MINUTES OF DPG MEETING

HELD ON TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2007

AT THE SWEDEN/FINLAND EMBASSY

CONFERENCE ROOM

1. Opening and Agenda

The meeting was facilitated by Mr. Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. New members were welcomed to the meeting. The proposed agenda was adopted and the minutes of the last meeting were endorsed as an accurate record.

2. Reflection on DGP 2007 Work Plan

In 2007, the DPG has identified a limited number of priority issues. The presentation reflected on the DPG progress bycategorizing each key 2007 DPG issue with a score: green (good progress), orange (little progress/work still to be done) or red (no progress).

The following was the overall assessment:

  1. DPG: The strengthening of the DPG has overall made significant progress however there remain some critical issues to review. Strong leadership on the GoT side will be required to move forward on some of the remaining issues for which the DPG has prioritized.

i)Rationalized and effective dialogue with Government – Orange

  • The New Proposed Dialogue Structure has been presented however, is not operationlaized. A few key issues are pending on which the DPG Task Force will liaise with the GoT in the new year.

ii)Clear efficient architecture – Orange

  • At present the links between the WGs and the DPG main are week and should be systematically strengthened with in the DPG structure.

iii)Revising ToRs - Green

  1. Harmonization & Alignment:

iv)JAST Implementation – Orange

  • The progress made on the JAST this year has been slow. The GoT’s participation is seen as a challenge and a more pro-active DPG may be required to improve momentum.

v)JPD Monitoring – Red

  • Progress has been made on DPG communication; however other key issues outlined in the JPD are lagging; such as, monitoring JPD implementation the risk assessment which has not progressed.

vi)Harmonization and alignment at local level –Red

  • Greater commitment from DPs for harmonization and capacity building and technical assistance at local level will be needed in the coming year in order to improve local level alignment.
  1. Policy Priority issues

vii)Energy - Green

viii)Corruption – Orange

  • The level of discussion around the corruption issue has increased as noted in this year’s annual review. However substantive action or progress has not followed; strong commitments from the GoT have been made at the Annual Review demonstrating a commitment to the issue.

ix)Infrastructure – Orange

  • The sector review for the infrastructure WG, as noted by the DP lead, was very successful this year.However results were not shared at the DPG mian monthly meetings.

x)Management and governance of natural resources –Green

  • Strong commitment has been made on addressing this issue, as noted by the outcomes from the annual review. The DPG has been vocal in expressing the importance of natural resources revenue collection, the GoT has taken this commitment onboard with commitments to strengthen participatory forest management locally and to establish a national forest inventory baseline and to keep it updated, for example.
  1. Information Sharing

xi)Web-Site – Green

  • The web site is functioning as a key resource for Development partners in accessing and sharing information.

xii)Presentations for issues of current interest - Green

  • Whether it has been during the DPG main or special sessions key areas of interest have been presented and fed substantive discussion and exchange amongst the DPs. These efforts are hoped to continue throughout 2008 as an essential mechanism for information sharing and substantive discussions for policy note setting and dialogue.

xiii)Working Group Briefs – Orange

  • A total of 8 WG Briefs were submitted the Joint Communication task force. Those briefs are currently being reviewed for quality control and will be posted on the web-site by year end.

xiv)Links to WGs –Red

  • The weak links between the DPG main and the WGs it one of mitigating factors of the slow progress being made on key DPG issues. The DPG main needs to strengthen the follow-up actions relating to WG priorities. One point of action that could aid in better linking the WGs to the DPG would to institionalize biannual WG Lead & DPG Co-chair information sharing sessions. To effectively link the DPG main to the WGs the DPG Secretariat will play a key role, this however will required in the short term for the secretariat’s capacity to be strengthened significantly.

General Discussion Points

  • It has been noted that much of the progress, or lack thereof, on the DPG Annual Work plan for 2007 is the direct result of how the DPG is organized internally. The DPG main needs to strengthen the link with the WGs and ensure that the DPG is fully informed on emerging issues and the direction of WG’s activities. At present the DPG main is not always aware of the actual progress on relevant issues (i.e: the infrastructure sectoral review). The strengthening of the WGs links should not be limited to the DPG main and be inclusive of information sharing across WGs as well. Clear work plans need to be developed by SWOT.
  • The DPG main needs to revisit sector reviews more systematically. Two examples that were given were the Health Sector Review and the Infrastructure Review, both of which are viewed as a success this year. There is need for the DPG main to be better informed on policy issues at the sector reviews, it is felt however this would be a challenge without stronger secretariat support.
  • One issue that has remained a concern is the integration of Zanzibar to the DPG. This remains weak, due to capacity difficulties within Zanzibarand should be a point of discussion in the new year, as DPG secretariat support for Zanzibar is also required.
  • The DPG should revisit and revive the JPD to ensure that the DPG focus for 2008 is tied to its content. Consideration could be given to the formalization of cluster coordinators, which would also improve internal information sharing and WG links to the DPG main.
  • The 2008 work plan should focus on harmonization, alignment & coordination around local level combine with capacity building as well as, bringing forward and mainstreaming monitoring initiatives.

