New Alliances for Social Development: Mobilizing Resources in Nicaragua

In the face of dwindling development assistance from traditional donors, Nicaragua has turned to new partnerships with the governments of Venezuela, Brazil and China to finance the adoption of much-needed social programmes. But these relationships can be fragile, and despite frequent tax reforms the Nicaraguan government has not managed to provide a stable domestic resource base to underpin its social contract. So how can sustainable financing for social policies be ensured?

This brief was prepared by Harald Braumann.

UNRISD Project Briefs pose questions, flag ideas and contribute knowledge that can improve the quality of development debates, policy and practice. They provide a concise summary of an UNRISD research project, situating it within wider social development debates; outlining its focus, objectives and methodology; and highlighting interim findings.