereafter the “GovNet”) shall assist the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) to improve policy and practice on democratic and inclusive governance for development across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and with a particular focus on SDG 16, with a focus on enabling effective and accountable governance that is responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative so as to ‘leave no one behind’.

II. Working Methods

To achieve these objectives, the GovNet shall:

• Serve as forum to share experiences and peer learning;

• Support the implementation and dissemination of standards and good practices on governance for development, including in the areas of anti-corruption and illicit financial flows;

• Analyse and review policies as well as innovative approaches, and their implementation.

III. Coordination arrangements

In order to efficiently implement its objectives, the GovNet shall:

• Engage with the other subsidiary bodies of the DAC, and the communities of practice on civil society and poverty and inequality;

• Coordinate with other OECD bodies, in particular the Public Governance Committee, the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions and the Investment Committee, with a view to support the DAC in furthering policy coherence for sustainable development;

• Co-operate with other international organisations, development banks and international fora, in particular the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC) and Effective Institutions Platform (EIP), International Monetary Fund, World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Latin American Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank with a view to support the DAC’s efforts to enhance development co-operation effectiveness and deliver development results.

• Consult with other stakeholders, in particular civil society and research institutes, including the Carnegie Endowment, the European Democracy Hub, the Varieties of Democracy Institute, ODI, the German Development Institute, BBC Media Action, the Global Fund for Media Development, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Natural Resource Governance Institute and individual scholars, with a view to integrate up-to-date high-level analysis in GovNet’s work, receive feedback and guarantee added value.

IV. Composition

The GovNet is composed of experts responsible for the thematic work on governance.