TWG Action Plan

44.    The TWG planned to implement 8 activities, and reported satisfactory and/partly achieved progress on all scheduled activities.

1. TWGF established as an effective informing and influencing interface between DoF/Donors/NGOs.

2. High level policy dialogue facilitated by TWGF to ensure that the policy profile of the fisheries sector reflects its importance to the livelihoods of poor rural people, to national food security and that this is reflected in the implementation of policy at the field level.

3. Mutual Accountability. DoF and development partners become more accountable for development results.

4. Ownership. DoF assumes exercises effective leadership over its development policies, strategies and coordinates development actions.

5. Managing for Results. DoF and development partners use jointly-agreed results-oriented reporting and assessment frameworks in order to manage resources and improve decisionmaking.

6. Alignment. Development partners base their overall support on Cambodia's development strategies, institutions and procedures (partly achieved). Many activities are in-progress and still with the Thematic Subgroups.

7. Harmonization. Development partners' actions are more harmonized, transparent and collectively effective to maximize ODA benefits for Cambodia (partly achieved). The TWG noted poor response on requests for information to the donor members, and particularly, poor attendance from the donor TWGF members.

8. Donor support to the Department of Fisheries substantially increased in support of the implementation of the DoF Fisheries Development Action Plan as articulated through the DoF Action Plan 2006.

45.    The TWG noted that TWG Action Plan items have been revised after the report submitted to GDCC in November 2005. The TWG Action Plan now reflects the (updated) RGC Action Plan for Harmonization, Alignment and Results approved by RGC in February 2006, which has been adapted for the Fisheries Sector.

46.     The TWG reported some difficulties faced in the implementation of the TWG-Fisheries Action Plan 2006, namely, many activities in the TWGF Action Plan require TWGF members to work through the thematic subgroups, for example, debating certain issues and presenting back to the TWGF meeting. There has been poor member attendance at regular TWGF meetings and this has caused the activities to be delayed.

Joint Monitoring Indicators

47.     Take appropriate action to reflect the priorities of the Fisheries sector to improve the livelihoods of rural communities in commune, district and provincial development plans as well as donor funding levels (Joint Monitoring Indicator 8.iii). Progress has been made and is set out as follows:

1. The Fisheries Law was recently promulgated by the King on 21 May 2006. The law indicates the roles and mandate of the new Fisheries Administration for sector development which is designed to transform the Department of Fisheries.

2. The meetings on the structure of the new Fisheries Administration: the DoF has conducted the meetings to discuss the new structure of the Fisheries Administration such as identification of triage/ division and drafting the roles and responsibilities of each layer of the Administration. The proposal has been submitted to MAFF for consideration in August.

3. Fisheries Forum Meeting (24th May, 1 day event) attended by many DoF, donor and NGO representatives in the fisheries sector took place to address the goal: “To ensure that the restructuring of the Department of Fisheries into the Fisheries Administration allows better integration between the Fisheries Administration and local level planning, enabling the Fisheries Administration to be an effective service provider, in response to the needs of the rural poor who rely heavily on fish and aquatic resources for their livelihood. This must all be consistent with achieving the goals of the National Strategic Development Plan 2006-2010 and Cambodian government’s Rectangular
   Strategy.” The outputs from the Fisheries Forum will feed into improved policy, planning, and operations of the new Fisheries Administration, generally, and will form essential inputs to a wider programme of sector development being funded by the new DfID/DANIDA Natural Resources Management and Livelihoods Programme (see below).

4. A study to supplement the DoF’s Institutional Review (released in February 2006) was commenced. The study is to review the roles of the local fisheries administration in terms of service provision to the wider fisheries sector at provincial, district and commune level. Many of the outputs from the Fisheries Forum have been used as a basis for this study.

5. The Prime Minister, SAMDECH Hun Sen’s speech on 29th March 2006 at the MAFF Conference “Taking Stock of 2005-2006 Performance and Setting Directions for 2006-2007”, referred to the need for “All ministries, institutions, municipality and provincial departments in cooperate with the development partners must think of the priority to include the fishery sector to its development plan”. This was great support from such a high level.

6. A letter has been sent by H.E Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the 17th of July 2006 to relevant Ministries, provincial governors, and donor community requesting their assistance in achieving the Joint Monitoring Indicator.

