Financing and climate-resilient development are tightly linked to national ownership, a crucial aspect to consider.
In a significant shift towards empowering countries to take charge of their own development, the principle of 'country ownership' is gaining momentum in the current decade. This approach, which places local stakeholders at the centre of decision-making, planning, implementation, and evaluation, is considered essential and strategic.
The use of Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs) and country platforms is a key component of this shift. INFFs, which shape financing frameworks, complement country platforms that deliver investment in specific sectoral and thematic priorities. By doing so, they provide a simple delivery mechanism for realising investment in key priorities within countries.
Effective implementation of country ownership requires a paradigm shift from donor-led to country-driven development. This is achieved through inclusive stakeholder engagement, capacity strengthening, and flexible, aligned support from international partners throughout the development cycle.
At the inception of a development programme, country platforms conduct inclusive, multi-stakeholder consultations to identify development needs, involving governments, civil society, marginalised groups, and other local actors. Capacity is built for countries to conduct their own integrated financing and development strategies, enabling them to understand their needs and priorities clearly.
During the programme design and planning stages, countries propose and shape development programmes based on their own strategies and priorities. International partners provide options and technical advice, but do not dictate content. Engagement with stakeholders is encouraged through public consultations, parliamentary involvement, and transparent dialogue processes to build broad-based ownership.
Implementation is carried out through local institutions and government agencies, strengthening their systems and capacities. Ongoing citizen and beneficiary engagement is encouraged to monitor progress, provide feedback, and ensure accountability within local systems.
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning are ongoing processes that engage country stakeholders continually. Locally-generated data and insights are used to adjust programmes. National capacity for oversight and legislative review is fostered to sustain ownership beyond donor project cycles.
Sustainability and transition to self-reliance are critical aspects of country ownership. Developing countries are supported in their gradual transition to fully self-led development, focusing on strengthening governance, public financial management, and local resource mobilisation.
International partners play key roles in facilitating, enabling, and aligning with locally-led priorities. They act as facilitators, capacity strengtheners, conveners and mediators, accountability partners, providers of flexible and predictable financing, and promoters of policy coherence and coordination.
More than 85 countries are currently using the INFF approach to identify financing needs and opportunities. Country platforms, which are embedded at the highest levels of government and various national institutions, coordinate partners throughout the implementation process. They build bankable project pipelines and link them with financing partners and policy reforms under a clear financing strategy.
Countries such as Brazil and South Africa, which have established country platforms, are sharing their experiences regionally and globally to support prospective countries in developing their own platforms. A more systematic exchange of knowledge and experience is needed to allow countries to learn from each other and develop this emerging community of practice into a pillar of global cooperation.
The formalisation of South-South cooperation would help balance the imbalance between individual countries and international organisations. The Compromiso de Sevilla and the accompanying Sevilla Platform for Action, launched at the International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Sevilla, embed the principle of country ownership in the global development agenda for the next decade.
- In the current decade, the principle of 'country ownership' in development is gaining significant momentum, with a shift from donor-led to country-driven approaches.
- Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs) and country platforms are crucial components of this country ownership approach, providing a simple delivery mechanism for investing in key priorities.
- Effective implementation of country ownership requires inclusivity, capacity building, and flexible support from international partners throughout the development cycle.
- Country platforms, embedded at the highest levels of government, coordinate partners and build bankable project pipelines, linking them with financing partners and policy reforms under a clear financing strategy.
- Sharing experiences and best practices, such as those from Brazil and South Africa, could help other countries develop their own country platforms, fostering a pillar of global cooperation.
- The formalization of South-South cooperation, like the Compromiso de Sevilla and the Sevilla Platform for Action, aims to embed country ownership in the global development agenda for the next decade, helping balance the power between countries and international organizations in policy-and-legislation and general-news contexts.
