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Mallarangeng, Andi ; Tuijl, Peter van: Breaking new ground or dressing-up in the Emperor's new clothes?: a response to a critical review. - In: Third World Quarterly (Basingstoke), 25 (July 2004) 5. - S. 919-932 + Crawford, Gordon: Dancing to whose tune?: a replay to my critics. - In: Third World Quarterly (Basingstoke), 25 (July 2004) 5. - S. 933-941

AbstractFollowing an examination of European Union (EU) rhetoric on promoting human rights and democracy in third countries, this article focuses on how its practice can best be evaluated. It analyses recent evaluation studies of European Community (EC) democracy programmes in different regions, but finds that methodological shortcomings restrict their value. Thus, an alternative evaluation methodology is proposed. This is based on a participatory approach in which informed local actors would play a key role in assessing EC efforts. Advantages include a more rigorous critique, with lessons learnt integrated into revised programmes characterised by greater domestic control and authorship, as befits the nature of democratization. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The signing in Mauritius on 4 November 1995 of the amended fourth Lomé Convention, the aid and trade co-operation agreement between the European Union (EU) and the ACP Group of 70 African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries, brought the Mid-Term Review to its formal completion after protracted negotiations. Established in 1975, Lomé has long been the centre-piece of EU development assistance. In quantitative terms, the European Development Fund, the financial instrument of Lomé, has comprised the largest single portion of EU aid, averaging almost 45 per cent of all disbursements in recent years.1 Qualitatively, Lomé has been regarded as a model of North—South cooperation, mainly due to three special features: it was founded on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and interdependence; it is a legally binding contract negotiated between two sets of countries; and it involves ongoing dialogue through three joint institutions, the ACP—EU Council of Ministers, the Committee of Ambassadors, and the 'parliamentary' Joint Assembly.