Development Aid Statistics, Reporting and Aid Effectiveness

Misha Belkindas

Development Data GroupWorld Bank

May 2008

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Presentation outline

Global development efforts and countries’ drive for improved statistics

Why are aid statistics important? How can we improve aid statistics?

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Millennium Development Goals - Progress by region (2008)

The eight MDGs build on agreements made at United Nations conferences in the 1990s

The MDGs represent commitments by all countries to tackle poverty, hunger, ill-health, gender inequality, lack of education, lack of access to clean water, environmental degradation, etc.

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Millennium Development Goals - Progress by region (2008)

Are countries on track for achieving MDG? Green: achieved Light green: on track Orange: off track Red: seriously off track Gray: no data

5Source: World Development Indicators 2008

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How can countries/development partners accelerate progress?

Increase productivity and growth Improve the delivery of public services Better measurement, monitoring,

and management Increase aid and aid effectiveness

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Good quality national statistics are needed to “manage for results” Developing countries ― manage their

poverty reduction strategies/MDGs and report progress to their citizens

Development partners ― increase the effectiveness of their aid programs and report progress to their citizens

Measuring, monitoring and managing for development results

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Measuring, monitoring and managing for development results

Building national statistical capacity to monitor national development goals

Strengthening the international statistical system

Disseminating information on development outcomes

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Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics

Specific plan adopted in 2004 to address data needs by 2010/2015

Focus on both country capacity and strengthening international cooperation

Concerned with both short-term data needs and longer-term reform and capacity building

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Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics

Six key actions Strategies for better statistics (National

Strategies for the Development of Statistics) Participation in the 2010 Census Investment in statistical systems Better household surveys Measuring key topics and the MDGs Harmonizing effort

Reaffirmed in Hanoi in early 2007

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National Strategies for the Development of Statistics

Prepared by countries based on wide consultation Covers the whole statistical system and involves

assessment, setting goals, deciding priorities and identifying actions

Many countries, developed and developing, have some type of statistical strategy, corporate plan, etc.

More than 75% of developing countries have an NSDS or are developing one

Russia’s state statistical system is implementing the Federal Targeted Program approved by Government

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Aid in perspective

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Aid in perspective

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Aid in a good policy environment is more effective

Growth of Income of the Poor and Economic Policy in the 1990s

Nigeria

Cote d’Ivoire

Ethiopia ZambiaGuyana

Nepal

Madagascar

VietnamChina

Ghana

-0.12

-0.08

-0.04

0

0.04

0.08

Economic policy

Growth of income of the poor(percent per year)

GoodPoor

Uganda

Source: Collier and Dollar (2001)

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Lessons learned from aid statistics

Aid has contributed strongly to development progress

The productivity of aid has grown over time

More aid and better policies are needed Important to report development aid and

outcomes correctly to measure and improve aid effectiveness

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Improving ODA Statistics ODA statistics are produced through

administrative data systems as part of the statistical system

Aid flow data should be disaggregated (by sector, recipient, etc) so as to inform the public about: What sectors/activities the country is

supporting Which countries the country is supporting

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Improving ODA Statistics Countries new to providing ODA need to set

up an appropriate reporting system Often sources of ODA statistics are

fragmented: Ministry of Finance Ministry of Foreign Affaires, etc

There should be a lead agency consolidating these data which reports to OECD/DAC

ODA statistics should be disseminated (especially through national publications) to inform the general public

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World Bank has the expertise and can help countries improve statistics including ODA statistics: Strengthen administrative data

systems in line ministries Increase coordination among data

producing agencies Define dissemination policies in line

with international recommendations

Improving ODA Statistics