How can donors and their partners support sustainable capacity development in fragile states? This article addresses key issues and dilemmas that members of the international community confront in answering this question.

The reconstruction of fiscal institutions can contribute to macroeconomic stabilisation and create a conducive environment for further institution building.

Civil society organisations have a very important contribution to make in the process of transforming fragile states into peaceful and stable nations. Frances Fortune and Ambrose James describe the experiences of Sierra Leone during past elections.

After more than 17 years of internal conflict, Mozambique was littered with thousands of landmines. This article describes how locally recruited deminers contributed to local ownership and the state’s legitimacy.

The Liberian government faces the challenge of stabilising and rebuilding the nation after two civil wars. Capacity.org interviewed Dr Toga McIntosh, Liberia’s Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs.

In 2005, more than 100 donors, partner countries, international organisations and civil society organisations signed the ground-breaking Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The declaration recognises that aid is more effective when partner countries exercise effective leadership over their own development policies and strategies and coordinate their actions. It also underlines the fact that donors must align their overall support according to the strategies, institutions and procedures of their national partners.