OECD Development Assistance Peer Reviews: New Zealand 2010

The report suggests that New Zealand could renew efforts to maintain development expertise and grant more authority to country offices. It is encouraged to clarify and better communicate its strategic vision, incorporating the environmental and social dimensions of sustainable economic development.



It is also recommended that New Zealand maintain its strong geographic concentration in the Pacific, where it is already a key player.

Table of contents
Acronyms
The DAC’s main findings and recommendations
Secretariat report
Chapter 1 Strategic orientations
An evolving aid programme in a challenging geographical context
A programme in transition
The Pacific context
Strategic foundations of New Zealand‟s development co-operation
An integrated institutional framework
New Zealand‟s aid policy: a shift in emphasis
Communicating the vision better
Integrating cross-cutting issues into the aid programme
Communication: building public awareness and support
The need for greater public and political support
The need to raise development awareness and communicate results
Future considerations
Chapter 2 Policy coherence for development
Political commitment: a pragmatic approach to policy coherence for development
Institutional framework
Strengthened co-ordination mechanisms
Whole-of-government approaches to aid delivery: going beyond stand-alone projects
Capacity, monitoring and reporting
Future considerations
Chapter 3 ODA volumes, channels and allocations
Overall official development assistance
Building on an upward trend
IDG manages the bulk of the aid programme
Bilateral assistance
A strengthened focus on the Pacific, yet geographic dispersion prevails
Sector allocations: continued support to social infrastructure and services
Assistance through non-governmental channels
Multilateral assistance
Future considerations
Chapter 4 Organisation and management
Organisation of New Zealand‟s development co-operation
Institutional arrangements: a system in transition
Devolution needs to be deepened
Management
Adjusting the business model to the new mandate, and increasing efficiency
Maintaining a core cadre of skilled development professionals
Promoting a results orientation
Reviewing policies and building knowledge: policy teams and communities of practice
Engaging with other stakeholders
Future considerations
Chapter 5 Aid effectiveness
Political commitment to aid effectiveness
A pragmatic approach to implementation
An action plan to foster a more systematic approach
Ownership: a strong reputation for partnership
Alignment: developing and promoting sector-wide approaches
Harmonisation and co-ordination
Predictability: good practice
Working towards mutual accountability and managing for development results
Future considerations
Chapter 6 Special issues
Capacity development
New Zealand‟s approach to capacity development
Translating policy into implementation in the field
Fisheries, food security and donors‟ responses
Fisheries: an important sector in the Pacific
A broad, long-term whole-of-government approach to fisheries
Building on progress
Future considerations
Annex A Progress since the 2005 DAC Peer Review recommendations
Annex B OECD/DAC Standard Suite of Tables
Annex C Assessment of New Zealand’s Humanitarian Action
Annex D Field visit to Vanuatu
Description of key terms
Bibliography