Effective Development Cooperation Background

Coordination and harmonization of Official Development Assistance (ODA) is critical to reduction of transaction costs (time management) by Governments and to achieve the national development priorities. The Government of Kenya (GoK) has been implementing the aid and development effectiveness agenda through the Harmonization, Alignment and Coordination Group since 2003, which was mainly driven by our Development Partners. The agenda gained momentum in 2009 when GoK took over the leadership and established the Aid Effectiveness Group (renamed Development Effectiveness Group in 2018) which is housed within Government, in the National Treasury. This ensured stronger ownership by GoK and encouraged alignment of ODA to the national development agenda. Harmonization and standardization of development partners’ activities/procedures remains a top agenda of Government. GOK has subscribed to the principles of Aid Effectiveness and Effective Development Co-operation in line with Paris Declaration 2005, Accra Agenda for Action 2008, Busan Outcome 2011, Mexico Communique 2014 and the Nairobi Outcome 2016.

To support the achievements of priorities in the Vision 2030 and the subsequent Medium Term Plans, the Government and Development Partners developed the Kenya Joint Assistance Strategy (2007-2012) and the Joint Statement of Intent (2010) for better coordination and effective development cooperation. The Kenya External Resources Policy (2014) was also developed to articulate the Government’s policy on mobilization of external financing within the framework of an evolving aid architecture. Further, Economic Development Cooperation Strategic Plan (2018-2002) has domesticated the implementation of the Effective Development Co-operation principles for the accelerated implementation of the Kenya Vision 2030, the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Development Effectiveness Group (formerly the Aid Effectiveness Group) has made significant progress in advancing the agenda which include: Structured mutual dialogue between the Government, Development Partners, Private sector ,Civil Society Organizations and Foundations; Improvement in alignment of external development assistance to the Government’s national development agenda; Use of country-led results frameworks in all development programmes/ projects; Efforts towards inclusive development partnerships with private sector and civil society organizations; improvement in annual and medium term predictability of external assistance; and improved financial reporting and auditing using country systems.