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Reforming Technical Cooperation

Reforming Technical Cooperation. __________________ The Backbone Strategy on TC & its core elements __________________. EUROPEAN COMMISSION. Main challenges __________. Mixed standard of experts quality. Parallel PIUs - outside country structures – absorb resources and

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Reforming Technical Cooperation

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  1. Reforming Technical Cooperation __________________ The Backbone Strategy on TC & its core elements __________________ EUROPEAN COMMISSION

  2. Main challenges __________ Mixed standard of experts quality Parallel PIUs - outside country structures – absorb resources and do not develop capacities … and little evidence of change Overreliance on northern commercial providers Unsatisfactory tracking of TA performance … Not enough focus on results Supply-driven

  3. Drivers of change __________ • International Aid Effectiveness commitments – Paris indicators: • Indicator 4: 50% of TC implemented via coordinated programmes • Indicator 6: reduce by 2/3 the stock of parallell PIUs • EU targets: • Provide all capacity building assistance via coordinated programmes and increasing use of multi donors arrangements • Avoid the establishment of (parallel) PIU 3

  4. European Court of Auditors on TA (2006) __________ Recommended areas of work: • improve design + result orientation • promote new sources/types of providers • better selection of expertise/revision of evaluation criteria • enhance coordination among donors • performance tracking/database • more ownership 4

  5. Vision __________ Improved effectiveness and sustainability of EC development assistance, based on: Provision of support through partner-owned project implementation arrangements, with a substantial reduction of Parallel PIUs Provision of “quality TC” that supports country-led programmes, based on partner demand and focused on sustainable results

  6. Eight guiding principles __________ 1. Primary aim is Capacity Development 8. Consider innovative options for TC provision 2.Demand led approach where TC is not provided by default EC Technical Cooperation 7. Avoid use of Parallel PIU & promote effective Project Implementation Arrangements 3.Strong result orientation 4.Country owned & managed TC processes 6. Work through harmonized and aligned actions 5. Take account of country/sector requirements

  7. In line with the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) __________ Donors’ support for capacity development will be demand-driven and designed to support country ownership Developing Countries and Donors will : i) jointly select and manage technical cooperation ii) promote the provision of technical cooperation by local and regional resources, including through South-South Cooperation Donors will strengthen their own capacity and skills to be more responsive to developing countries’ needs 7

  8. Four purposes of Technical cooperation __________

  9. 4. Communication, knowledge management, training 5. Implementation and monitoring of the Strategy The five working axis __________ 1. Strategic dialogue 2. Improve design management & accountability 3.Improve tendering, contracting & other procedures

  10. At country level – menu of interventions: Support sector/national policies on TC and PIU Support plans for capacity development at sector level Address public sector reforms Promote dialogue on "top up“ Inform other donors on TC operations in the pipeline engage in joint/co-financing HQ level: participation in ongoing dialogue at international level promote joint guidance organize joint training/sector seminars Axis 1: Strategic dialogue on TC and PIUs __________

  11. Axis 2: TC design, management and accountability __________ Better design - Guidelines on TC: Assess demand for TC Consider/adapt to context Assess existing capacity Optimize harmonization Result oriented design Get the right inputs – Dos and Don’ts in ToR Monitor/evaluate results … beyond PIU towards implementation arrangements Process wise: Partner countries involvement in project design and management accountability of TC providers to partner countries Better monitoring and performance assessment systems

  12. A summary of the Guidelines in 6 lines __________ • Convert ownership into practice : results, roles, inputs to be defined both for partners and donors • Assess/adapt to demand, to context and to existing capacity – and harmonize • Let results be the driver • Analyse options, look for the right type of provider • Track / monitor results, ensure domestic accountability • …… think in terms of project implementation arrangements 12

  13. Focusing on the partner’s programme __________ Partner-owned TC support Sustainable capacity and results Donor TC inputs & activities Donor TC inputs & activities is wrongly assumed leading to Sustainable capacity and results Activities by partner and by donor TC inputs, under partner leadership “may” lead to 13

