Minutes of the 18th Meeting Partnership and Harmonization TWG

Held on 23 February 2011, at CDC

 

H.E. Chhieng Yanara, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister and chairman of the Partnership and Harmonization TWG, welcomed all participants to the meeting. He went through the agenda in his opening remarks, by highlighting the main objectives of the meeting as to discuss and review on RGC and DP current and previous works and issues – the draft annual work plan of P&H TWG; the progress of the Paris Declaration Monitoring Survey; 2010 Country System Study; on-going efforts to ensure effective GDCC dialogue; and progress and challenges of TWG’s PBA work – which were linked to national and global processes. The chair also mentioned that the meeting reflected mutual efforts and commitments of RGC and DPs in providing significant inputs for the next CDCF and 4th High Level Forum in late this year in Busan, South Korea.

 

The agenda items of the meeting were:

 

i.      Partnership and Harmonization Annual Work Plan

ii.     Paris Declaration Monitoring Survey – progress to-date and required actions on:

a.    Validation of indicator 1, 11 and 12

b.    Progress in collecting data on other indicators

c.    Confirmation of National Validation Meeting – 18 March 2011

iii.    Discussion on Country Systems

iv.   Discussion on how to promote an effective and result-focused GDCC dialogue

v.    Updated TWG’s PBA work review

vi.   Other Business

 

         [All presentations are available on www.cdc-crdb.gov.kh]

 

Partnership and Harmonization TWG Annual Work Plan

 

Mr. Ros Salin, Head of the Aid Coordination Policy Department of CDC/CRDB, provided an overview of the 2011 P&H TWG Annual Work Plan focusing on main outputs and key activities of the TWG during 2011 including establishing consensus on aid effectiveness priorities; promoting country systems; improving sector PBAs; strengthening dialogue and coordination arrangements; providing inputs to the 4th HLF on aid effectiveness; increasing use of South-South Cooperation mechanisms; and sector TWG support.

 

The proposed P+H TWG Annual Work Plan for 2011 was endorsed, after the discussion.

 

Paris Declaration Monitoring Survey – progress to-date and way forward

 

  1. Validation of Indicator 1, 11 and 12: The draft questionnaires on qualitative indicators (indicator 1, 11 and 12) have been prepared by CRDB/CDC and shared with relevant parties including TWG members and government agencies; particularly, the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Economic and Finance and World Bank for comments. The revised draft qualitative indicators has been developed, based on comments from some agencies – MoP, MEF and the World Bank, and will be shared to seek further comments before finalizing.

 

  1. Progress in collecting data on quantitative indicators: Based on Indicator 10a and 10b (Joint Mission and Analytical Work), the new Mission and Analytical Work database system has been structured in the Cambodia ODA Database by CRDB/CDC to record all DP missions and analytical works in Cambodia. According to the 2010 data, there were eleven DPs provided the information on their missions and studied through the Mission and Analytical Work Database. However, DPs were asked to provide and update their information on mission and analytical work in the CRDB’s Mission and Analytical Work Database for improving the quality of data on these indicators. Mr. Ros Salin also pointed out some error and blank data of some PD indicators – PIUs, Tied Aid, Use of Country System and Government Sector Support, in which DPs did not complete in the ODA Database, and suggested DPs to work more closely with CRDB desk focal points to improve the quality of PD survey data. 

 

The draft report of PD Monitoring Survey in Cambodia planned to be produced on 11th March 2011. The National Validation Meeting would be held on 21st March 2011. Therefore, DPs were requested to provide and update data on 2010 financial disbursement in the Cambodia ODA Database by 28th February 2011.

 

UNDP Representative sought the clarification on how the recommendations were made for the 4th HLF in Bussan, as well as how to incorporate the Cambodia PD Monitoring Survey’s observation and findings in those recommendations. The Chair confirmed that the RGC will prepare inputs for the HLF-4 meeting (Aid Effectiveness Report and the Paris Declaration Evaluation study on Cambodia that was completed in 2010).

 

SIDA representative suggested that the revised draft of qualitative indicators should focus more on Results Oriented Framework section, and more responses should be addressed regarding this area. He also asked for clarification whether broader alternatives or additional selecting options should be identified for data filling in the ODA Database, especially on PD survey indicator number 5, in which only Yes/No can be selected fior use of PFM System rather than a portion of aid disbursed. Mr. Philip Courtnadge, Senior Advisor to CDC/CRDB, responded that the limited ODA Database data selecting options were created to help to reduce transaction cost and convene DPs in filling data but that the data could be adjusted in the final spreadsheet used to produce the indicators. A broad consultation with relevant stakeholders would be needed before launching the final Country Spreadsheet.

 

Country Systems

 

A Concept Note on Promoting Use of Country System in Cambodia has been prepared by CRDB/CDC with support from CIDA. The concept note has already been shared with all TWG members and DPs for further comments in order to set out a roadmap for promoting the use of Country Systems in Cambodia.

 

A National workshop on Promoting Use of Country System would be held on 23rd May, 2011. The main objectives of the workshop are to offer opportunity for reviewing the study findings; seeking possibilities in applying it into actual performance in order to promote the use of Country System in Cambodia.

 

Additional comments and suggestions were made by DP Representatives on the Concept Note and the workshop on Country System during the meeting:

 

-    UNDP representative suggested specific inputs regarding cross-countries comparison would be a very useful discussing topic during the workshop. Particularly, the experience in Bangladesh on using its national system should be needed for comparing the difference degree and methodology of the use of Country System and applying it into Cambodia context.

-    ADB representative and Japan also suggested that broader Country System’s definition should be identified and discussed since the definition by OECD-DAC seem to be narrowed that might not be captured all Cambodia’s issues.

