5 Conclusion
75. The Paris Declaration has had some impact
on how both donors and developing countries approach development
assistance. DFID has worked to fulfil its commitments under the
Declaration. Progress globally, however, has been patchier. The
OECD has told us that the conclusions of its most recent survey
on implementation of the Declaration are "alarming in respect
of substantive progress".[105]
The Accra High Level Forum is an opportunity to shine a spotlight
on this lack of progress and to hold those who have signed the
Declaration, particularly donors, to account.
76. Efforts to make aid more effective depend
on credible evidence which links particular actions with better
development outcomes. Large pieces of this evidential base are
missing. Assertions, for example, that coordination delivers lower
transactions costs or that ownership translates to more effective
aid are plausible but not thoroughly proven. DFID
must ensure that it is not simply joining a well-meaning consensus
on aid effectiveness but has done the research to prove to us
and, equally importantly, the taxpayer that its approach delivers
more effective aid.
77. The terms of the aid effectiveness debate
and the focus on greater ownership of the development process
by developing countries and on greater donor coordination are
unlikely to change despite the slow progress against the Paris
targets. Joint working between
DFID and other donors, and indeed DFID working through other donors,
is likely to become a more frequent occurrence and this has implications
for the scrutiny performed by this Committee. DFID must work proactively
to ensure that we have meaningful oversight of all of its work,
however the budget is spent.
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