  14. Look for results beyond TC deliverable __________ Result-oriented TC support Start from feasible impact, work backwards to determine if and how TC support may be and feasible relevant Capacity Recurrent inputs Outputs Outcomes Widerimpact Internal resources CD processes TC support 14

  15. …Programme implementation arrangement… __________ Five key parameters: Governance and accountability Management set-up Logistical autonomy Relations between TC experts, partners and the EC EC’s and other donors’ roles More autonomous or more integrated depending on purpose / nature of the programme and changing over time Programme implementation arrangements !! No blueprint solutions – help partners to get it right and flexible 15

  16. Quality Matrix in a snapshot__________ 16

  17. Quality Grid: self assessment at country level __________ To be attached to the Action Fiche for “significant” TC operations and all TC focused programmes 17

  18. Objectives: More ownership of Partner Governments Facilitate co-financing and delegated cooperation Mobilize public sector expertise, including of MS Improved quality of experts … These objectives are possible with the existing rules and procedures! Axis 3: TC procurement, contracting and other procedures __________ 18

  19. A menu of options __________ 19

  20. Who will be managing the action? __________ !! Don’t forget national leadership 20

  21. How to contract expertise (public administration expertise as example) __________ 21

  22. Direct award of a grant: « Actions with specific caracteristics which require a particular type of body on account of its technical competence, its high degree of specialization or its administrative power » (PRAG) Well proven competence in the AAP/financing decision Informal call of interest to MS Negotiated procedure: « Where services are entrusted to public sector bodies or to non profit institutions /associations and relate to activities of an institutional nature or designed to provide assistance in the social field » (PRAG) Informal call of interest to MS When justified…. __________ 22

  23. Good practices for more quality 23

  24. 24

  25. Recruitment of individual consultants Interviews and references of experts Mobilisation of public expertise Partner Government ownership (design, evaluation, reporting..) Suspensive clause for EDF Mid-term actions: Database on quality experts Further develop twinning Revision of PRAG (finalised end of 2008) __________ 25

  26. Ongoing broad in-house campaign Address broader audience at country level Mobilize and equip internal "strategy communicators/focal points“ Map knowledge centers Axis 4: Communication, knowledge management and training __________ 26

  27. www.capacity4dev.eu: Facilitating exchanges, collaboration and learning __________ Users: EC family the rest of the world, including partner countries, Member States, other donors, academia and civil society Content: Advanced knowledge management and search capability User empowered (share knowledge, peer support, upload material comment, rate, tag etc) Online work groups, collaboration spaces and tools: both Internal (EC Only) and Public Spaces Dedicated editorial team for high value contents : news, interviews, hands on practical info, cases studies Launch: April 09 27

  28. DRAFT 28

  29. www.capacity4dev.eu: Structure__________ Contribute to capacity ! Upload contents at www.capacity4dev.eu or send us ideas: europeaid-tc-piu@ec.europa.eu 29

  30. … and training open to other donors and partners __________ Basic training on TC: Hands-on training kit HQ - Syslog - 1,5 day (+ 0.5 days coaching) (FR) 13-14/05/09 (EN) 22-23/06/09 Country level – for pilot programmes E-learning – in progress Promote use of internal trainers …..and more: New course on Capacity Development within SWAP at country /sector level More training on Public Sector Reforms and on PFM reforms Check on Syslog for upcoming trainings!

  31. Implementation Framework set up with identified responsibilities at HQ and in Delegations External evaluation of TA launched by the end of 2009 The Panel - Reach out to external partners to dialogue on TC, including partner countries European Court of Auditors announced follow up Axis 5: Implementation / monitoring of the strategy __________

  32. Implementation at country level __________ January 2009 • Mapping of “significant” TC and parallel PIUs • Concise Country Action Plans • Redress “policy gaps” in significant TC operations • Phase out parallel PIUs existing by 2010 • Improve project implementation arrangements • Frame the preparation of TC operations and PIUs • Grasp opportunities for enhanced coordination Modulate / specify the strategy at country level 32

