1. EuropeAid Making Technical Cooperation more effective __________________ EC Guidelines on Technical Cooperation and Project Implementation Units - Key messages - __________________ EUROPEAN COMMISSION

2. EuropeAid 2 The Backbone Strategy on Reforming TC and PIU Objectives: Providing good quality TC that supports country- led programmes based on strong partner demand Providing support through partner-owned project implementation arrangements with substantial reduction of parallel Project Implementation Units Reforming Technical Cooperation and Project Implementation Units for External Aid provided by the EC (July 2008) 4 slides

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

4. EuropeAid Four purposes of Technical Cooperation Capacity Development support is the most complex and demanding type of TC support! Partner-owned TC support

5. EuropeAid In line with Accra Agenda for Action Extracts from the AAA: Donors support for capacity development will be demand- driven and designed to support country ownership Developing Countries and Donors will : o i) jointly select and manage technical cooperation o 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 5

6. EuropeAid 6 1. Strategic dialogue 2. Improve design management & accountability 3. Improve tendering, contracting & other procedures 4. Communication, knowledge management, training 5. Implementation and monitoring of the Strategy The Backbone - five working axis

7. EuropeAid 7 Guidelines on Making TC more effective To implement the TC reform at programme level Practical advice on how to operationnalize the 8 principles Target : EC staff + partner countries satkeholders, TC providers, other donors Key issue for credibility of the Gs is that incentives and procedures change to make it possible to follow these Gs

8. EuropeAid Guidelines: Table of contents Chapter 1 – Reading Guide and Key Terms Chapter 2 – Reforming Technical Cooperation Chapter 3 – Demand-driven and harmonized TC Support Chapter 4 – Results-oriented TC Support Chapter 5 – Programme Implementation Arrangements Chapter 6 – Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance

9. EuropeAid A summary in three lines 1. Convert ownership of programmes and implementation arrangements into a practical concept 2. Assess and adapt to demand, context and capacity – and harmonize. 3. Let results be the driver – and get them right 9 The guidelines recognise that it is not always feasible to go all the way to perfect ownership and clear results.

10. EuropeAid Focussing on the partners programme Donor TC inputs & activitiesggggg is wrongly assumed leading to Sustainable capacity and results may lead to Sustainable capacity and results Activities by partner and by donor TC inputs, under partner leadership Partner-owned TC support Donor TC inputs & activities

11. EuropeAid Ownership in practice What partners do is the primary factor. Support through TC is the secondary factor. Partners: invest resources (leadership, political capital, staff time.... ) Donors do not do programmes and do not do capacity development! Donors play second fiddle. That is important for the music, but not glamorous. Partner-owned TC support

12. EuropeAid 12 Assessing demand for TC How specific is the demand? What is the power behind it? Transparent information on TC costs Scope of the demand Who takes initiatives Who drafts ToR Demand, context and capacity Demand is not a constant, and can be nurtured – but....when working with multiple stakeholders, whose demand counts?

13. EuropeAid Adapting to context and capacity Look at the context and at the incentives to performance in country systems Donor practices (topping-up) Good practices in capacity assessments : o Self-assessments of capacity are the best o Make assessments an integral part of CD o Avoid gap assessments 13 Demand, context and capacity

14. EuropeAid Harmonise whenever possible 1.Keep other donors in the loop 2.Put all harmonization options on the table with partners: 1. Harmonisation around objectives/results, individual supply 2. TC support delegated to one agency 3. Pooling of funds, administered by the partner 4. Full partner implementation 3.Start harmonizing TC around analytical agenda 14 Demand, context and capacity

15. EuropeAid Look for results beyond TC deliverables nnn TC support CD processes Recurrent inputs Capacity OutputsOutcomes Wider impact Internal resour- ces Start from feasible impact, work backwards to determine if and how TC support may be relevant and feasible Result-oriented TC support

16. EuropeAid Getting the right inputs Look beyond – far beyond – TA from OECD countries Making good TOR: Pay much more attention to: - process (who, how, ownership...) - content (results chain, governance...) Result-oriented TC support

17. EuropeAid 17 Changing roles Who does what? is as important than What is done?...the devil is in the details (who calls meetings, sets the agenda...) If the partners do not articulate strong demand, then play a facilitating role Start where the partners are Pay attention to the setting and the communication process Result-oriented TC support

18. EuropeAid 18 Programme implementation arrangements Partner-owned and partner managed Embedded in the local institutional context Varying between more autonomous or more integrated structures over time depending on purpose and expected results Programme implementation arrangements

19. EuropeAid 19 Programme implementation arrangements Five key parameters: 1.Governance and accountability 2.Management set-up 3.Logistical autonomy 4.Relations between TC experts, partners and the EC 5.ECs 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

20. EuropeAid 20 Quality Matrix of TC 1. Demand, adequate ownership and capacity of partners 2. Fits the context and existing capacity 3. The support is harmonised and sustainabilit y of benefits considered 4. Link to outputs and expected outcomes 5. The programme implementation arrangements are appropriate Commitment and demand Partner participation No critical constraints Existing capacity enable absorption Similar programmes/ TC support has worked Synergies and harmonisation options explored Stand-alone TC support clearly justified Results defined beyond TC deliverables Partner inputs are specified Implementation is adequate for results Managerial autonomy is adequate Partners lead and are accountable to domestic stakeholders Monitoring of TC support

21. EuropeAid Quality Grid: self assessment at country level To be attached to the Action Fiche for significant TC operations and all TC focused programmes 1. How have key stakeholders express their demand (…) ? 2. How does the context analysis confirm that TC is the appropriate aid response (…) ? 3. What synergies and harmonization options have been explored (…)? 4. How are outputs and expected outcomes defined (…)? 5. How is the PIA design based on results to be achieved (…)?

22. EuropeAid Guidelines: Table of annexes Annex 1: Aid effectiveness commitments in the area of TC Annex 2: Court of Auditors Recommendations Annex 3: The cycle of operations for « TC support » Annex 4: Quality assessment grid Annex 5: Format for mutual performance dialogue Annex 6: Short guide to EC rules and procedures – How to apply EC procedures to TC table of content

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