Third Joint OECD/DAC-World Bank Round Table: 30 November to 2 December 2004, Johannesburg, South Africa

Donors and developing country partners agree that strengthening core systems, by which public funds are disbursed and services delivered, are central to the successful implementation of poverty reduction and other development strategies on the one hand and permit optimal use of scarce aid resources on the other.  To specifically address the procurement aspects of this broader problem, the Joint OECD/DAC-World Bank Procurement Round Table Initiative was established in 2002.  It's aim is to find reliable and sustainable ways to enhance the functioning of public procurement systems.

At the Third Round Table in Johannesburg, participants endorsed the good practice papers they developed on mainstreaming, capacity development and benchmarking/monitoring/evaluation, and confirmed their commitment to use the results of the Round Table process by adopting the Johannesburg Declaration.

The Declaration outlines an approach that will contribute to advancing the harmonization and alignment agenda by making it easier for donors to accept greater use of strengthened country systems in their operations and harmonise interim arrangements in cases where such systems have not yet reached internationally accepted baseline levels.

• Agenda
• Good Practice Papers on Strengthening Procurement Capacities in Development Countries
• The Johannesburg Declaration on Steps to Develop Effective Procurement Systems in Developing Countries