DFI was commissioned by Save the Children Norway, Norwegian Church Aid and the Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development to study whether the IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust is delivering poverty reduction and growth to low-income countries. The study finds that it could do a great deal more, and makes strong recommendations for the IMF and its funders. It was presented at a seminar in the IMF Spring Meetings and is forming the basis for extensive CSO inputs into the IMF review of LIC instruments.

A joint mission of the World Bank and DRI visited Niamey to evaluate the country's debt management, based on the DeMPA methodology elaborated by the BWIs. As part of the review, the mission held meetings with all the institutions involved in debt management. A draft report has been prepared which has been sent for peer review before being submitted to the country's authorities within the forthcoming weeks.

DFI took part in a World Bank DeMPA mission in Bujumbura, Burundi on 9-17 April. The mission assessed the country's debt management and held meetings with various key institutions involved in the borrowing cycle. The team also provided training on operational risks, the calculation of the grant element and the interpretation of results of a DSA implemented in Burundi. Preliminary conclusions were shared with targets institutions as well as with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

DFI was commissioned by a consortium of major NGOs (Actionaid, Concord, Oxfam, Save the Children and the UK Aid Network) to analyse whether a strong global monitoring framework is essential to make progress on increasing the results of aid. The study has been presented at meetings in Addis Ababa, Paris and Washington. Thanks to major lobbying and negotiation by developing countries and NGOs, it looks as though the post-Busan negotiations will produce a reasonably strong global framework to monitor progress on increasing aid results.

Matthew Martin participated in a retreat of the New Rules board to draft a strategic plan for the next 4 years as New Rules fights to change the way global finance is governed and increase its contribution to just, inclusive and economically sustainable development. The plan will be finalised by June and used as the basis for fundraising for key analytical, advocacy and networking activities during 2012-15.

In keeping with the national capacity building programme in aid management, and audit and control started in 2010, the national manual of procedures for the management and control of public investment projects is now being finalised and will be released for official use shortly.

Following the DeMPA mission in 2009, the World Bank and DRI jointly conducted a debt management reform plan mission in DRC. After identifying needs, a series working sessions and bilateral meetings led to the formulation of a reform plan hinging on three main areas: governance, organisational structure, and operational risks.

DFI hosted an attachment for two WAIFEM staff.  It provided hands-on training of the BWI's Debt Sustainability Framework (DSF), with particular reference to the debt situations in WAIFEM member states. In addition, the attachment discussed policy issues of relevance to WAIFEM countries.

DFI was commissioned by the UN DCF to analyse the recent rapid growth of foundations and private philanthropy, and the potential advantages and disadvantages of this type of development financing. A half day meeting in New York discussed the findings and the potential for the UN to work with foundations to set best practice standards to improve the quality and results of philanthropy worldwide.

A joint Development Finance International, UNCTAD and The World Bank mission visited Khartoum, Sudan to conduct a Debt Management Performance Assessment (DeMPA) during February. The mission met with officials from the various agencies responsible for debt management and reviewed the way the various functions are performed to see whether they are in line with international standards. As required by the methodology, each dimension of the indicators was scored and a draft report was prepared during the mission and is being peer reviewed.