10 July 2014, 13:15-14:45 pm, Conference Room 5, North Lawn Building,
United Nations Headquarters, New York
Patrick Guillaumont has dealt more particularly with the issue “ How can a definition of ODA strengthen the quality of aid by promoting greater accountability ?”
The OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has provided the statistical system used to track ODA for over 50 years. There is a growing sense that the present ODA definition and the broader statistical system is no longer fit for purpose to adequately measure the recipients’ resource receipts or donor efforts. There is also recognition that the present definition of ODA does not sufficiently encourage an allocation of aid to areas where it is most needed and where it has the greatest long-term development impact. Nor does it capture new and innovative financing instruments.
While a reform of ODA is widely welcomed, there is at the same time some concern that modernizing its definition could lead to a dilution of ODA with the inclusion of a range of flows not traditionally assessed as aid, making it easier for donors to meet their commitment to provide 0.7 per cent of GNI to ODA without an additional donor effort. There is also concern that the revisions being discussed do not adequately address recipient country resource needs. DAC members, however, have agreed that any modernisation of ODA should be able to withstand a critical assessment from the public, and avoid creating major fluctuations in overall ODA levels. Any changes to the ODA measure must support its credibility and help to mobilize more resources - whether public or private - and their effective use in the future in support of the post-2015 goals.
Web site of the evnt : http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/newfunct/2014dcf0.shtml
Concept note :
