DFI participated in a British Academy International Forum with the secretariat of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (chaired by Gordon Brown). Based on its work for GSW, GCE and UNESCO, DFI presented its views for priorities in mobilizing financing for education during the SDG period, and will be continuing to work with the secretariat over the next few months, making inputs on spending patterns and debt issues. 

Based on research by Development Finance International, the WaterAid’s new report “Releasing the Flow” concentrates on the capacity to use available funds for water and sanitation in five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa - Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda. The research suggests that effective leadership from government – at national, regional and local level – is a key factor for success.

In all case studies there is evidence that strong political will has translated into positive action on absorption of funds, greater transparency and improved water and sanitation services for people and communities. Other critical factors include the availability of skilled human resources, the balance between recurrent and capital funding for local government, and the quality of co-ordination and communication between major stakeholders.

You can also download the DFI global study.

DFI facilitated a workshop for OIF and the Senegalese government, at which the draft study on Domestic Resource Mobilisation in OIF IDA Countries was presented to senior officials from 11 OIF member states. It was also used as the basis for discussions on their technical assistance needs. The event was also attended by tax experts from CREDAF, FERDI, the IMF, LSE, the OECD, Oxfam, UEMOA, UNDP and the World Bank, and ATAF, ICRICT and CEMAC supplied contributions. 

DFID has commissioned DFI to conduct a study of best practices among developing countries in keeping their public debts sustainable, by ensuring that funds borrowed are spent on “productive expenditure”.

Two missions were held in Rwanda (9-13 November) and Ghana (7-11 December) during which DFI conducted interviews with around 20 key stakeholders. The production of a case study report was also planned with the local team.

DFI participated in the 10th UNCTAD Debt Management Conference on Debt Management for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, attended by more than 200 debt experts from all over the world. DFI spoke on the issue of Managing the Fiscal Risks of Contingent Liabilities, emphasising measures which should be taken to avoid and reduce contingent liabilities ex ante rather than managing them ex post. The presentation and more details of the conference can be found here. 

A study published jointly by four organisations is advocating for further reform of the global tax system. This new research by the Tax Justice Network, the Global Alliance for Tax Justice, Public Services International and Oxfam International reveals that even G20 countries are affected by tax dodging by US multinationals. However, low-income developing countries remain the hardest hit because corporate tax revenues comprise a higher proportion of their national income, which translates in cuts to essential services.

DFI led a panel on monitoring the contribution of private and blended cooperation to the SDGs, involving stakeholders from the official, private and civil society sectors, at the DCF Symposium in Kampala. The session gave positive feedback on DCF plans to convene stakeholders to enhance monitoring of the effectiveness and impact of private and blended cooperation. The background study for the panel can be found here.

DFI presented the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IUP) study discussing why and how developing countries should have Aid Policies to improve the quality and effectiveness of their aid in producing development results. Discussions were held at a workshop organised just before the UN Development Cooperation Forum Symposium in Kampala.

DFI facilitated a week-long Seco-financed seminar where officials from the Central Bank of Sudan and Ministry of Finance discussed their technical conclusions about debt relief and new borrowing with colleagues from other government agencies, and then drafted a debt strategy document for Sudan covering the period 2016-18. The strategy will be discussed and approved at political level early in 2016.

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) has published a new report which reveals a worrying failure in reaching education financing goals.

Taking stock of investment and aid levels in education since the goal-setting Dakar Education Forum fifteen years ago, Education Aid Watch 2015 checks delivery against promises made by donor countries and finds that they fall short of the pledged donor support for the Education For All and Millennium Development Goals.

In contrast, using GSW’s latest analysis of the budgets of 66 low-income and lower-middle-income countries, the report shows that more than half of aid recipient countries had increased the share of their budgets going to education since 2012.