Development Partner Response Statement

Development Cooperation and Partnerships Strategy Review

delivered by H.E Anne Höglund, Ambassador of Sweden to Cambodia

at the

19^th Meeting of

The Government-Development Partner Coordination Committee

Phnom Penh, 26 September, 2012

Excellency Keat Chhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We acknowledge and welcome the CDC’s Background Paper to the Review of Development Cooperation and Partnerships Strategy that will guide the development of a renewed partnership strategy.  We appreciate the importance the Royal Government attaches to a policy review of development cooperation, particularly in this crucial time as we look to the upcoming general elections, the preparation of a new national medium-term strategy and the new NSDP, and the development of Cambodia Vision 2030.

We would like to respond to the CDC’s background paper with some suggestions for consideration as to how we can maximize the potential the aid partnership review process offers.

Firstly, the development community considers it important that the upcoming national planning processes be used as guiding frameworks for the new Development Cooperation and Partnerships Strategy. We welcome the discussion on the NSDP process as one of today’s agenda items. Integrating these processes will help ensure greater harmonization of public policy development and dialogue arrangements.

We also see Cambodia’s graduation into Middle Income Country (MIC) status as a key consideration for the aid policy review as it will impact Cambodia’s national plans and strategies, the resource environment, core state reforms and imply a changed role of development cooperation.

There is also a need to highlight integration with respect to implementation tools, resources and arrangements. We recommend the concept of   ‘resource mobilization’ be viewed as an integrated use of various sources of financing with the country's own resources playing a primary role. Likewise, monitoring and evaluation indicators dealing with ODA provisions and distribution could be expanded upon by viewing ODA as integrated with domestic resources.

Another consideration is the importance of including private sector partnerships and South-South cooperation in the overall strategy. This broadening of the scope of partnerships is in line with the Busan partnership agreement, and further relevant in consideration of the new aid policy’s intention to take emerging and cross-cutting issues like climate change and gender into account, as identified in the Development Effectiveness Report.

Finally, we recommend that the review consider revising mechanisms for partnership. For instance, the new strategy is an opportunity to confirm CDC as a coordinating body providing clear government direction to development partners and line ministries. The role of actors other than the Government and DPs, including emerging economies, and establishing an environment that maximizes the contribution by civil society and the private sector should also be included in the strategy.  The CDC paper also discusses the establishment of a Lead Development Partner Facilitator position under the new strategy. Development partners look forward to contributing to defining this role. Additionally, we propose building the dialogue architecture around the outcomes to be achieved in NSDP to encourage inter-ministerial coordination/cooperation.

Excellency Chair, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion, we would like to reaffirm our support for the upcoming aid review process and development of a revised partnership strategy under the leadership of the CDC.  The above suggestions are purposed to complement the good work of the CDC, and further our shared objective of advancing Cambodia’s development. We look forward to continuing a constructive partnership through revitalized cooperation and dialogue mechanisms established in the new partnership strategy, and working together with the Government toward the realization of Cambodia’s development goals.