Publications
The paper Debt Relief in Danish Development Assistance was published in 2008 and raises a number of issues in the Danish debt relief policy. First, when funds for debt relief of export credits are taken from the ODA budgetframe, the development assistance budget is drained for economic means and other developing countries pay for the debt relief, meanwhile the Danish treasury does not suffer. Second, it is discussed whether debt relief releases new economic resources or not. If it does, debt relief can be considered as general budget support. Third, it can be questioned whether increases in GNI finance the debt relief. Fourth, the question of poverty orientation in debt relief of export credits should be discussed before debt relief is granted and debt relief of export credits should be financed outside the ODA frame. Finally, it is discussed that the debt relief is expanded to also include multilateral debt relief and that resources for this initiative reduce the flexibility within the ODA frame for a very long period of time.
The paper Distribution of Danish Official Development Assistance - Bilateral and Multilateral Aid was published in 2008 and discusses the distribution of aid between bi- and multilateral assistance, and analyse the level and trends in expenditures to administration, security, refugees’ reception and the Neighbourhood Programme. A conclusion is that among the major donors, Denmark provides the highest proportion of its assistance as multilateral aid, and Denmark can be said to be in the forefront of providing this type of aid. Adjusting for major statistical changes since 2004, the share of multilateral aid is not as low as the DAC figures indicate. However, there is a clear trend since 2002 towards a lower share of multilateral aid as compared to previous years.
The Follow-Up Study - Evaluation of Danish Assistance to Vocational Education and Training (Evaluation of Danish Assistance to Vocational Education and Training (Danida 2002/5)) carried out in 2007 concluded that the Vocational Education and Training (VET)-Evaluation provided an important contribution to the organisational learning process in Danida. It identified a number of problem areas, which in the judgement of the VET-Evaluation resulted in too limited results in terms of Danish development objectives from the intervention portfolio analysed. Preventing factors found in the Follow-Up Study are that due to the attempts to concentrate individual country programmes to three sectors only, there is relatively little scope for support to VET as a separate sub-sector. The two country cases (Kenya and Zambia) also indicate that opportunities for achieving results through such interventions could be “missed” because of the rigid Sector Programme Support approach. Other preventing factors for implementing the VET-Evaluation recommendations are the complex nature of developing the informal sector and of solving the youth unemployment problem.
The Explorative Study on Programme/Project Completion Reports (PCR) was published in 2007 by the Evaluation Department of Danida. PCRs are designed to present an assessment of programmes and projects in order to provide documentation on the use of Danish funds and to generate lessons learned of general interest to future development aid activities. In contrast with evaluation studies undertaken by independent consultants, preparation of PCRs is a project management function and the Programme/Project Manager usually makes the reports. The study analysed 315 PCRs received by the Evaluation Department during 2006. These PCRs together account for some DKK 2.8 billion of approved grant budget. The study covers a thorough statistical analysis of the PCRs, it presents a condensed version of the lessons learned as expressed in the PCRs received during 2006 and it provides recommendations on how a systematic and on-going knowledge-sharing of lessons learned from Danish development assistance can be developed.
Functional Analysis – Developing Frameworks for Improved Organisational Performance was published in 2004 as part of a Danida working paper for design and appraisal of capacity development activities in urban environmental management. Functional analysis is a management and planning tool that is effectively used for strategic planning, for optimising resource allocation, for budgeting purposes and for managing and improving performance of organisations. The process facilitates the assessment of the appropriateness of mandates and core functions, of organisational structures and staff deployment as well as of management systems and procedures. It is used as an organisational analysis tool for providing a well-documented basis for making organisational and management improvements and adjustments at institutional level. The approach and methodology is designed as an institutional management development and planning tool and not as a tedious exercise of data collection, capturing, and analysis.
The paper “Sector Wide Approach – history and some theoretical considerations” was presented at a seminar in Danida for Chief Advisers in 2003. The paper discussed the definition of Sector Investment Programmes (SIP) and Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) as well as presents the issues of defining a sector and fungability. One of the key reasons for governments and donors to pursue the application of SIP/SWAP is to raise the effectiveness of aid. Key elements of aid effectiveness in the context of SWAP includes the creation of a conducive policy environment, ownership, common implementation arrangements and a framework for use of technical assistance. The role of Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks in SWAPs was also discussed.
The Role of Research in Danish Development Assistance was was published in the series of Working Papers for the revision of “Strategy 2000”, and formed part of preparing the “Partnership 2000”, guiding the provision of development aid by Danida. The paper discussed the central role research plays in development and hence in development co-operation between the developing and the developed countries. Research is part of the development co-operation in different ways: Supporting research, research capacity building and education in the developing countries is an aid instrument like similar assistance to other sectors in these countries. The other type is the research taking place in developed countries and in international institutions related to subjects and issues of relevance for the development of the third world countries. Thus research is a specific aid instrument, as well as the knowledge base for problem solving and for identification, design and implementation of other aid instruments and development policies.
The Architecture of Financial Flows to Developing Countries discusses the financial flows to developing countries and analyse the level of Official Development Assistance (ODA) grants and loans, Other Official Flows, direct investments, Bonds, equities and export credits, remittances as well as contributions from philanthropic foundations. The analysis is done both on a global scale, for each major region and for the Least Developed Countries. A conclusion is that although ODA seems as a relatively small inflow compared to remittances and equals direct investments on a global scale, ODA does account for a great part of the financial flows when it comes to Sub Saharan Africa and the Least Developed Countries.