3. Reflection on JAST progress, Dialogue Structure & EU internal DoL Audit

Background

The JAST WG has met once since the DPG special session on JAST in May. In the JAST meeting held October 16th, 2007; the DPs have offered continued support to the GoT in particular with respect to the formalization of the TA Policy. There does appear to be slight disjunction between the GoT and the DPG on the most effective way forward in strengthening the MTEF projections; the GoT citing a need for greater DP transparency and the DPs suggesting that to facilitate the process the GoT could map out their objectives in a comprehensive strategy then illustrate the gaps in funding to accomplish the strategy by clearly indicating the levels of domestic revenue and GBS available.

The period August-December is process-overloaded for the External Finance division and it is obvious and understandable that the JAST implementation has been given lower priority than the GBS review and other issues. Hopefully there is more room for work on the JAST coordination during the period January-April.

Suggested areas for reflections on JAST priorities:

  1. Should we as DPs try to push the issue of DoL further? The EU-members have discussed a way of mapping out the present situation according to the new sector/thematic areas of the new proposed Dialogue Structure. This exercise could be combined with a similar DPG-mapping.
  2. The second survey of the Paris indicators will be conducted in January - March. This requires capacity for compilation of data at MoF and all DPs and analytical capacity at the DPG-level.
  3. How do agencies live up to the JAST MoU? In April-May the DPG mapped the JAST from a DPG WG-perspective and made some recommendations on ToR for lead, active and delegated partners as well as activities for increased harmonization. There could be more follow up on this work, by focusing on how different agencies have changed behaviour in line with their JAST commitment.

General Discussion Points

  • The division of labour exercise which will take place in 2008 will aid in taking forward the JAST, however strong commitment from DPs will be needed in mapping out DPG capacity. It remains a challenge for some agencies to change their behaviour in compliance with the JAST principles and reflection is still needed on how to accomplish this.
  • According to the JAST Roadmap, the DoL & the TA policy have been slow moving this year. It is the general feeling of some DPs that the reasons for the lack of progress stem from internal constraints with the GoT and it is recommended that the DPG take initiative to begin the DoL on its side first, demonstrating the importance of the DoL.
  • In order for greater movement towards meeting the Paris indicators & analysis, the GoT and the DPG will need additional capacity, at present there is a capacity gap. As Accra 2008 approaches, the progress and momentum on JAST must increased to meet critical performance targets.
  • One issue of concern is the integration of vertical funds into the dialogue structure. This remains a challenge to address and will be a point of discussion between the DPG Dialogue Structure Task Force and the GoT task force.

EC DoL Stocktaking Exercise:

The EC informed the DPG of an internal EU member states assessment and stock taking with relation to their division of labour on a sectoral basis. This initiative is a follow up to the document sent to the DGP on the EU Code of Conduct which set (loosely) the principals of DoL. The exercise will outline the current status of member states & will then feed into the DPG framework according to their capacity in sector/thematic areas while taking into account the new Dialogue structure.

An initial reflection into this process suggests that the numerous sectors and stakeholders will make setting a clear and concise DoL a challenge. In addition two points have been highlighted as needing clarification from the GoT. Firstly, the importance of defining what a sector is or offering a codification on the thematic/sector groupings; this clarification will assist with the DPs stocktaking exercise. Secondly, the definition of ‘Active’ Partner needs to be professionalized within the DPG. That is, those DPs that take the active lead have to be willing and have sufficient capacity to truly engage with the GoT on policy issues and provided the necessary capacity & support for successful progress within the sector.

At present they EU is not ready to report on the tools or mechanism used to perform the analysis, however would be willing to revisit the issue. Once their assessment has been finalized the EU would be more apt to provided a formal overview & present some of the challenges/successes and their reflections on the process of analyzing the DoL.