  33. Delegations tasks __________ • Dialogue and communication • Focus on design and management of programmes – Apply the Guidelines and their quality criteria • Look carefully at the annex on procedures – Plenty of new options ! • Follow up on the mapping of TC and your action plan • Contribute/use the platform « Capacity4dev.eu » • Organize training (hands on kit) • Call for Directorate E / HQ support • Identify innovative programmes and communicate around them to Headquarters 33

  34. How can headquarters support you __________ A menu of possible activities : • Tailored training and learning/coachingevents • Presentations and working sessions with country stakeholders • Identification/support to innovations - ad hoc assistance and coaching • Promotion of the web platform www.capacity4dev.euincluding collecting your views on the platform, etc... • Peer support among delegations at regional / sector level and/or partner countries, including reviews of mapping and action plans.

  35. Thank you for your attention! __________ For further information: Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/delivering-aid/aid-effectiveness/index_en.htm www.capacity4dev.eu Intranet: www.cc.cec/dgintranet/europeaid/activities/adm/technical_cooperation/index_en.htm Functional mail box: EuropeAid-TC-PIU@ec.europa.eu 37

  36. Glossary / Annexes __________ DAC definition: Technical Cooperation DAC definition: Coordinated TC DAC definition: Parallel PIU’s Project implementation arrangement ECA recommendations on TA

  37. DAC definition of “Technical cooperation _______ Technical cooperation (also referred to as technical assistance) is the provision of know-how in the form of personnel, training, and research, and associate costs. It comprises: donor-financed activities that augment the level of knowledge skills technical know-how or productive aptitudes of people in developing countries and Services such as consultancy, technical support or the provision of know-how that contribute to the execution of a capital project. The DAC survey of the Paris Declaration uses this definition and adds that “TC should include both free-standing TC and TC that is embedded in investment programmes or is included in programme based approaches”.

  38. Coordinated TC meets both criteria below: Have relevant country authorities (government or non-government) communicated clear capacity development objectives as part of broader national or sector strategies? (Y/N) Is the technical cooperation aligned with the countries’ capacity development objectives? (Y/N) … and at least oneof the criteriabelow: Do relevant country authorities have control over the technical cooperation? (Y/N) If more than one donor is involved in supporting country programmes, are there arrangements involvingthe country authorities in place for coordinating the technical cooperation provided by different donors? (Y/N) DAC definition of “Coordinated TC” __________

  39. DAC definition of Parallel PIU __________ A PIU is parallel when it is created and operates outside existing country institutional and administrative structures at the behest of a donor. PIUs are said to be parallel when there are three or more “Yes” to the four questions below (anything less counts as integrated): Are the PIUs accountable to the external funding agencies/donors rather than to the country implementing agencies (ministries, departments, agencies etc)? (Y/N) Are the terms of reference for externally appointed staff determined by the donor (rather than by the country implementing agencies)? (Y/N) Is most of the professional staff appointed by the donor (rather than the country implementing agencies)? (Y/N) 4.Is the salary structure of national staff (including benefits) higher than those of civil service personnel? (Y/N)

  40. Programme implementation arrangement __________ Generic term adopted by the EC for the organizational set-up that any project needs for implementation, whether supported by donors or not. A PIA may focuses on how both donor and country partner inputs will be organized and managed Five parameters to consider when defining the PIA: 1.Governance and accountability 2. Management set-up 3. Logistical autonomy of the PIA 4. Relations between TC experts, partners and the EC 5. EC’s and other donors’ roles in the PIA

  41. Country Strategy Papers to include analysis of institutional weaknesses & capacity needs. Develop TA guidelines. Improve design of capacity development projects. Review TA procedures for preparation/start-up to allow more time for implementation and more flexibility. European Court of Auditors' Report: 8 recommendations on TA__________

  42. European Court of Auditors' Report: 8 recommendations on TA__________ 5. Review evaluation criteria in TA tenders to reflect quality and previous experience. 6. Consider more options/choices in procuring technical expertise, e.g. public institutions and beneficiary country/region. 7. Increase use of TA through coordinated programmes and apply implementation arrangement that encourage local ownership. 8. Assess systematically TA performance (management information system). 44

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