Development cooperation on the basis of the Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2008-2011 (MASP)

The Dutch development cooperation programme with Ghana aims to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and Ghana’s continued progress in reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). For this, the embassy has an annual aid budget of approximately 65 million € at its disposal, which makes Ghana one of the biggest recipient countries of Dutch development cooperation funds. In recent years, the focus in the development cooperation programme of the embassy has shifted from largely project-aid towards programme-based support including general and sectoral budget support.

The embassy’s Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) is the basis for the embassy’s development cooperation programme with Ghana for the years 2008-2011.

In the MASP the following priority sectors have been identified:
-          general budget support
-          health/HIV Aids
-          environment/natural resources

As well as three priority themes:
-          water
-          gender
-          good governance

Measuring of results is a key component of the MASP.

-          The Netherlands are among the development partners that provide general budget support to the Ghana government within the Multi-Donor Budget Support arrangement (MDBS). The annual Dutch contribution amounts to 25 million € for the years 2008-2012. The performance assessment framework (PAF) is the basis for the joint monitoring of results, as well as for the dialogue between development partners and the Ghanaian government.

-          In 2008 the embassy’s support to the Ghana health sector has shifted from basket funding towards sectoral budget support (18 million € annually for 2008-2012). Denmark and the United Kingdom/DFID are partners in the arrangement: the embassy also represents DFID in the health dialogue with the Ghana government through a silent partnership. Other programmes in the health sector include support to NGOs (Coalition of Health NGOs: 1 million € p/y) as well as support to the HIV/Aids programme of the Ministry of Local Government (approx 4, 5 million USD for 2007-2010).

-          The Embassy’s support to Ghana’s environment and natural resources sector is equally provided through sectoral budget support. With an annual contribution of 7 million € (2008-2012) the embassy is partner in the National Resources and Environmental Governance (NREG) programme, together with the World Bank, the European Commission, France/AFD and the UK/DFID. The Embassy also supports Ghanaian NGOs that are active in the area of research and advocacy (1,7 million € for 2009-2010)

-          The investments under the so-called ORET mixed-credit scheme make up the bulk of the Dutch support to the water sector in Ghana. These funds have not been delegated to the embassy, but are being handled from The Hague. The embassy’s contribution to the water sector includes support to the Urban Water Programme through a World Bank Trust Fund (10 million € for 2008-2010).

-          In gender, the embassy supports the Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs in the implementation of the Domestic Violence Bill (2, 7 million USD for 2007-2010).

-          The embassy’s good governance portfolio includes support for the G-RAP, a platform of Ghanaian NGOs active in the field of research and advocacy (1 million USD annually). The embassy also supported a number of activities around the 2008 general and presidential elections.

-          Finally, the embassy is partner in the Ghana School Feeding Programme. 40 million € has been reserved for the purchase of locally-grown food commodities for the period 2007-2010.

The issue of domestic accountability has become an important element of the embassy’s programme. Here, the embassy works together with SNV (in the Ghana School Feeding Programme) as well as with Ghanaian NGOs in the field of research and advocacy. The embassy actively promotes the harmonization and aid effectiveness agenda, taking forward the commitments of the High-Level Forum in Accra (Accra Agenda for Action).

Apart from these embassy-funded programmes, there are wide ranges of other Dutch-funded activities in Ghana, including a number of so-called Schokland activities (innovative partnerships between non-traditional development partners). Also, a large number of Dutch NGO’s are active in Ghana. NUFFIC implements tertiary education programmes in Ghana.

We are happy to provide more information on our development programme in Ghana: please feel free to contact us via “contact” in the main menu of our website.