ADB: A Critical Review of Good Governance for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
NITI Aayog | Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
The ADBI Working Paper titled ‘From Field to Future: A Critical Review of Good Governance for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries’ argues that good governance is not a one-size-fits-all model but a dynamic framework that must be adapted to local cultural and institutional contexts. It defines Good Governance (GG) through its essential characteristics: transparency, accountability, participation, and equity. It argues that GG is the foundational requirement for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), acting as the mechanism that connects financial flows to actual developmental outcomes. The study highlights that while global standards exist, the most effective governance models are those that integrate context-specific values and local traditions with modern administrative practices.
Critical Fields of Governance Application
The research examines how governance impacts specific sectors vital for developing nations:
Education and Healthcare: Governance in these fields is measured by resource management and equity; however, progress is often hindered by lack of transparency and increasing privatization.
Infrastructure and IP: Successful infrastructure development, especially in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), depends on transparent planning, while effective Intellectual Property (IP) regimes must balance innovation incentives with public access.
Climate and Digital Transformation: GG is critical for aligning national policies with global climate commitments. Additionally, e-governance and AI are identified as transformative tools for data-driven policymaking, provided that digital divides and algorithmic biases are proactively managed.
Institutional Failures and Future Resilience
The study identifies significant barriers that undermine governance efficacy in developing countries:
The Corruption Cycle: Corruption is highlighted as the primary barrier, creating a cycle of inefficiency that erodes public trust and institutional strength.
Social Injustice: Weaknesses in the rule of law and persistent gender discrimination are cited as major hurdles to equitable governance.
Strategic Policy Advice: To build future-ready institutions, the paper recommends a focus on institutional capacity building, reducing systemic corruption, and ensuring that digital transformation projects protect citizen rights while fostering inclusivity.
Policy Relevance
The findings are directly applicable to India’s push for Minimum Government, Maximum Governance and its digital public infrastructure (DPI) leadership.
Sectoral Equity in Education and Health: India can leverage the paper’s focus on transparency and inclusiveness to address rural disparities in public school systems and teacher accountability, alongside integrating digital health technologies like telemedicine to improve accessibility.
Infrastructure and Climate Resilience: Adopting strong, transparent regulatory frameworks for PPPs in energy and transportation will mitigate funding shortages and corruption, while aligning national climate governance with global goals builds long-term resilience.
Digital Transformation and AI Ethics: India’s strides in e-governance (e.g., Aadhaar) can be furthered by embedding fairness in AI governance to address algorithmic bias and the digital divide, ensuring that “tech-led” governance remains equitable.
Institutional Accountability: Tackling persistent corruption and social injustices—such as caste-based discrimination—requires a shift toward the paper’s recommended context-specific models that prioritize local values over the wholesale adoption of foreign administrative frameworks.
Localized SDGs: The emphasis on context-specific models supports India's Aspirational Districts Programme, which tailors governance interventions to the specific socio-economic needs of local regions.
Follow the full paper here: From Field to Future: A Critical Review of Good Governance for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries