International Engagement in Fragile States
OPM’s analytical work is based on practical experience of working in fragile and conflict situations. We have expertise in political economy analysis and knowledge of the wider context of aid policy and whole of government approaches.
OPM has advised the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s (DAC) Fragile States Group, bilateral, and multilateral development agencies on strategic and policy issues relating to effective international engagement in fragile and conflict affected countries.
Recent analytical and advisory work includes:
- Preparation of a background study to the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra on the Applicability of the Paris Declaration in Fragile Situations and Conflict-affected Countries, the Fragile States Thematic Study, including an assessment of lessons for effective engagement by development partners and implications for monitoring and evaluation.
- Support to the pilot initiative on Principles of Good International Engagement in Fragile States for the DAC, including a synthesis of lessons learnt from nine pilot countries (the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Nepal, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Zimbabwe).
- Contribution to the design of the Somalia Multi Donor Trust Fund focusing on issues related to private sector development.
- Assistance to the development of Support to Yemen Aid Policy, including background papers on international experience with aid policy as part of the DAC pilot initiative on the Principles for Good International Engagement in Fragile States and Situations.
- Since 2005, OPM has supported the DAC Fragile States Group in the development of an annual report on Monitoring Resource Flows to Fragile States and conflict affected countries.
- Preparation of studies on Aid Allocation and Fragile States, including a background study to the 2005 Senior Level Forum on Development Effectiveness in Fragile States on the Aid Allocation and Results Based Frameworks to Difficult Partnerships.
- OPM contributed to the evaluation of the World Bank's Low Income Countries Under Stress initiative LICUS Evaluation.
- OPM supported a core group of DAC partners in the implementation of a joint evaluation of development aid for strengthening Citizens’ Voice and Accountability (CV&A) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
- OPM carried out a desk-based analysis of access to basic health and education services, universal pensions and child benefits in fragile states Financing Service Delivery in Fragile States.
Recent work on service delivery and capacity development includes the following:
- OPM provided support to the Afghanistan Pay Policy and Pay & Grading project - a multilateral donor funded project to provide assistance to the Governmnet of Afghanistan's reform of pay and grading for civil servants which aslso included assistance to the Independent Administrative Reform Civil Service Commission (IARCSC).
- OPM provided support to Capacity Building for Reconstruction and Development for the Ministry of Health in Afghanistan.
- OPM conducted an analysis of Liberia's public financial management systems in order to assess the suitability of budget support as an appropriate aid instrument for the new Swedish International Development Agency’s (Sida) country cooperation strategy 2008 – 2013.
- OPM supported a project for Preparing a Road Map for a National Statistical Development Strategy (NSDS) for Liberia.
- OPM supported the implementation of a two-year programme Sierra Leone: Public Financial Management.
- OPM provided support to the Sierra Leone Public Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) Assessment covering all PETS completed by the Ministry of Finance from 2001 to 2006.