Accra Agenda for Action: Evidence to Action

Consultation on the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness South Asia

Bangkok, 5-6 May 2008

Contents

1. Objectives and Contents of the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)

2. Comments so far on the draft AAA

3. Your Inputs into the AAA

What does the Accra Agenda for Action intend to achieve ?

• Not a new Paris Declaration• A political, ministerial statement, setting out

a small set of concrete actions• Address constraints to achieving Paris

Declaration• Respond to emerging issues• Set future direction for aid effectiveness

Accra Agenda for Action: Structure & Contents

• Preamble

• Priority Actions Strengthening country ownership of development Improving alignment Harmonising and streamlining aid delivery Achieving and demonstrating development results Strengthening mutual accountability for development

• Looking Forward

Accra Agenda for Action: Priority ActionsPriority Action: Improving the predictability of aid over the

medium term

“ we will reach agreement by [December 2010] on actions that increase medium-term predictability by:

• Increasing the proportion of aid committed on a rolling three-year basis and improving the timeliness of disbursements

• Proposing practical modalities for publishing reliable country-by-country timetables for aid commitments and expenditures

• Designing innovative disbursement modalities, including pooling of donor funds to smooth out agreed financing flows.”

Contents

1. Objectives of the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)

2. Comments so far on the draft AAA

3. Your Inputs into the AAA

Comments on the First Draft• Working Party on Aid Effectiveness (2-3 April 2007)- AAA must be more ambitious and politically appealing- Whilst remaining focused and succinct

• Pacific Consultations- Need to localise the AAA document to actions at regional and national levels;- Monitoring Technical Assistance and role of National Aid Coordination Mechanisms.

• South-East Asia Consultations- Balance between recipient and donor government commitments not yet right –

particularly on ownership and mutual accountability- Donors distort capacity building through over use of international technical assistance

• Africa Consultations- Using country systems when these are strengthened- Ensuring the quality of scaled-up aid.

Contents

1. Objectives of the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)

2. Comments so far on the draft AAA

3. Your Inputs into the AAA

When to influence the AAA? – This is a first draft of the AAA (18th of March)

– To be revised by mid June

– Final draft released by 20 July

– The timing has deliberately been set so that the drafting of the AAA is an open, consultative exercise.

How to influence the AAA? – It is a not a drafting exercise.

– The AAA should identify concrete actions to make progress on: • 5 principles of the Paris Declaration • 6 priority issues for partner countries

– Predictability – Conditionality – Untying Aid – Capacity development – Incentives – Division of labour

– It is a working document (set of Options)

Options on the AAA: Identifying Concrete Actions

Paris Declaration Pillar Options for Action

I and II Ownership and Alignment

A. Medium Term PredictabilityB. ConditionalityC. Capacity Development/ TAD. Country SystemsE. Untying Aid

III Harmonisation F. Division of LabourG. IncentivesH. Countries in Fragile SituationsI. International Aid Architecture

IV Managing for Results J. Managing for Results

V Mutual Accountability K. Transparency & AccountabilityL. Mutual AccountabilityM. Role of Civil Society

Concrete Actions Example: Capacity Development

Key questions on AAA

• If you had to advise YOUR Minister on what

ACTIONS are needed to be taken both by your

government and development partners to make aid

more effective, what would they be?• What actions are needed to ensure donors use your

country systems and provide more predictable aid?• What actions are needed to improve development

impact on gender, environment and human rights?