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Zambia still lacks effective mechanism for aid resources - Prof Sesham

Zambia still lacks effective mechanism for aid resources - Prof Sesham
By Joan Chirwa
Thursday September 20, 2007 [04:00]

ZAMBIA still lacks an effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism in the use of aid resources, University of Zambia (UNZA) economics lecturer Professor Venkatesh Seshamani has observed. In an interview after a two-day workshop on civil society and aid effectiveness in Lusaka yesterday, Professor Seshamani said aid in Zambia has not been effective due to a lack of linkages between the quantum of aid received and the levels of poverty in the country.

"The main reason for this is because we have not had an effective monitoring and evaluation system. Currently, there is no transparency and accountability in the use of aid resources," Professor Seshamani said.

"We must first set up an independent monitoring and evaluating committee where there is going to be a representative from the donor community, the government and the civil society. This way, each group will hold another accountable in the use of aid resources and ensuring that funds are used for intended purposes."

Professor Seshamani said there was need for a system of mutual checks and balances among co-operating partners, the government and civil society organisations.

And presenting a donor perspective of the Paris Declaration, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative Aeneas Chuma said stronger and balanced accountability mechanisms are urgently required in Zambia for the effectiveness of aid.

Chuma said the Paris Declaration constitutes a mechanism to which donors and recipients of aid are held mutually accountable.

The Paris Declaration, endorsed on March 2, 2005, is an international agreement to which over one hundred ministers, heads of agencies and other senior officials adhered and committed their countries and organisations to continue to increase efforts in harmonisation, alignment and managing aid for results, with a set of actions and indicators that could be monitored.

There are 56 partnership commitments in the Paris Declaration which are organised around the five key principles of ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results, and mutual accountability."

Earlier, finance and national planning permanent secretary in the planning division James Mulungushi said there was need for the government and other stakeholders to know how civil society organisations (CSOs) use their funds.

Mulungushi, who represented finance and national planning minister Ng'andu Magande, said civil society organisations were accountable for funds they use in their development programmes just like the government.

Labels: GOVERNANCE

posted by MrK @ 5:29 AM