2010. т. 5. №5

This is the first annual special issue of the International Organisations Research Journal published in English. It presents a collection of papers focused on the G8/G20 summitry performance, the division of labor emerging over the period of their co-existence, their comparative strengths and limitations, and how the future G8 – G20 partnership can be improved to the benefit of both, prosperity and well-being of their citizens, sustainable and balanced growth of world economy.
Though the papers present the analysis and insights of the authors, they are the outcome of a collaborative research of the International Organisations Research Institute of the University Higher School of Economics and the University of Toronto. The collection also draws on the wisdom of a network of international experts including analysts from the World Bank, Royal Institute for International Relations of Belgium, University of Ghent and Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea. It opens with reflections from Dr. Vadim Lukov, Ambassador-at-Large, Deputy Representative of the President of Russia in the G8, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Coordinator for G20 and BRIC Affairs, which combine unique practical experience and analytical assessments.
Most of the papers and research findings were debated in the international conference “Partnership for Progress. From the 2010 Muskoka – Toronto Summits to the Seoul Summit” organized by the International Organisations Research Institute of the University Higher School of Economics with support of Oxfam and the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom

Vadim Lukov, Ambassador-at-Large, Deputy Representative of the President of Russia in the G8, Foreign Affairs Ministry Coordinator for G20 and BRIC Affairs; E-mail: vblukov@mail.ru

The paper analyses results of the G8 and G20 summits held in Canada in June 2010 and their consequences for evolution of both forums and for their interaction. Among major achievements of the Toronto summit the author points out commitments on fiscal consolidation, IFI reform and on the start of country reviews of the implementation of the Framework Agreement on strong, sustainable and balanced growth. The G8 summit at Muskoka is viewed as a successful attempt to bring the G8 “back to basics” model – a leaders’ driven process at the center of which stands their informal direct dialogue. Key practical outcomes of the summit are the initiative on Maternal and Child Health Care, anti-terrorist action plan and decision to carry on the Global Partnership program in its present form. Russia’s position on main issues on G8 and G20 agenda is presented in the article.

John J. Kirton, Dr. of International Relations, Director of the G8 Research Group, Associate Professor of Political Science, Research Associate of the Centre for International Studies and Fellow of Trinity College at the University of Toronto, Canada; E-mail: john.kirton@utoronto.ca

The article examines how and why Canada’s twin 2010 summits worked well separately and together, and how the future G8-G20 partnership can be improved to the benefit of both in the years ahead. The author makes the comparative analysis of the performance of Muskoka G8 and Toronto G20 summits, identifying the synergistic convergence, and explores the causes of the successes and shortcomings of each alone and both together applying the closely related but distant concert equality model of G8 governance and the systemic club model of G20 governance as analytical guides. On the basis of this analysis, the author suggests the ways for strengthening G8-G20 partnership.

The article presents the analysis of the assessment the compliance of the G8 summit commitments and the importance of the released first full and comprehensive G8 Accountability Report in Muskoka. The author focuses the attention on the questions how 2010 Muskoka Accountability Report came to be, and how the report fared in its delivery through the Report overview, its strengths and limitations. Moreover, the author proposes the recommendations for future G8 reporting.

Zia Qureshi, Senior Adviser in the Office of Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank; E-mail: mqureshi@worldbank.org

The paper reviews the G20 agenda for strong, sustainable and balanced growth and its links to development. The author focuses on the role of the World Bank in the G20 and highlights key elements of the interconnected agenda for global growth, rebalancing, and development.

This paper examines the role and impact of civil society in increasing the accountability of the G8 and G20, with particular emphasis on the 2010 summits: the back-to-back June Muskoka G8 and Toronto G20 summits, and the November Seoul G20 summit. The paper begins with a clarification of the key concepts of civil and uncivil society, and accountability. It then discusses for what and to whom the G8 and the G20, as global governance institutions, are accountable. This is followed by a look at the kinds of civil society organizations (CSOs) that play a role in the nexus with the G8 and G20. It then considers the motivations for, and range of, civil society interaction with the G8 and G20. Finally, the paper analyzes how and to what extent civil society engagement has, (or, as the case may be, has not), had an impact on the G8 and G20 accountability. Brief concluding observations end the paper.

