CDC - Second Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum

Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum (CDCF)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 4-5 December 2008

H.E. CHHIENG YANARA
Secretary General
Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board
Council for the Development of Cambodia
Royal Government of Cambodia

THE JOINT MONITOIRNG INDICATORS (JMIs)
Mutual accountability for development results

The task of the CDCF is to do two things:

To endorse the JMIs to be implemented in the period between the second and third CDCF meetings so that Government and development partners may proceed with their implementation, using the TWGs for dialogue, and the GDCC, for further reflection.
It is also useful to reflect on the process of JMI identification and monitoring from a mutual accountability and managing for results perspective.

It is also important to acknowledge the efforts of all Royal Government colleagues and development partners in our Technical Working Groups. They have worked hard together to review the JMIs endorsed at the First CDCF meeting in June 2007 and to produce this new set of JMIs.

The 2008 JMIs: identification and implementation

The JMIs were submitted jointly by TWG Chairs and development partner facilitators to CDC. With some minimal revision, mainly to improve clarity with a view to making the monitoring process more robust and efficient, they were finalised relatively quickly. These JMIs are therefore seen to be the consensus in the TWGs, which provides the mandate for this CDCF meeting to endorse them.

There are 20 JMIs in total, presented in the same format as in 2007. That is one for each TWG across all NSDP sectors and an additional indicator related to combating corruption and enhancing access to information. The target for each of them is closely associated with the objectives that need to be met if for successfully implementing the Rectangular Strategy and realising the goals set out in the NSDP and CMDGs.

With regard to the process of the monitoring of the JMIs agreed in 2007, and in subsequently identifying new JMIs for the period between the second and third CDCF meetings, a full report has been prepared and is included in the 2008 Aid Effectiveness Report. This analysis shows that we are making good progress in being able to reach a common understanding at sector level to link progress to the NSDP outcomes. This positive step also provides cause for optimism in expecting that JMI activities will be promptly implemented and effectively monitored by TWGs, with reporting and dialogue to be followed-up by the GDCC.

The JMI process has improved significantly from 2007, when the Government indicated its concerns about the JMIs evolving into a conditionality framework instead of a tool for focusing on results and promoting mutual accountability. This progress must be consolidated in future years.

The 2008 JMIs: potential for further improvements

One remaining concern, however, which applies only to some of the JMIs, relates to efforts to make the JMIs sufficiently strategic in focus and linked to the national development outcomes and goals. Some JMIs may still not be sufficiently linked to the stated outcome, or the proposed activity may not itself represent sufficient progress towards reaching the anticipated goal. Others remain somewhat vague, without baselines, targets or timeframes. It is sometimes difficult, therefore, to understand clearly how JMI activity will contribute to the achievement of desired objectives and to make the concept of managing for results more operational and meaningful. The overall set of JMIs also then becomes a little inconsistent with some linked strategically to NSDP results at the output level, while a small number are more input or activity based with no clear indication of how achieving that activity will lead to a more meaningful and higher level of achievement.

It is important to recognise that for many TWGs these result-based concepts are new, and there is inevitably a process of 'learning by doing' that brings year-by-year progress. To support this learning CDC proposes to organise some training for key TWG staff in 2009, to be implemented through our TWG network, as well as to provide other support where it will be beneficial. This will directly support the next round of JMIs and, more importantly, will make a significant contribution to TWGs' own efforts to establish strategic targets and to jointly monitor their own progress. The TWGs must become more effective vehicles to support the Government in strengthening its ownership as well as to promote partnership. The JMIs are therefore an important part of this effort.

Summary

We need to continue to emphasise the principles of partnership; trust and understanding; mutual accountability; and a need to continue to focus on managing resources so that they produce the anticipated results. On this basis, stronger Government ownership in the TWGs and improved development results will be the result of our closer partnership.