Yesterday, Mr. Mark Malloch Brown and myself attended a press conference for the launching of UNDP s Center for Democratic Governance in Oslo. I welcome the decision by the UNDP to locate this global center here in Norway, and I am confident that the center will promote useful partnerships with research- and academic institutions in Norway, the Nordic countries and in the world at large. The need for good strategies There is an obvious need both for adequate policies and for sufficient financing and technical assistance to support them. Today, poor developing countries invest much effort in working out strategies in accordance with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper PRSP framework. This process, little more than two years old, is moving rapidly forward, driven by the prospect of substantial debt relief.
Debt relief is very important to poor countries.
Without it, some governments stand little chance to improve the livelihoods of their populations. However, there is a need for more genuine and broad-based ownership and commitment to the PRSPs. A certain level of quality and comprehensiveness is also important for their sustainability. As the report itself indicates, the UNDP, the Bretton Woods institutions, the bilateral donors including ourselves and other relevant actors should find ways to work more closely together to develop and fine-tune this framework. The importance of genuine ownership Ownership is a concept central to Choices for the Poor .