ECA/OECD-DAC“Mutual Review of

Development Effectiveness” in the context of NEPAD

Briefing for

DAC Evalunet Paris, 3 June 2005

What is the « Mutual Review »?

• A biennial process of dialogue between Africa and OECD-DAC leaders and policymakers on development progress in Africa focusing on:

• Seven thematic issues– Political governance– Economic and corporate governance– Capacity development– Aid volume– Aid quality– Policy coherence– Agriculture (special focus chapter)

• Each chapter identifies challenges for– African policies and performance– OECD policies and performance

Origins and Political Underpinnings

• Monterrey agreement on shared responsibility for achieving the MDGs – the concept of “mutual accountability”

• Kananaskis and 2002 meeting of OECD Ministers and NEPAD Representatives

• NEPAD HSGIC request to ECA and OECD to propose arrangements for a Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness process (November 2002)

The « Report » • Joint Secretariat product• Prepared on the responsibility of ECA Executive

Secretary and OECD Secretary General• Key components of the “Report”

– Commitments– Main and supporting messages– Key “Action Frontiers” for Africa and OECD– 2007 “Performance Benchmarks” for Africa and

OECD

Finalising the « Mutual Review Report »

• Series of international discussions at technical and political levels– SPA Plenary (January 2005)– Two ad hoc experts meetings in Paris and Addis Abbaba

(February 2005)– DAC High Level Meeting (March 2005)– African Partnership Forum (April 2005)– ECA Conference of Ministers (May 2005)

• Final report forward to NEPAD HSGIC and OECD Council

Capacity development:“Main messages”

• Capacity development must start from strong national visions and values (performance/accountability)

• For donors --from fragmented technical assistance to strategic institutional/systemic outcomes

• New capacity development efforts needed with regular joint review of aims, methods and resources

• Holistic strategies for key systemic areas: – Civil service reform – Democratic governance and accountability– Private sector/civil society– Intellectual capital– Regional institutions

• Intellectual capital: creation, retention, participation• African learning and monitoring mechanisms: APRM, PRSP Learning,

African budget officials and public service ministers networks

Capacity development “Action Frontiers” and

2007 “Performance Benchmarks”• For Africa

– Create a national vision: identify key capacity needs, address systemic issues, involve non-state actors

– Reform laws, regulations and processes to allow for freedom, initiative and creativity

– Foster an open intellectual environment– Improve performance of governance institutions (legislature,

judiciary, executive)– Reform civil service (conditions, professionalism, performance

appraisal)– Establish Africa-wide mechanisms for mutual learning among

African policy communities

Capacity development “Action Frontiers” and

2007 “Performance Benchmarks”• For OECD

– Align behind national visions and priorites– Support systemic strategies for capacity building (dialogue)– Avoid aid modalities that undermine systemic capacity

(salary supplements, PIUs, expatriates)– Use African analytical capacities, support universities and

higher education/policy thinktanks– Assure peer review and accountability in capacity

development performance and outcomes– Co-operate with African countries to stem brain drain– Provide predictable aid for scaling up capacities