This new initiative focuses on the latest thinking and practice in aid policy in the UK - with the aim to increase interaction between researchers in Japan and the UK. Japan remains the second largest aid donor yet surprisingly little is known about the work of its development agencies, institutes and NGOs. Over the next few months, ODI will be (i) synthesizing work on PRSPs; aid modalities; aid harmonisation; and (ii) encouraging dialogue between UK and Japanese researchers on these issues.

Japan and the UK are both major players in international development policy and substantial providers of development assistance. Both also have considerable research capacity on issues relevant to international development and different comparative advantages. In both countries, researchers are very much involved in policy work, via public meetings, agency and parliamentary briefings and dissemination through print materials and websites. The policies they work on are often international in scope and would benefit from collaboration - for example, debt relief cannot be achieved without support from both countries.

Amongst others, the initiative will focus on:

• Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs)
  
• Direct Budget Support (DBS)
  
• Aid transaction costs and harmonisation
  
• The Africa Commission
  
• Drivers of Change

The initiative will build a network to discuss these pressing aid policy issues, share the latest research findings and develop 'policy code-sharing' * between the two countries. Please let us know if you are working on these issues and are interested in being involved.

Reports as part of this initiative are posted below:

• First Report – Setting the Scene ( 325kb) includes:
  • The UK context: background information on DFID, the research context and other developments
    
  • An overview of the three core issues: PRSPs, aid modalities and aid harmonisation, including sections on DFID's stance on them
    
  • A directory of the main organisations and teams working on these issues in the UK
    
  • Key reference documents on core issues
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 1 – UK Research on PRSPs ( 438kb) includes:
  • Background on the PRSP approach
  • Progress report on experience so far
  • Emerging issues: Politics matters; Maintaining momentum; Content concerns; and Donor delivery on commitments
  • Summaries of key documents
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 19kb) or Japanese ( 161kb)
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 2 - DFID’s approach to Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) ( 342kb) includes:
  • Different approaches to PRSs in Africa and Asia
    
  • Details on in-country activities in support of PRSs, including emerging best practice
    
  • DFID HQ support for engagement with PRSs
    
  • DFID’s involvement in the development of PRSs
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 76kb) or Japanese ( 130kb)
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 3 – The Drivers of Change (DoC) Approach ( 207kb) includes:
  • Why and how was DoC developed within DFID?
    
  • What problem did DoC appear as a solution to and why at this time?
    
  • How the DoC approach is carried out
    
  • DFID experience so far
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 18kb) or Japanese ( 114kb)
  
  
  
• Synthesis Paper 4 – Current thinking in the UK on General Budget Support ( 312kb) includes:
  • What is General Budget Support (GBS)?
    
  • Why GBS?
    
  • When and how is GBS being used?
    
  • Experience so far
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 17kb) or Japanese ( 110kb)
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 5 – The 'double aid to halve poverty' agenda: concerns from the UK ( 176kb) includes:
  • A short history of moves to increase aid
  • The Millennium Project and Report
  • The concerns about doubling aid: Absorptive capacity; Aid effectiveness; Accountability, ownership and dependence; Aid and growth; Aid and governance
  • Summary tables: Country level analyses of the benefits of increased aid in Asia and Africa
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 34kb) or Japanese ( 110kb)
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 6 – Progress on Harmonisation and Alignment in the UK ( 143kb) includes:
  • What is meant by harmonization and alignment?
  • DFID’s actions in pursuit of the harmonization and alignment agenda
  • African recipients' perspectives on progress so far
  • The role of incentives: factors pushing and preventing DFID’s progress on harmonization and alignment
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 25kb) or Japanese ( 222kb)
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 7 – Working Effectively in Fragile States: current thinking in the UK ( 173kb) includes:
  • What are fragile states?
  • Why do donors need to engage more effectively in fragile states?
  • How can donors engage in fragile states?
  • Experience so far
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 21kb) or Japanese ( 197kb)
    
    
• Synthesis Paper 8 – The Commission for Africa (CFA) Report: Responses of the UK development community ( 245kb) includes:
  • What the report says
  • Responses in the UK
  • Divided into the six key sections of the CFA report:
    • Getting systems right: Governance and Capacity Building
    • The Need for Peace and Security
    • Leaving No-one Out: Investing in People
    • Going for Growth and Poverty Reduction
    • More Trade and Fairer Trade
    • Where Will the Money Come From: Resources
  • View Executive Summary in English ( 28kb)
    
    

   

Annotated bibliographies on relevant Japanese research

• Japanese aid policy and philosophy ( 102kb)
• Japanese thinking on PRSPs ( 95kb)
• Japanese thinking on aid alignment and harmonisation ( 104kb)
• Japanese approaches to Africa ( 99kb)

This work was carried out by Debbie Warrener and Julius Court. For information on ODI's ongoing work in this area, please contact David Booth.

* Simon Maxwell argues that collaboration on policy-related research could benefit participants in a similar way to the advantages that arise when airlines form alliances. See: www.odi.org.uk/RAPID/Meetings/Evidence/Meeting_5.html