Julie Bishop address to Council 2010
Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
Prepared by ACFID in cooperation with the Development Practice Committee (DPC)
What is the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness?
The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness was adopted on 2 March 2005 at the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) meeting and commits adhering donors and developing countries to improving the distribution and management of aid aimed at increasing its effectiveness.
What are the components of the Paris Declaration?
The Paris Declaration contains five key principles that target donors and partner countries in order to improve the effectiveness of aid, including:
- partner country ownership of development implementation;
- donor alignment with partner country development strategies;
- harmonisation of donor development approaches and activities;
- managing for better results through national development strategies and performance frameworks;
- mutual accountability between partners and donors.
A significant component of the Paris Declaration is the inclusion of indicators and measurable targets for development effectiveness against these five reinforcing principles.
Has the role of NGOs been incorporated into the agreement?
The Paris Declaration focuses predominantly on donor-partner country relationships and does not explicitly address the role of non-governemnt organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) in the process to improve aid effectiveness. The role of NGOs and CSOs has been more visibly incorporated into the follow-up agreement on aid effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) (see ACFID information sheet on the Accra Agenda for Action).
What is the significance of the agreement?
The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness remains an important initiative for the reform of development practices for its emphasis on the establishment of partnerships between donors and developing countries, developing country ownership of the development process, as well as mutual accountability for improved development results.
Further information:
- ACFID information sheet on the Accra Agenda for Action
- Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
- OECD Evaluation of the implementation of the Paris Declaration
- AusAID Office for Development Effectiveness (ODE)
Contact:
Chris Wark, ACFID Policy Advisor
