Paris Declaration evaluation, Afghanistan

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee
Senate Budget Estimates, June 2011
Questions on Notice: AusAID
Question No. 27

Senator Ludlam asked on notice
a)
Please provide an update on Afghanistan's participation in Phase 2 of the international evaluation of the implementation of the Paris declaration.
b)
Will Australia's total ODA on dual aid efforts in Afghanistan be examined as part of that evaluation?

Answer:
a)
The final report on the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness in Afghanistan (Phase 2 evaluation) has been completed and is available on the OECD DAC website. Australia contributed financial support to the evaluation. The report, along with other country and donor reports on implementation of the Paris Declaration, will form an important input to the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan in November-December 2011. The Forum will evaluate the effectiveness of the Paris Declaration.

Afghanistan is the only fragile state covered in this year's country evaluations. The country's security context and lack of government capacity are overarching themes of the evaluation. The report notes that further progress could be made by both the Government of Afghanistan and donors in the implementation of the Paris Declaration and its principles. The report highlights some positive progress: donor coordination and alignment are improving due to the use of the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, which is directed through the Afghan Government's budgetary system with close oversight by the World Bank. Almost 50 per cent of AusAID funding is delivered through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. Australia is not specifically mentioned in the report.

b)
Total Australian ODA to Afghanistan was considered as part of the evaluation.