-    AusAID suggested that sector budget support in the education should be discussed at the workshop as this had experience in using country systems at sector level.

 

In response to DPs’ comments, The Chair verified that recommendations proposed by RGC on the use Country System were mainly focused on non-financial aspect including planning, budgeting and M&E.

 

Significantly, further discussion on the definition and comparison of cross-country experiences on Country Systems would be included in the workshop. In this case, ADB country’s director or Bangladesh government agencies might be invited to join the dialogue for additional understanding on their experiences of promoting Country System.

 

Improving the GDCC meeting and promoting effectiveness

 

H.E chairman of meeting mentioned that both Government and development partners are committed to working together to find ways to ensure the continued effectiveness of the GDCC meeting. The CDCF-GDCC and TWG mechanism are linked together and we need to strengthen them individually and also collectively. In addition, he stated that CRDB has prepared a note on the GDCC that has been shared at this meeting. He informed that the objective of this topic discussion was to seek the inputs and recommendations from participants.

 

The chair also announced that the next 18th GDCC meeting will be taken place on 20th April 2011.

 

Comments provided by DPs were as the following:

  • UNDP representative: the consultation at technical (TWG) and policy level (GDCC) should be more inter-related. Strategic cross-cutting issues should be continued to identify and follow up through both GDCC and CDCF dialogues. DPs also suggested that technical consultation performance at TWG level should be more strengthened. However, DPs welcomed to discuss more on how to improve GDCC effectiveness and Discussion Paper on How to Improve Quality of GDCC Dialogue prepared by CRDB/CDC.

  • CIDA representative:  the GDCC should discuss more on cross-sectoral issues which could not be solved at TWG level.

  • ADB and SIDA representatives: the fragmentation of JMIs should be reduced and covered all sector gaps and issues. JMIs could cover outcome-level priorities that require collaboration between TWGs.

  • German representative: specific topic discussion on cross-sector issues should be added in GDCC dialogue, and would need to be more focused by TWGs. Monitoring of the JMIs should not detract from broader dialogue on a wider set of priority issues, including cross-sectoral.

  • NGO representative: more involvement of CSO representatives in higher policy level of aid coordination mechanisms such as GDCC and CDCF should be considered.

  • Japan also suggested the length of the next GDCC should be longer, as it would be able to streamline all discussion points.

In response to DP’s comments, the Chair mentioned that RGC would continue to improve partnership with DPs through improving the aid coordination mechanisms including TWGs, GDCC and CDCF dialogues. All these three level of mechanisms were inter-related and affected each other.

 

The draft Discussion Paper on How to Improve GDCC Effectiveness has been developed and would be shared with TWG members and DPs for further comments after the meeting.

 

The continued collaboration between RGC and DPs would be needed in addressing JMI framework and cross-cutting issues. Further, the progress of JMIs implementation will be discussed in the next GDCC meeting.

 

The length of the GDCC meeting should be accommodated as much as possible.

 

Three NGO representatives – CCC, NGO Forum on Cambodia and MEDICAM – would be invited to participate in GDCC meeting on behalf of NGO communities.

 

TWGs on PBA work, progress, challenges and way forward

 

Three TWGs (TWG-Gender, PPR and MA) were invited to make a brief presentation on the progress, challenges and way forward of their PBA works.

 

- TWG-Gender: The progress on PBA initiative has been made. Most DPs increased their supports on this work. The development of PBA concept note and roadmap on Gender sector were finalized. However, the challenge related to the limited resources including lacking of the budget package for supporting secretariat works; and lacking of incentives to motivate staff. CRDB had agreed to provide a PBA clinic in March.

 

- TWG-PPR: Sector PBA implementation was still in the preparatory stage. Therefore, the Institutional Assessment (IA) was established and support from CRDB is sought.

-    TWG-MA: The National Mine Action Strategy (NMAS) was developed and approval by the Prime Minister of Cambodia on 11th November 2010. The signing ceremony on Partnership Principles for the implementation of the NMAS was scheduled on 4th April 2011. In this case, the UNDP has transferred the leadership role to CMAA under the National Implementation Modality. However, the challenge was faced relating to full PBA implementation and goal achievement.

Regarding ways forward PBA implementation, all above-mentioned TWGs raised a common positive objective towards strengthening PBA in their own sectors. More support from DPs in improving sector PBA implementation would be needed, especially the technical support from CRDB, as “clinic” support, in order to apply PBA concepts for sector implementation.

TWG Network Retreat on PBAs will be held on 5-6 April 2011 at Siem Reap province. The objective of the meeting is to build momentum in strengthening PBAs in Cambodia and discuss on “PBA clinic” and support. Five TWGs – TWG-G, PPR, D&D, MA and Climate Change – will be invited to discuss the possibility to launch the PBA clinic in their sector. DPs and CSOs will be also invited to join this Retreat. The PBA Clinic resources have been drafted and will be translated and shared with all the Retreat participants.

Other Business

Representative from CCC informed the meeting that Cambodia has been selected to host the second Global Assembly of CSOs in June 2011. He thanksed the Chair for supporting Cambodia's bid to host the meeting and outlined the objectives of the first and second meetings on CSO global assembly, a high second level meeting on the development effectiveness rather than aid effectiveness. DPs and RGC agencies would be invited to participate in the second CSO global assembly meeting. The expected result of the meeting is to produce the documents materializing the development effectiveness that would be important inputs for the 4th HLF on Aid Effectiveness in Korea.

The meeting agreed to have two more NGO representatives, NGO Forum and MEDICAM, to become members of the P&H TWG on behalf of the NGO communities.

The meeting was adjourned around 5.30 pm in a very cooperative and successful manner.

                                      Prepared by Policy Department, secretariat of P&H TWG