Noticias
24-25 June - OECD/OIF Consultations on Redefining ODA, Paris
Following the ministerial meeting on redefining ODA in Washington in April, DFI helped OIF and the Commonwealth Secretariat to mobilise developing country officials for this OECD seminar. Twelve countries contributed their views on preferred sources and types of development finance, and how the OECD should define and publish statistics on ODA and other flows. They strongly urged the OECD to i) ensure that tracking flows “beyond ODA” did not mean diluting OECD country commitment to 0.7% targets for ODA; ii) track aid in ways which are more helpful to their planning processes – eg aid which goes through their budgets, and uses their national systems; iii) harmonise methods of calculating concessionality with those of the IMF, using a single 5% discount rate, rather than a risk-weighted calculation which could encourage higher lending to the most indebted countries; and iv) monitor other genuinely development-oriented flows (official or private sector), in NET terms, and through a collaborative process involving the UN, MDBs and NGO/Foundation coordination organisations. A letter by OIF developing countries addressed to the DAC following the meeting is currently being finalised.
18 June - Eurodad Conference, Financing for Development
DFI participated in the Eurodad Policy Forum 2014 in Brussels, bringing together 50 CSOs from North and South to discuss key trends in financing for development, and begin preparations for the 2015 Financing for Development conference due to be held in Addis Ababa. More information can be found here.
16 June - African Economic Outlook 2014
The latest African Economic Outlook released at the African Development Bank Group’s Annual Meetings shows that Africa has weathered internal and external shocks and is now in a position to achieve healthy economic growth rates. Produced annually by the AfDB, the OECD Development Centre and UNDP, this year’s report reveals that he continent’s growth is projected to accelerate to 4.8 % in 2014 and 5 to 6 % in 2015, levels which have not been seen since the global economic crisis of 2009. It also argues that by participating more effectively in the global production of goods and services, Africa can transform its economy and achieve a development breakthrough.
15 June - DFI to Analyse Finance Ministers’ Meetings
Based on DFI’s experience of organising and supporting Finance Minister’s meetings for HIPCs, the Commonwealth, OIF and the G20, the Commonwealth Secretariat has commissioned DFI to analyse the efficiency and effectiveness of all major global meetings of Finance Ministers, in order to provide suggestions for how to reinforce the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meetings. The final report will be delivered to Commonwealth Finance Ministers in October.
13 June - Africa Progress Panel Report 2014
The 2014 installment of the Africa Progress Panel Report entitled “Grain, Fish, Money” takes an unflinching look at the risks and opportunities facing the continent and puts its natural resources and assets at the heart of its transformation. While acknowledging Africa's undoubted economic successes , the Panel highlights that its progress in reducing poverty is less than impressive, with Governments failing to transform economic growth into opportunities for all. The report was recently the subject of a High-Level Dialogue held at the AfDB Annual Meetings in Kigali, Rwanda.