7. The new DfID/DANIDA Natural Resources Management and Livelihoods Programme has allocated nearly $3.3 million over five (5) years to the fisheries sector alone. Of this total, some $320,000 in year one has been ear-marked for “sector development” which will comprise development of policy, planning, legislation, capacity, knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation and general feedback mechanisms at the sub-national level. This is all in pursuit of the Joint Monitoring Indicator. The funding to the DoF’s Action Plan will be using the MTEF format which will be in place for operation within the MAFF.

Implementation status of the H-A-R Action Plan

48.    The updated Harmonization, Alignment and Results Action Plan has been embedded within the TWGF Action Plan for 2006 and accepted by the TWGF membership. The TWGF is proceeding with the TWGF Action Plan for 2006 continuously and many of these items embedded from the Harmonization, Alignment and Results Action Plan are being carried out. However many activities in the Action Plan are higher level that need more discussion and time to work on for example (joint-field mission, remuneration guideline, guideline for fisheries projects peer review, multiyear funding arrangement, national operational guideline for the fisheries etc.). Many of them are difficult to get consensus especially from the donors who have their own policy instructions and interests that lead to gain little progress.

Mutual Accountability

49.     A TWGF thematic subgroup has been set up to look at adopting guidelines and procedures for ensuring that all new activities/projects in the fisheries sector are peer reviewed by the TWGF to avoid duplication/gaps, to maximize synergies and to ensure alignment with DoF Priority Action Plan. The subgroup presented its findings and recommendations to the August TWGF meeting. The subgroup is drafting a set of guidelines to be presented to the September TWGF meeting.

Ownership

50.    The RGC’s Strategic Framework for Development Cooperation Management has been translated into a strategic framework for the fisheries sector. This document will be presented to the TWGF September meeting for discussion and approval.

51.     M & E in the fisheries Sector. It is in a draft version at the TWGF Secretariat.

Alignment

52.     A TWGF thematic subgroup has been set up to look at how donors can increase the share of aid commitments provided through multi-year funding arrangements. The subgroup presented its findings and recommendations to the August TWGF meeting. The subgroup is drafting a more developed document to be presented to the September TWGF meeting.

Harmonisation

53.     The TWG reported that the following actions have been taken:

1. Discussion paper on Adopting Programmatic Support for the Fisheries Sector in Cambodia was presented at TWGF meeting and approved in January 2006.

2. Discussion paper on Progress and Key Points for Action under the Government’s Action Plan for Harmonization and Alignment for the Fisheries Sector. A document presented at TWGF meeting and approved in March 2006.

3. Discussion paper on an Outline of an Integrated Policy, Planning and Review (IPPR) Process for the Fisheries Sector. A draft document produced and is under review by DoF.

4. Guidance on Formulating Fisheries Sector Policy. A draft document produced and is under review by DoF.

5. Discussion paper on the Tackling of Gender Cross-Cutting Issues in the Fisheries Sector. The subgroup presented its findings and recommendations to the August TWGF meeting.

6. Publication of the “Department of Fisheries Institutional Review”, dissemination to the TWGF members and relevant stakeholders in the sector. This study was part of the process of moving towards a more programmatic approach to the fisheries sector by assessing the Department of Fisheries’ capacity to implement the policy requirements defined in the Rectangular Strategy and the National Strategic Development Plan 2006-2010. This review showed that there is considerable potential for improvement in the service delivery and in the institution, generally—whether in the area of policy and planning, human resource
   development, knowledge management or monitoring & evaluation.

7. Production of a discussion document entitled “Adopting Programmatic Approaches for the Fisheries Sector in Cambodia” and discussion of the document at the March meeting of the TWGF. Further discussion on more programmatic approaches to the fisheries sector will take place during the rest of this year. The new DFID/DANIDA MDLF Programme, signed in the period, has a Fisheries Component and will be supporting the fisheries sector through a genuinely programmatic approach.

8. A TWGF thematic subgroup on Gender has been set up and has presented recommendations for the fisheries sector to the TWGF. The group is preparing for a Fisheries Forum on Women in Fisheries (October 2006) whose outputs are to lead to producing a Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and Policy for the Fisheries Sector. Funding has been secured for the Fisheries Forum proposed. Additional funding is being sought for the activities required to produce a Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and Policy for the Fisheries Sector.

9. The TWGF has prepared a calendar of field missions, diagnostic reviews and studies planned by donor members of the TWGF. This calendar is updated regularly.

Resource mobilization

54.    The TWG has reported that the TWG has been able to mobilize the resources to implement its Action Plan for 2006.