In Asia and the Pacific, there are countries or situations with unique development challenges that have resulted from fragility and conflict. These challenges may include weak institutional capacities and poor governance, economic and geographic isolation, economic disruption, social disruption and insecurity.

These countries have been referred to variously as weakly performing countries, failing or fragile states, low-income countries under stress, and difficult partnership countries. Service delivery systems seldom function well, and the government's ability to guarantee the basic security of its people is often limited.

The costs of weak performance

Such countries are more likely to experience large-scale and violent civil conflict than other low-income countries. The costs of weak performance include its impact on citizens, costs to neighboring countries, and global costs.

One study, The Cost of Failing States and the Limits to Sovereignty,  estimated those costs at $276 billion a year, twice what would be generated if countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) increased aid to 0.7 per cent of GDP. In such settings, achieving the Millennium Development Goals represents a major challenge.

Understanding the context

The international community and development practitioners have emphasized that a uniform approach cannot be applied to all fragile states. However, a clear understanding of the nature of fragility or failed states is a prerequisite to a coherent and relevant approach for successfully engaging in difficult environments.