Partnerships in Aid Delivery

Australia recognises that developing effective partnerships in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is important in achieving better aid outcomes.

The following examples are some of the ways Australia adopts a partnership approach to aid delivery in PNG.

This partnership approach supports Australia's broader aid program to Papua New Guinea.

Australian Government Departments

For the first time since PNG's independence in 1975, an extensive range of Australian government agencies are dedicating personnel, expertise and logistical support to a coordinated program of direct assistance to PNG.

Australian Departments working directly with PNG include Prime Minister and Cabinet, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Treasury, Finance and Administration and Australian Customs Service. Also engaged are Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Australian Tax Office, Australian Electoral Commission, Attorney-General's and the Australian National Audit Office.

Making use of the wide range of expertise available through the Australian Government strengthens senior people-to-people links and enables Australia to develop more comprehensive and effective responses to the significant development challenges faced by PNG.

Civil society

The Church Partnership Program (CPP), launched in November 2004, involves Australian church-based organisations working with PNG churches to improve the delivery of essential health and education services in PNG.

PNG churches play an important role in delivering basic services locally and have extensive networks in remote and isolated areas of PNG.

The partnership program also helps PNG churches promote good governance by strengthening their role in policy discussions, service delivery and peace and reconciliation activities.

Institutions taking part in the program are the Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Seventh Day Adventist, United churches and the Salvation Army.

Australian church-based organisations accredited with AusAID manage the partnership, including the funds directed to the PNG church organisations implementing the activities on the ground.

The PNG churches provide leadership, essential knowledge of local issues and experience with delivering services and working closely with local communities while the Australian partners support this with funds, their international expertise and technical assistance.

Donors

Australia believes that a coordinated donor approach in PNG results in better development outcomes.

Cooperation with other donors includes joint analytical work and using harmonised aid delivery mechanisms such as joint funding of programs. Cooperation between donors and aligning aid programs with PNG systems helps to reduce the administrative burden imposed on the PNG government by many uncoordinated donor projects and programs.

The main aid donors to PNG are Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, the United Nations, China, Japan, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and Taiwan.

Public Expenditure Review and Rationalisation process

The Public Expenditure Review and Rationalisation process (PERR), a cornerstone of the PNG Government's reform efforts, is a collaboration between the PNG Government and a multi-donor task team led and coordinated by the World Bank.

PERR is an effective example of partnership between the PNG Government and donors on key policy priorities. It is helping PNG implement public sector management and reform initiatives that will improve service delivery. Its primary objective is to reinstitute the budget and public expenditure management processes of government.

July 2007