Progress made with the establishment of the SA Development Partnership Agency; South Africa’s role; partner countries; objectives; role of each partner; scope of the development assistance that South Africa will provide through the Agency
QUOTE
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR ORAL REPLY
QUESTION NO: 16 (CO17E)
PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO: 1-2013 OF 28 FEBRUARY 2013
MR F ADAM (ANC-WC) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:
Whether any progress has been made to establish the SA Development Partnership Agency; if not, (a) why not, (b) when is the Agency expected to be established and operational and (c) what will South Africa’s role be in the Agency; if so, (i) which countries will be partners in the Agency, (ii) what will be the objectives of the Agency, (iii) what will be the role of each partner in the Agency and (vi) what will be the scope of the development assistance that South Africa will provide through the Agency?
REPLY:
Yes progress has been made.
DIRCO submitted the Business Case for the establishment of SADPA to the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) in April 2012. This included all supporting documentation: the draft Partnership Fund for Development Bill (that will replace the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund), the Government Notice on the establishment of SADPA, the Organisational Structure for SADPA, and the Shared Services Agreement with DIRCO.
The Interdepartmental Assessment Committee, consisting of senior officials from DPSA, National Treasury and DIRCO, reviewed the Business Case. Several amendments were made to the proposal, which was then recommended to the Minister of Public Service for approval. The Minister of Public Service and Administration approved the recommendation, and as required, sought concurrence from the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and the Minister Finance (letter dated 29 October 2012). The Minister of IRCO provided concurrence on 4 December 2012 but the concurrence from the Minister of Finance is outstanding.
Furthermore, DIRCO has continued with the work required to make SADPA operational and has completed the following, which remain as draft at present:
a) A 3-yr Human Resources Plan;
b) The Medium-Term Budget;
c) A Policy Guideline for SADPA;
d) SADPA’s Systems and Tools (to be completed by March 2013); and
e) A Competency Framework for SADPA.
(b) Once the concurrence from the Minister of Finance is received, a Proclamation for the President’s signature will be prepared by the DPSA. The signed Proclamation and Government Notice on the establishment of SADPA must be gazetted, and the date for SADPA’s establishment will be announced on the Proclamation.
DIRCO however, is seeking to establish SADPA on 1 April 2013, at the start of the new financial year.
(c) The Agency, consistent with the Cabinet decision of 2 December 2009, will be established in terms of the Public Service Act under the Executive Authority of the Minister IRCO. This means that it will be a government structure and will be completely under the authority of the South African Government.
The Institutional form for SADPA is that of a Government Component of DIRCO, under the authority of the Minister of DIRCO.
The Partnerships are not at the level of who manages the Agency. Partnerships relate to programmes and projects for development cooperation as these arise. Hence, there would be many different partnerships established for different programmes and projects. These will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
The model that is being proposed is for SADPA to establish partnerships with a wide variety of potential partners such as other governments or their development agencies, civil society, the private sector, NGO’s, multilateral institutions, academics or other relevant stakeholders.
The approved Business Case provides for the following business functions for SADPA:
Recognising development cooperation as an instrument of foreign policy, SADPA will:
a) Develop the policy guidelines on outgoing SA development ccooperation and ensure coherence throughout government in implementation;
b) Support programmes and projects in respect of outgoing development cooperation partnerships and use the Fund to support programmes and projects;
c) Provide technical advice on foreign policy in the areas of development cooperation;
d) Build and maintain close cooperation and liaison with international development cooperation agencies and other stakeholders on behalf of Minister IRCO;
e) Maintain oversight for all SA’s official outgoing development cooperation & assistance - bilateral, trilateral & multilateral partnerships with countries, development institutions, civil society and the private sector;
f) Conduct an Annual Accountability Audit, and Monitoring and Evaluation for all South Africa’s outgoing development cooperation;
g) Ensure effective management and admin of the Partnership Fund for Development; and
h) Promote and market SADPA and project.
Partners could have a variety of roles including a partner in the development (conceptualization) of programmes or projects, provider of technical support, co-funder of programmes/projects, implementation partner, service provider or other roles as may be needed depending on the programme/project. These will be determined on a case-by-case basis and consolidated through an agreement between the parties before starting a programme/project.
The Draft Bill also makes provisions for partners to capitalise the Fund directly i.e. partners could contribute monies to Fund to augment the allocation by Parliament.
Several key foreign policy priorities have been identified for SA’s Development Cooperation as contained in the Draft Partnership Fund for Development Bill.
These include support of South Africa’s outgoing development cooperation policy by providing funding and/or technical support for the development and/or implementation of initiatives aimed at –
a) regional integration including the strengthening of the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Southern African Customs Union and their structures;
b) the development and implementation of regional and sub-regional programmes and projects;
c) peace, security, stability and post-conflict reconstruction and development;
d) strengthening political and socio-economic relations with all countries in Africa, and with partners of the South;
e) promoting good governance in Africa; and
f) the provision of humanitarian assistance.
UNQUOTE
|
