Polish Aid Programme Development Co-operation Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Presentation will focus on:  Policy framework  ODA volume  Institutional aspects of Polish Aid Programme  Geographical and sectoral priorities  Poland’s involvement in the EU development policy  Communication with the public and development education  Current challenges and opportunities

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Policy framework  Poland’s Development Co-operation Strategy – adopted by the Government of Poland in 2003  Annual implementing programmes with financial and geographic allocations  Solidarity, Development and Freedom – new Polish Aid strategy for (draft in the process of intragovernmental consultations)  Legal Act on External Assistance (draft in the process of intragovernmental consultations)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department ODA volumes

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Poland’s ODA in 2006

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Main government entities involved in Polish Aid programme Ministry of Foreign Affairs – leading role  co-ordinates development co-operation policy  sets priorities  provides technical, democratisation and humanitarian assistance  provides multilateral funding, mainly through UN system Ministry of Finance  Creates a system of financing development through membership in international financial institutions, provides multilateral aid through European Union, IMF and World Bank Group  Provides financial assistance: preferential tied aid credits, reduction and conversion of debt  Analysis of new tools for financimg development Ministry of Higher Education and Science  provides educational aid through scholarships

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department MFA Development Co-operation Department  Created in 2005  Responsible for: –co-operation with other government bodies –co-operation with international organisations: EU, UN System, OECD (DAC) –bilateral programme implementation  Composed of 3 units: –Development Policy and Programming Unit –Programme Implementation Unit –Evaluation Team

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Programme implementation: Polish partners  Other ministries and governmental agencies  Local administration (municipalities, regions)  Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) – through open calls for proposals  Polish embassies in partner countries - so called „small grants scheme”  Missionaries (in particular in Africa)  Higher education institutions

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Programme implementation: focus on partnership and priority countries  Priority countries in 2008: Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Afghanistan, Angola, Palestine, Tanzania  Priority areas of support depend on needs and conditions of a particular country, e.g. : –regional and local administration reform –economic reform (privatisation, agriculture, SMEs, microfinance) –education –health care and access to drinkable water  Projects implemented in co-operation with partner organisations in beneficiary countries

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Democracy support Overall objectives: - to inspire democratic change & transition to democratic rule - to strengthen good governance & effective capacity building Directions of assistance: - support for free & independent media - strengthening civil society institutions - promoting observance of human rights, civil liberties, active citizenship standards Examples of assistance programmes: - Konstanty Kalinowski Scholarship Programme - SENSE - specialized training sessions on good governance, service delivery and performance of chief state functions in emerging democracies

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Poland and the EU development policy  Policy formulation: –participation in various EU Council development meetings (GAERC, informal ministerial, CODEV, ACP) –participation in different management committees – shaping of country/regional and thematic programmes –participation in discussion on aid effectiveness agenda (e.g. Code of Conduct on Division of Labour)  Policy implementation: –financial contribution (EU budget, EIB and EDF – since 2008) –implementation of EU aid principles to the Polish aid programme (e.g. country strategy paper common format)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Communication with the public Aimed at providing information on Polish Aid Programme and fostering public and media interest in involvement of Poland in international development cooperation  Interactive website  Travelling photo exhibition on Polish aid activities  Public opinion polling: rising public support for development assistance (2007: 77% of Poles believe that Poland should provide aid to poorer countries; up from 63% in 2004)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Development education and public engagement Main partners: NGOs and higher education institutions Cooperation with NGOs: –grant scheme for NGOs –tenders for specific activities for wider public: travelling exhibition on MDGs in 2006; Academy for international development cooperation and democracy in 2007 –facilitation of capacity building for NGO development education practitioners (trainings, seminars, study visits) Cooperation with academia: –support for teaching and research activities –support scheme for academics to facilitate participation in international scientific conferences

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Current limitations  Legal and financial framework  annual funding and programming, centralisation of aid management  Operational capacity within the structure of MFA  Limited number and range of experienced partners in certain priority countries (particularly in Africa)  Limited development staff in embassies in partner countries  Weak political dialogue with developing countries

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Development Co-operation Department Opportunities and ways forward  Adoption of legal act on external assistance  Setting up of an implementing agency (under the MFA)  Decentralisation of aid management and increase of staff in Polish embassies in partner countries  Future engagement in long-term assistance undertakings and more complex assistance instruments  Definition of Poland’s comparative advantages in development co- operation  Including the ownership rule into the policy towards partner countries  Setting up of an overseas volunteering programme  Fostering public awareness and engagement

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