SWAps | Sector Wide Approaches
What NZAID has learned about implementing SWAps
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NZAID has led the move towards the use of SWAps in the Pacific, and is participating in SWAp development in Asia. Although it is still early days in assessing the effectiveness of the approach, a number of lessons have been learned:
- Think long term. There needs to be a conscious shift to long-term thinking. SWAps require NZAID staff to think in terms of 5 to 10 years.
- Be patient. A SWAp is a long-term commitment with inevitable ‘ups and downs’. These have to be accepted as part of the process, while maintaining a focus on long-term outcomes.
- Move at the partner’s pace. If donors try to force planning or implementation too quickly, the partner government may lose ownership of the process. Conversely, if donors are too slow (e.g. in approving/releasing funding), momentum may be lost and the partner government may become frustrated.
- Wrangle the donors. Consider establishing a ‘coordinating development partner’ role. The coordinating development partner may be useful in providing a single voice for interactions with government, and is often seen to be a key component for sustaining harmonisation.
- Build in structure…but stay flexible. The development of a Memorandum of Arrangement (or equivalent) for all development partners and the partner country is critical. Given the long-term nature of the SWAp, there need to be opportunities for reviewing the MoA to reflect changing circumstances.
- Avoid reinventing the wheel. In developing a SWAp, it is important to understand and build upon existing development initiatives. Do a stock-take, and consult widely.
- Plan TA carefully. Assessing institutional capability is critical. The provision of TA must be planned carefully. Too much TA can swamp the partner government, or prevent the development of local capacity. Too little TA can inhibit progress, and add pressure to over-stretched ministries.
As an example, we have learned a number of practical lessons in implementing the Solomon Islands Education SWAp, one of NZAID’s longest running sector-wide involvements. Starting in 2004, NZAID partnered with the Solomon Islands Government and the EU, in establishing the Education Sector Investment and Reform Programme.
In terms of practicalities, we have learned that:
- starting up the dialogue and engaging with a SWAp are time - and energy-consuming on all sides
- the leadership and championing of the Permanent Secretary (or someone with a similar level of influence) really makes a difference
- data-gathering and use are important planning and reporting tools for country and development partners alike
- it is important to work across government from the start, with relevant departments or Ministries (eg Finance, Planning, Public Works) and at provincial level, alongside the line Ministry
- relationship-building and trust are essential to the development and implementation of a SWAp.
Concluding remarks
It is not easy to define a sector-wide approach. In many ways this is healthy, since one of the strengths of the approach is that a sectoral relationship between development partners and partner governments is dynamic, and will be guided by the unique characteristics of the country context. SWAps require flexibility, with a need for openness to ongoing learning and adaptation to changing situations on all sides, whilst adhering to underlying principles of effective aid delivery.
Have fun, and good luck!