Marie Michael Library

Beyond pragmatism: appraising UN-business partnerships

Utting, Peter; Zammit, Ann

In recent years, the United Nations has emerged as an advocate of public-private partnerships (PPPs), considered to be a key instrument of development and an ideal to be emulated. This paper argues that idealizing the concept risks diverting attention away from tensions and contradictions that characterize UN-business partnerships and that raise questions about their contribution to equitable development and democratic governance. The paper identifies key forces that have driven the PPP phenomenon and reveals agendas and interests involved. The authors argue that if the contribution of UN-BPs to equitable development is to be assessed, these logics need to be identified and addressed.