Action on commitments and a new push towards peace and security

The annual DAC High Level Meeting is a unique gathering of aid ministers and heads of aid agencies from OECD governments together with senior officials from the World Bank, the IMF and UNDP.  They last met in Paris on 15-16 April to review aid and security issues; aid volume and effectiveness; and the growth agenda and the MDGs.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experiences on the development/security interface and on security system reform.  Participants reviewed first estimates of aggregate ODA spending in 2003 and reported their expectations for 2004 and beyond.  The promotion of greater aid effectiveness -- particularly as measured by its contribution to real outcomes for poor people as gauged in the MDGs -- was central to their discussions.  They considered how far both donors and recipients have come in making host country ownership a reality.

Ministers and agency heads reflected on the broader agendas which are usually the lead role of other agencies of government but which have a strong development dimension.  What can they bring of value to discussions of subjects such as private sector development, trade, agriculture, investment architecture, migration and remittances? How can they engage other policy communities?

For more information on these and other discussion themes, please see here.

The High Level Meeting was chaired by Mr. Richard Manning.