Strategic Framework for Assistance to Africa : IDA and the Emerging Partnership Model

This paper sets the strategic framework for the International Development Association's (IDA) work in Africa, over the next several years. The strategy evolved over more than a year, as a result of extensive consultation with Africa Region staff, other Bank staff, external advisors, clients, partners, and representatives of civil society in the region. The strategy seeks to clarify IDA's role within four pillars, i.e., reduce poverty and improve governance; invest in people; increase economic growth and enhance competitiveness; and, improve aid effectiveness. Three levels of measurement are proposed: IDA's own activities in policy dialogue, programs, and partnerships; final country outcomes; and, an intermediate set of indicators that measure policy, and program effectiveness. It also proposes to further the results agenda, by pushing toward result-based Country Assistance Strategies (CAS), and mainstreaming statistical capacity as a core sector, and, sets benchmarks relating to each of the four pillars for monitoring the success of its own implementation. The nest step would be to align IDA operations with these priorities, by using the strategy to assist the discussions of CASs, and regional assistance strategies, and the implementation of training, and communications to ensure the successful implementation of the strategy.