Management of the GDCC Meetings

H.E. CHHIENG YANARA

Minister attached to the Prime Minister

Secretary General, CRDB/CDC

Royal Government of Cambodia

 

18th GDCC Meeting

20 April 2011

 

  -    Excellencies and Colleagues from the Royal Government

  -    Honorable Ambassadors and Distinguished Representatives of Development Partners

  -    Ladies and Gentlemen

 

I am very pleased to have this opportunity to brief you today on our recent discussions related to the management of our GDCC meeting. It has been my privilege to support the Chair in organizing and managing these meetings since 2004. In that time the format of the meeting has changed quite substantially. Indeed our wider partnership has also evolved. And it keeps evolving to identify new opportunities and challenges for us in supporting the development of Cambodia. As the Head of the GDCC Secretariat I am therefore very conscious of the need to constantly review the performance of the GDCC and to seek out opportunities for ensuring its continued relevance and its effectiveness. I am therefore grateful for this opportunity for us to discuss this topic today.

 

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen

 

A Background Note on the Management of the GDCC was shared with all GDCC members in early-March 2011. A Summary One-Page Note was also distributed in advance of our meeting today.

 

We may view our current efforts to reflect on GDCC performance in three ways:

 

1.   We are looking specifically at the GDCC as a partnership and dialogue mechanism, considering options to ensure a strong performance;

2.  We are looking holistically at the entire dialogue structure, recognizing the need to also ensure effective TWG performance and the links to CDCF. We therefore reviewed and revised the TWG Guideline last year and we are now considering the longer-term transition to the Cambodia Development Forum; and finally

3.  We will return to these issues as we develop a new policy on the management of partnerships and development cooperation, beginning early in 2012.

 

The main proposals outlined in the paper are presented in three main sections:

 

a)                Agreement on objectives

b)                Preparation for the meeting

c)                Ensuring effectiveness of the GDCC

 

We have received some inputs from other GDCC members in the preparation of the paper as well as some additional comments. I wish to thank Mr Fan from the World Bank for his suggestions on behalf of all development partners, as well as my Partnership and Harmonisation Technical Working Group development partner co-facilitators who supported our discussion on this at the February TWG meeting.

 

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen

 

The one-page note highlights the main proposals tabled so far:

 

1.    Agreement of GDCC objectives

  • The GDCC is principally a forum for policy dialogue – addressing issues identified during our CDCF and requiring our attention or more prevalent issues in the macro-economy or in sectors, cross-cutting areas and reform programmes

  • Follow up on JMI implementation – through reporting by all TWGs as well as by focusing on specific topics such as our meeting today that includes Social Protection

  • Follow-up to remaining issues that are not resolved in TWG dialogue. These can include those matters that are not addressed routinely under the mandate of any specific TWG.

2.    Preparation of the GDCC

  • In this we are guided by CDCF dialogue and the JMIs. But of course we retain the flexibility to negotiate issues for discussion based on the interests of GDCC members.

  • Preparation of the Agenda is important and needs to be consultative to reflect the views of Government and development partners. In the past this was not the case but in recent years the process has improved significantly. The agenda is initiated by CRDB/CDC and then consulted with TWG Chairs and agreed with World Bank in its capacity as Lead DP coordinator, who of course consults with other development partners.

  • TWG Chairs, DP Facilitators and members coordinate preparation. This is an area in which on-going attention is required as the strength of the GDCC is to some degree based on the foundation laid at TWG level.

  • The JMI and TWG Progress Reports is tabled by the GDCC Secretariat. We receive few comments on this report and I am not aware of it being discussed in the TWGs in any meaningful way. Perhaps this is an area where we can review current practice to ensure strong linkages and continuity in our work.

  • All documents are to be made available at least one week in advance of the GDCC meeting.

3.    Ensuring GDCC effectiveness

There are a number of proposals to strengthen the GDCC. I will not read all of them out but you can see on the paper and the slide that they relate to linkages with TWG and CDCF and ensuring adequate preparation and follow-up. In the conduct of our meetings we may also consider how the preparation and presentation of statements may support or stifle dialogue.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen

 

I hope this overview has reassured you that we are always reviewing our work and looking for new ways to improve performance. I hope that also encourages you to share your own views. Many of you have been members of this Committee for some years, others bring new perspectives and experience of alternative approaches. Therefore I believe that many of you may be able to contribute constructively to our dialogue today and in the next months.

 

Thank you Excellency Chair