Co-funded by the DFID and the World Bank Institute (WBI) with input from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), this Wilton Park Conference addressed the linkages and tensions between democratic politics and development.

It was the first in a series of three connected conferences exploring different dimensions of this relationship. The aim of this first Conference was to contribute to international policy debates about the role of democratic politics in development; and about the ways in which internal and external actors can best support it. ODI (Alina Rocha Menocal) was asked to produce three peer-reviewed “Background Notes” that succinctly capture some of the main academic and policy debates under discussion during the conference to serve as platforms to encourage further discussion among participants.

The three Background Notes include the following:

“Analysing the relationship between democracy and development: Defining basic concepts and assessing key linkages”

“Hybrid regimes and the challenges of deepening and sustaining democracy in developing countries”

“Assessing international democracy assistance and lessons learned: How can donors better support democratic processes?”