Preliminary Findings of USAID
Aid Transparency Study
October 15, 2014
Overview of the Country Pilots
• Basic data: Country visits to Zambia (12-16 May), Ghana (2327 June) and Bangladesh (23-30 September); 1 representative
USAID, 3 consultants
• Methodology: Desk study, semi-structured interviews (Zambia
27, Ghana 36, Bangladesh 27) and round-table and feedback
discussions (Zambia and Ghana)
• Government stakeholders: ministry of finance, line ministries,
anti-corruption commissions, accountant general's office and
parliamentarians
• Other stakeholders: CSOs, print media, radio stations, online
media, open data activists, private sector and academia
Current collection of aid data by partner country
governments
• Process: Largely a manual collection of aid data by MoF, AIMS
beta in Bangladesh
• Challenges: Cumbersome process, error prone,
inconsistencies
• Donor-Gov mechanisms are in place, but not always
functional, focus on planning and results
• Unmet data needs: off-budget data, forward looking
expenditure, sub national data
• Data sharing within government: not always effective
• Donor communications with the public: press releases,
events and informal sharing, local public is perceived to be
uninterested, key target are taxpayers back home
Interest in aid information outside national
government
• Stakeholder outside of government are interested in aid
information
• Current access to aid information through media, MoF
publications & informal contacts.
• Access to information on aid information often difficult and
cumbersome.
• Data exchange among donors: existing processes informal
contacts
• NGO advocacy work on aid transparency
Examples for current use of aid information
•
•
•
•
Media reports are often limited to project launches
Monitoring results of development activities at local level
Follow the trail of climate funding
Business and funding opportunities
Information priorities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Basic project data: Project name, implementer, time-line, budget
Sub-national geographic data
Financial details
Project documents: detailed budget, activities, objectives,
strategies
Conditions
Results information
Contributions of individual donors to funds (e.g. climate fund)
Contact person to obtain more information if needed
Off-budget data including on aid provided by INGOs
Awareness of IATI and use of online tools (Foreign
Assistance Dashboard and D-portal)
• Very low awareness of IATI
• Hardly any use of online resources (IATI registry, FAD, DPortal)However, most data needs expressed were covered by
IATI standard
• Communication and promotion of IATI data is responsiblity of all
stakeholders
Making aid information more accessible
• Direct online access by citizens is not realistic in Ghana and
Zambia
• Intermediaries exist, they are interested
• Intermediaries have access also in rural areas
• Communication channels for intermediaries: local radio
stations, CSO networks, government mechanisms