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NGO STATEMENT TO THE 2001 CONSULTATIVE GROUP 
MEETING ON CAMBODIA

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR POVERTY REDUCTION
 

CONTENTS

 


Introduction
Progress on key issue
Recommendations

Introduction

Over the past twelve months, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has been developing a number of important plans for the future development of Cambodia. An Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) was passed by the Council of Ministers in October 2000 and a Governance Action Plan (GAP) in February 2001. Building on the I-PRSP, drafts of a Second Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP-II) have been prepared, and the process for formulating a plan that meets World Bank requirements for a full PRSP has commenced. Developing such plans are seen as essential to ensuring that poverty reduction is prioritized in government and donor-supported development programs.

Participation of civil society in developing plans for poverty reduction is essential to building national consensus and ownership, and for ensuring that the particular needs of different categories of poor people are properly addressed. Participation should also help to build trust between government and the people after many years of war and conflict. 

The NGO Forum on Cambodia conducted extensive NGO/civil society consultations on the draft 
I-PRSP and also coordinated NGO submissions on the draft GAP and SEDP-II documents. NGOs also attended a number of workshops/seminars related to the PRSP, the SEDP-II and the associated participatory poverty assessment (PPA) exercise.

Progress on Key Issues 
Progress has been noted in the following areas:

  • The RGC is increasingly accepting and incorporating participation in planning processes. The RGC invited NGO comment on the draft I-PRSP, even though this was not required by World Bank conditionalities.
  • Implementation of some aspects of the Governance Action Plan has already begun.
  • The RGC has formed an inter-ministerial Council for Social Development, with a secretariat located in the Ministry of Planning, to lead poverty reduction efforts. This is one of the councils under the Supreme Council for State Reform.
  • The Ministry of Planning has plans to create a National Poverty Forum, consisting of government and civil society groups, to assist the Secretariat of the Council for Social Development. The National Poverty Forum will be a consultative forum for participation, informed dialogue, national ownership and consensus building on poverty reduction strategies and policies.
  • The World Bank and International Monetary Fund have assured the RGC that they are flexible on the timing and content of the full PRSP, and its relation to the SEDP-II. 

Problems in the process to date have included:

  • Despite efforts to bring the I-PRSP/full PRSP (required by the World Bank) and the SEDP-II (supported by the ADB) together in one process, the result has still been a fragmented three-phase process, resulting in compressed time frames for input and consultation in each phase. This fragmentation has resulted in a dispersal of responsibility within government, with different officials responsible for I-PRSP, SEDP II and PRSP.
  • Fundamental elements of the government's poverty reduction strategy have already been worked out in the Financial Policy Framework (FPF) which was prepared by government with IMF staff without the benefit of public consultations. NGO submissions on the I-PRSP and SEDP-II have not been formally acknowledged by government, and appear to have had little impact on the contents of these documents.
  • All above-mentioned documents have been prepared initially in English, with the effect of limiting Cambodian involvement in their development.
  • Provincial development plans were not included in the draft SEDP-II, while some ministries' sectoral plans were not fully incorporated because they are not yet complete. 
  • For technical reasons, the full results of the Participatory Poverty Assessment have not yet been released, preventing discussion of their contents during drafting of the SEDP-II.
  • Further technical assistance and political will is needed to strengthen the links between the above-mentioned strategic planning documents, the Public Investment Plan, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, the National Budget and actual disbursements.

Recommendations

  • Donors should develop an understanding of and respect for existing national planning processes of the RGC, and build on these existing processes rather than adding new processes which may confuse and complicate poverty reduction efforts. Strengthening the links between strategic planning, budget formulation and actual disbursements will require both technical assistance and political will. 
  • The World Bank and ADB should offer joint missions and jointly hired consultants to assist the RGC's strategic planning. This should include support to the completion of the SEDP-II before a government-determined deadline. While not postponing implementation of the SEDP-II, joint assistance for further revision of the SEDP-II could be made over the following year in order to meet World Bank/IMF requirements for the full PRSP, namely that it be country-driven, results-oriented, comprehensive, long-term and partnership-based. Coordination with other donors wishing to assist the strategic planning process should also be strengthened.
  • The Council for Social Development and its secretariat should be given sufficient support to be able to coordinate the full participation of both government agencies and civil society in the process of developing poverty reduction programmes. Political will, from the highest levels of government, will also be needed to enable the proper functioning of this Council. 
  • Consideration should be given to drafting all strategic planning documents in Khmer. Technical assistance should provide advice and a general framework, while placing the government in the "driver's seat". National planning documents may be simplified by not duplicating existing line ministry and provincial plans, and should focus on identifying priorities based on poverty reduction criteria.
  • Participatory processes should allow civil society groups enough space to present their views, and provide feedback on how their views have been incorporated. Participation should include not only NGOs and development institutions, but most importantly the poor themselves, as represented by trade unions, farmers associations, fishing communities, women's groups, ethnic minority groups, and direct dialogue with poor people at the village level. Debates on key policy decisions should involve relevant stakeholders (for example decisions on agricultural tariffs should be debated between farmers, economists, business representatives and government officials, while decisions on attracting investment to the garment industry should include trade unions, garment workers, businesses, academics and government).
  • Prior to making a Participation Action Plan for the SEDP-II completion/full PRSP, consensus should be reached between RGC and NGO representatives over standards and indicators for the level of participation in the process.
For further information and dialogue on this issue, please contact The NGO Forum on Cambodia, Tel: 023 360 119, Email: admin@ngo.forum.org.kh
Introduction
Progress
Key NGO priorities
Conclusion
Strategic Planning for Poverty Reduction
Sectoral Papers
Agriculture
Child's Rights
Commune Administration and Decentralization
Commune Elections
Disability and Rehabilitation
Education
Fisheries
Forestry
Gender
Governance and Transparency
Health
HIV/AIDS
Human Rights
Landmines and & UXOs
Land Reform
Mental Health
Micro-finance
Urban Poor
Weapons Reduction and Management
General NGO Information
References

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