Vitaliy Kartamyshev, Policy Adviser, Oxfam in the Russian Federation; E-mail: VKartamyshev@oxfam.org.uk

The article presents the analysis of the Toronto G20 summit compliance with development commitments. The author proposes the view on opportunities in the framework for strong, sustainable and balanced development and gives the description of Oxfam and other development NGOs’ in this process.

Mark Rakhmangulov, Deputy Director of the G8 Research Centre, International Organisations Research Institute, University – Higher School of Economics; E-mail: MRakhmangulov@hse.ru

The paper analyses the process of establishment and development of the national system of international development assistance in Russia. The analysis covers the period starting from 2005 when key national priorities for international development assistance were defined and amounts of foreign aid were substantially increased on the threshold of Russia’s G8 Presidency preparations. The emerging structure of governance, the aid flows and amounts of allocated ODA, as well as the funding priorities in the sphere of development assistance are described on the basis of the analysis of official documents, statements and speeches of officials, reports of international institutions, and statistics available for public access. Russia’s participation in multilateral international organizations and institutions in the sphere of development cooperation is also considered. Drawing on the results of the analysis the author proposes recommendations for further development of the national system of international development assistance in Russia.

Marina Larionova, Dr. of Political Science, Head of the International Organisations Research Institute, University - Higher School of Economics; Head of International Programmes, National Training Foundation; E-mail: mlarionova@hse.ru, larionova@ntf.ru

Mark Rakhmangulov, Deputy Director of the G8 Research Centre of the International Organisations Research Institute of the University – Higher School of Economics; E-mail: MRakhmangulov@hse.ru

The paper analyses efforts made by the G8 and G20 in the sphere of international development assistance. The assessment of the G8 and G20 agendas on development, the capabilities of two institutions to respond to and address the changes occurring in global agenda for development is implemented on the basis of the commitments made and compliance performance. The commitments database covers the G8 pledges made during the period of 1975 – 2009, and the G20 commitments on development made since its first summit in 2008. The paper examines the capacities for cooperation of two institutions and possible division of labor between them. Given the forthcoming chairmanship of Russia in the G8 summitry in 2014, the recommendations presented aim to define priorities for the agenda and facilitate the promotion of Russia’s national interests in international development assistance at the G8 forum.

Dries Lesage, Professor in Globalization and Global Governance at the Ghent Institute for International Studies, Ghent University, Belgium; E-mail: Dries.Lesage@Ugent.be

The paper presents the comparative analysis of the G8 and G20 evolution. The author highlights the issue of division of labor between two fora in international governance as its transformation from the finance ministers’ meetings to the leaders’ meetings. The proposed scenarios of future co-existence are based on the application of functional and pragmatic approaches and the idea of representing the interests of different countries through the mechanisms already being developed and applied during the G8 and G20 agenda deepening.

Marina Larionova, Dr. of Political Science, Head of the International Organisations Research Institute, University - Higher School of Economics; Head of International Programmes, National Training Foundation; E-mail: mlarionova@hse.ru, larionova@ntf.ru

This paper attempts to put G8 and G20 institutions within the same assessment paradigm on the basis of a functional framework. This approach allows comparing the G8 and G20 across at least three groups of indicators: performance of global governance functions, accountability and compliance performance; contribution towards global governance agenda; and engagement with the other international institutions. It begins with outlining the methodology, and goes over to the main findings and conclusions on each of the dimensions. Thus the study contributes to building a quantifiable evidence base for an assessment of the G20 and G8 effectiveness and to inform forecast of their future roles.

Martin Gilman, Professor, Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies, University - Higher School of Economics; E-mail: gilman@hse.ru

The article presents the assessment of the efficiency and results of the G20 Seul summit 2010. The author eveluates the decisions fixed in the documents and the real actions of G20 countries, perticullarly the USA role in the change of global economy in XX century and its role in global finance system today.