1. What aspects of national plans are critical to DFID for the scale and alignment of aid? Emerging themes from the consultation process for DFID’s new White Paper Paul Walters, Senior Economic Adviser East Asia Forum on National Plans as Poverty Reduction Strategies 6 th April 2006 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA DFID South East Asia

2. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA What aspects of national plans and related implementation policies are critical for aid and its alignment with country priorities, processes and timetables?  Overall views on the role of National Plans  Introduce DFID’s White Paper consultation process  Highlight implications for how DFID will view national plans and implementation process.  Key ingredients for national plans  The Partnership

3. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA Overall views on the role of National Plans  “Aspects" that need to be aligned will depend on country context and country processes. There is no one-size-fits-all model.  The implementation framework and systems are at least as important as the national plan. Government’s ability to plan, budget, monitor and allocate its financial and human resources is crucial.  The direction of change is more important than any absolute standards

4. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA Later this year DFID will release a new White Paper  It will address three questions:  What can we do to reduce poverty and deliver development more quickly?  What policies are needed in the UK and internationally to create the conditions necessary for reducing poverty?  How can the international development system be reformed so that it delivers better development results?  I will focus on the first of these questions and highlight implications for how DFID view national plans and implementation processes.

5. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA Delivering development: how can we make faster progress?  What is required for faster Growth and Poverty Reduction?  How to make donors more accountable for their promises to countries?  How to build more effective states that are accountable to their citizens?  How to increase access to quality basic services and tackle social exclusion?  How to put government in the lead?

6. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA Faster development will require National Plans and accompanying implementation frameworks that:  provide for:  Government leadership  And mechanisms to make donors more accountable for their promises to countries;  And deliver:  faster Growth and Poverty Reduction;  more effective states that are accountable to their citizens;  increased access to quality basic services particularly for the socially excluded;

7. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA In addition key Ingredients for the PRS process could include:  Attention to implementation and financing  Performance framework  Transparency  State building and attention to building systems  Policy priorities

8. 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA The Partnership  2005 was an extraordinary year for development.  15 EU member states committed to reach the UN 0.7% target by 2015.  G8 leaders agreed that global aid will rise by $50 billion a year by 2010.  Therefore donors will increasing look for:  Increased focus on results  Strengthened PFM, human resource, planning and monitoring systems  Firm action on corruption  Commitment to Human Rights