Interagency Cooperation

Dr Laura Cleary

Scope

• Terminology

• Rationale

• Benefits

• National Security Strategy & Border Management: Two Examples

• Critical Factors for Success

• Questions

Terminology

• Holistic Government• Horizontal Government• Joined Up Government• Integrated Government• Whole of Government• Comprehensive Approach (tends to be

used in operational environments)• Inter-Agency Cooperation (relevant to

policy/strategy formation)

Rationale

• Traditional approach within government bureaucracies has been one of “stove piping”.

Rationale

Rationale

• “Denotes public service agencies working across portfolio boundaries to achieve a shared goal and integrated government response to particular issues. Approaches can be formal and informal. They can focus on policy development, program management and service delivery.”

(State Government of Victoria State, Joined Up Government: a review of national and international experiences, Working Paper No. 1, 2007)

Rationale

• ‘“Interagency” is an adjective to describe a process of bringing together elements from across the government and not a noun to describe an organization that brings solutions.’ (Derek Reveron, Exporting Security, 2010)

Benefits

• A wider perspective on issues contributes to cross-cutting initiatives.• Competing perspectives – political and institutional

• Improves delivery of public services

• Promotes innovation

• Improves cost-effectiveness (reference jointery)

National Security Strategy: An Example

• Statement of Interests and Values• Risk Assessement:• Statistical trend analysis (+/-)• International developments• Movements in social habits• Responses to national and economic

circumstances• International obligations• Objectives and Strategies

National Security Strategy: An Example

• Risk Assessment:• Inter-Agency inputs and analysis >>> risk

inflation• Collation should be done by an objective third

party (appointed by a higher national authority)• Straightforward process; information gaps

identified and measures taken• Report should address issues concerning risks,

their level and future trends, prioritisation, and an impact study on the implications of risks to national policy. Dissent can be reflected.

National Security Strategy: An Example

• Risk Assessment:• Draft report should be circulated to all participating agencies

for comment: a chance to amend.• Once consensus has been reached the Risk Assessment

should become the generic risk register and should guide subsequent discussions.

• Agency-level risk assessments should, by definition, fit well into this comprehensive inter-agency document.

• Institutional objectives and strategies should also relate to each other as well as the broader national interest.

Border Management: An Example

• Border management regimes reflect a range of considerations:• National sovereignty

• Geography

• National and international legislation

• Geopolitics

• Economics

Border Management: An Example

• Elaborating a strategy requires the input of all those agencies involved in border management, both directly and indirectly.

Who would you include?

Border Management: An Example

• Risk Assessment:• Inter-Agency inputs and analysis >>> risk inflation• Collation should be done by an objective third party (appointed by a

higher national authority)• Straightforward process; information gaps identified and measures

taken• Report should address issues concerning risks, their level and

future trends, prioritisation, and an impact study on the implications of risks to national policy. Dissent can be reflected.

• Draft report should be circulated to all participating agencies for comment: a chance to amend.

• Once consensus has been reached the Risk Assessment should become the generic risk register and should guide subsequent discussions.

• Agency-level risk assessments should, by definition, fit well into this comprehensive inter-agency document.

Developing the State’s Response

Developing the State’s Response

• Protection of a state’s borders should begin, wherever possible, at the point of origin of the risks and slowly work back to the internal aspect of the problem.

Developing the State’s Response• The role of diplomatic and consular

posts abroad• Staff capable of handling issues of immigration, law

enforcement and asylum,

• Facilities should be used to facilitate the regular exchange of specific and operational information with partner countries and between agencies.

Developing the State’s Response• International Dimension

• Interpol• Europol

• Review of state responses must indicate the level of participation in such initiatives and show clearly any added value.

• Consider increasing involvement

Developing the State’s Response

• Cross-Border Cooperation

• Adequately delineated and demarked borders

• Existence of cross-border protocols

• Normalisation of borders

• Demilitarisation

• Facilitation of trade

Developing the State’s Response

• Do agencies involved function adequately in response to national legislative requirements and respond to the risks identified?

• What is the level of political will, financial circumstances, social norms, traditions and the efficacy of government?

• Do resources of agencies measure up to the task?• What is the level of control and the method of

communication?• How professional are the forces and agencies?

Developing the State’s Response

• Institutional audits should lead to institutional strategies

• Inter-agency cooperation structures

Developing the Strategy

• Transparent list of what measures have to be taken and by which time

• Identify tasks and those responsible for their implementation

• Identify implementation benchmarks• Need for technical assistance?• Realistic objectives• Who will oversee the project?

Critical Success Factors

• Work towards shared goals that are clearly defined and mutually agreed

• Measuring and evaluating progress towards goals

• Having sufficient and appropriate resources available

• Having strong leadership directing the team and initiatives towards the goal

• Working well together with a shared sense of responsibility

Critical Success Factors

New Ways New types of New accountabilities New ways of of working organisation and incentives delivering servicesacross organisations

Joined by:•Shared leadership•Pooled budgets•Merged structures•Joint teams

Joined by:•Culture & values•Information•Training

Joined by:•Shared outcome targets•Performance Measures•Regulation•Systems of Accountability need to mirror centres of power and policy

Joined by:•Joint consultation/Involvement•Shared client focus•Shared customerInterface

Questions?

Shoes are seen as a giveaway