Collaboration against corruption?: Multistakeholder groups in natural resource management

Multistakeholder processes – involving representatives from civil society, government and the private sector — are increasingly viewed by donors as a means to promote improved service delivery and operational performance in natural resource sectors. The intention behind such initiatives is to promote dialogue, learning, and collaboration towards agreed goals and, often, the implementation of standards for better sector governance and performance. But the incentives of the various actors in these initiatives may not align with these objectives. Multistakeholder groups are often expected, implicitly or explicitly, to address corruption related challenges in natural resource management. But potential conflicts of interest within the group, as well as the balance of power among stakeholders and other external constraints, are likely to inhibit their effectiveness.