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Guidelines for Management of Danish Core Support to Multilateral and International Organisations

Guidelines for Management of Danish Core (including soft earmarked) Support to Multilateral and International Organisations

With effect from December 2020, the above guidelines have undergone a revision to address the introduction of Doing Development Differently (DDD) into Danish development cooperation as well as to reflect organisational changes in the Ministry.

Link to document: PDF (December, 2020)

Link to document: Word (December, 2020)

Link to Appropriation Cover Note for Organisation Strategies

The main changes are:

 

Introduction of Doing Development Differently (DDD):

The purpose is strengthen the relevance and effectiveness of Danish development cooperation for long-term sustainable results through reinforcing a holistic, coherent approach and introducing an adaptive approach with focus on results, continuous learning and decision-making, and local ownership.

 

“Multilateral Contact groups” are recommended for wider use to enhance learning across the Ministry

The idea of contact groups has been integrated in the guidelines to ensure a holistic approach. Contact groups have a lean, informal structure and meet when needed bringing various units (HQ, missions and country level) together to exchange experience and knowledge on all aspects relevant to the Danish collaboration with the organisation and to enhance synergies between bilateral and multilateral development cooperation. 

 

Adaptive management

A strong focus on how to encourage continuous learning and adaptation in the work of our partners has been mainstreamed in the guidelines. It should be a priority area in the Organisation Strategy and in our consultation and dialogue with the organisation. To help put adaptive management principles into practice, a new guidance note has been prepared. This note can be found on “Tools” at the AMG site.

 

Abolition of formal mandate notes in favour of an annual action plan

Annual action plans will be a way of operationalising the Organisation Strategy and making the process lighter. The various formal mandate notes have been abolished and replaced with this brief action plan to be prepared by the responsible MFA unit.

 

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

The MFAs MEAL system is currently being strengthened. This is intended to strengthen accountability and learning aspects, underpinning adaptation for better results and providing feedback to the operational level and to the public. The responsible MFA unit will, among others, annually update aid management systems through the Results Framework Interface (RFI) focusing on the results areas prioritised by Denmark in the Organisation Strategy and will further write brief annual stocktaking reports. These reports are internal and lean exercises assessing progress and strategic developments, lessons learnt, challenges, new entry points and possible adjustments as well as the continued relevance of the Theory of Change of the partner organisation. 

 

Stronger focus on quality assurance

From now on, Heads of Units will have to sign a quality assurance report before approving core (including soft earmarked) grants below 10 million annually to a partner organisation while all grants above 10 million annually,  for which there is an organisation strategy, has to be presented to the Council for Development Policy (UPR).

 

Definition of soft earmarking:

The guidelines provides clarity with regard to soft earmarking. Soft earmarking to multilateral and international organisations follows these guidelines for core support, which also define the specific requirements and responsibilities with regard to providing this type of type.

CONTACT

For further information and enquiries, please contact Department for Evaluation, Learning and Quality (ELK) [email protected]


Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Danida
2 Asiatisk Plads
DK-1448 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Tel. +45 33 92 00 00
[email protected]