Accomplishments of Assistance: For More Effective Implementation

In the present circumstances, it is difficult to increase the total aid volume significantly. Therefore, it is increasingly important to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of assistance and improve the quality thereof. If Japan can increase the effectiveness of assistance and provide assistance that could further contribute to the development of developing countries, Japan will be more highly appreciated, which will turn to be in its own interest.

To increase the effectiveness of assistance, wide consideration of various methods is necessary. First, it is important to clarify the objectives and the expected achievements of assistance. The revised ODA Charter clearly indicates the objectives and priority issues and regions of Japanese assistance, but it is also necessary to reflect them in subordinate policies such as the Medium-Term Policy on ODA, Country Assistance Programs and sector-specific initiatives, as well as individual assistance projects, in line with the ideas of the revised ODA Charter.

Second, when implementing these policies through individual projects and programs, it is important to identify properly the needs of recipient countries through close policy consultations with their governments. In addition, it is necessary to make a comprehensive decision, taking into account the priority issues indicated in the revised ODA Charter and the international issues at the time as well as the question of whether Japan can use its experience and knowledge to implement assistance. In order to use the limited resources as effectively as possible, it is also necessary to allocate resources selectively based on the principle of selection and concentration and to advance assistance while promoting collaboration among ODA and non-ODA funds (other official flows and private funds). As a matter of course, Japan's assistance is based on support for the self-help efforts of developing countries, and it is thus necessary to consider so as not to impose assistance, while demonstrating full respect for the independence and ownership of recipient countries. For this purpose, before implementing development, it is very important to share the basic recognition and procedures of assistance through close policy consultations with recipient governments. In order to strengthen these policy consultations, country-based ODA Task Forces, which will be discussed later, play an important role.

The third method of increasing aid effectiveness is to adopt a results-oriented approach. When talking about assistance by each country, many have tended to be interested just in the size of the aid volume in the past. However, some developing countries have made the criticism that assistance by foreign governments has mostly been inefficient and ineffective but costly. As typically indicated in the MDGs, the results-oriented approach has been increasingly emphasized in recent international trends of assistance. Thus, in the future, Japan has to promote more an approach focused on the accomplishments and achievements of assistance. In various policy papers, it is required to indicate not only an immediate aid input goal but also goals to be achieved through implementation of ODA as clearly as possible. In implementing assistance, it is also necessary to monitor the effects of assistance in the process and to verify it, including the accomplishments of each project, after the completion of projects through sufficient ex-post evaluation. In addition, for monitoring and evaluation, it is important to study the means and establish a system for evaluation (evaluation will be discussed later).

Fourth, in order to increase the effects of assistance, it is also necessary to strengthen further the collaboration with other aid implementing bodies, such as other donors and NGOs. Resources for the development of developing countries are limited, and thus, aid coordination, including harmonization of procedures for assistance, has been one of the recent international issues from the viewpoint of efficient aid implementation. As typically indicated in the idea of the Three Ones $ ^{37} $ relating to measures against HIV/AIDS, it is impossible to assist effectively without coordination of support by each country. In recent discussions aiming to improve the effect of assistance, some even hold the opinion that donors should cooperatively provide funds (direct financial support, etc.) and implement "assistance without any national flags" because assisting them separately imposes a heavy burden on recipient countries. Although it is impossible to accept all of such extreme ideas, Japan has responded actively to the coordination of assistance, including harmonization of procedures for assistance, while claiming (1) respect for ownership, (2) country-specific approach, and (3) respect for diversity. Since Japan implements assistance in severe economic and financial conditions, its aid has to attain