This positive initiative should be used as an example for other DPs to begin their own capacity assessments. It should be encouraged that all DPs have a clear mapping of their own DoL/Capacity which could greatly aid in the progress of finalizing the Dialogue Structure and increasing alignment.

General Discussion Points

  • There is a sense amongst other DPs that sectors need to be more clearly defined along with the links to the relevant MDAs. In addition, the GoT should provide guidance on how it is expected for the sector level meetings to take place.
  • The JPD is an essential document and tool for both the GoT and the DPG. The revitalization of the document could be assisted with greater clarity on how the agenda is integrated with the GoT planning process. It could be useful to perform a stock taking in conjunction with the GoT on Joint Programming and link it with the harmonization task force.
  • One possible way forward with the DoL issue would be for the DPG to reflect on the importance of the issue and clearly outline the advantages of the exercise and communicate it clearly to the GoT. In addition, DPs need to determine how the DoL exercise will take place; that is, as the collective DPG or an internal DP stocking taking individually.
  • The DPG needs to pressure the GoT to operaltionalize the new dialogue structure. It has been sited that in the Agriculture WG, the dialogue process has collapse and that the only discussion take place at the technical level.
  • The DPG could consider taking a lead role in defining its own internal DoL on the issue and present concrete outcomes to the GoT, the DPG should establish a work plan to finalize and operationalize the new Dialogue structure. It is clear the GoT will require support in carrying this forward.

4. Strengthening the DPG Secretariat

The previous agenda items and the following examples have made it clear there is a need to strengthen the secretariat: greater demands from the GoT, request for WG specific Secretariat support, weak link between the WGs and the DPG main, increased demands on the secretariat from visiting missions, an increasing need to assist the GoT in the establishment of an Aid Management platform, a gap in the specific support to Zanzibar on Aid Coordination and a need to push the alignment and harmonization agenda.

Additionally, the DPG also adopted the DP plan of action, defining priority areas of DPG/DPs activities in implementing the JAST. Through these discussions, it is apparent that the function of the DPG secretariat should provide additional support to the DPG as well as more technical and advisory work in informing H&A efforts within DPG and in support of JAST secretariat. It clear there is a need to strengthen the DPG’s overall capacity within the structure to include not only a greater advisory role but coordination at the sector level.

The proposal outlines the creation of four new posts to support the DPG Secretariat. They are two Aid Coordination Advisors; one to sit with the MoF on the Mainland (1 year financial commitment from Norway) and one to sit with the GoZ (pending funding). Coordination and communication Specialist JPO (2 year financial commitment from Denmark) and an Aid coordination Support and WG support Specialist (pending funding).

It is important to view the Secretariat proposal as a key mechanism for providing sustainable capacity building to the Aid coordination units of the mainland and Zanzibar as well.

General Discussion Points

  • The overall proposal should be viewed not only as strengthening the support to the DPG side but as provided critical capacity building to the ministries; in particular, Zanzibar. With additional support seated within the ministries themselves the JAST and Dialogue Structure agendas could be pushed forward. It is clear the DPG needs to improve the analytical work for capacity building. The secretariat is a key issue that needs to be addressed early in the new year an not mid-way through 2008.
  • In terms of securing funding, one DP suggested to require each DPG member to pay a nominal fee and to communicate to HQs that it is a basket contribution.
  • With in the Aid Coordination structure, it is the view of some DPs that the lead should be providing the necessary capacity to accomplish the annual workplan. That being said, there is still a major disjuncture between the DPG & the WGs which should be reinforced.
  • If the DPG is serious about the DoL then it needs resources to professionalize the internal DPG DoL and align it to the GoT new dialogue structure. The concern is whether this will set up parallel process and work. It would also be important to coordinate the DPG secretariat structure with the PRBS secretariat to ensure the both secretariats complement each other.
  • Support for this initiative has been strongly endorsed and encouraged by some DPs, in particular, the lead of the JAST WG and past and present DPG Co-chairs. It is viewed that the momentum on key DPG issues could be heightened with greater DPG Secretariat support.

Way Forward:

A finalized DPG Secretariat Proposal will be disseminated to the DPG with clarification on the funding mechanisms and governance structure of the DPG Secretariat. The DPs are strongly encouraged to commit resources as soon as possible in order to strengthen the overstretched DPG secretariat.

5. Status up-date on the DCF

Unfortunately the Chief Secretary’s Office has decided to postpone the DCF on Core Reform until January. The participants to the next DCF meeting which will be focusing on the DPG Core Reform document will be Canada, Norway, USA, World Bank, UN and Ireland.