Review of the effectiveness of Finland's development cooperation completed

An independent review of the effectiveness of Finland's development cooperation has been completed. According to it, Finnish development cooperation is of a good average standard and produces positive results in developing countries. A draft of the review was published in early June.

The review, entitled Results on the Ground? – An Independent Review of Finnish Aid, has been written by Doctor of Economics and a long-time director at the World Bank Ritva Reinikka. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs commissioned the review at the request of Parliament at the beginning of this year.

An open discussion event on the draft review was arranged in Helsinki on 4 June. Reinikka has complemented the review on the basis of that discussion and feedback that she has received. In the revised version of the review, the role of fragile states in development cooperation and their link to security policy are underlined, and a more detailed account is given of the activities of CSOs supported by the Foreign Ministry.

"I clarify my proposals concerning closer cooperation between CSOs and Finland's other development cooperation. Fostering close cooperation is not meant to deprive CSOs of their independence but to produce even better results than have been achieved before," Ritva Reinikka says.

The review raises both strengths and targets of improvement in development cooperation. It celebrates the effectiveness of Finland's development cooperation especially in the water, education and forest sectors and in the work to improve the status of girls and women. ”Finnish people can be proud of these successes," Reinikka says.

According to the review, areas for development can be found in the targeting of resources and in the collection of data and evidence of results. Therefore the review recommends that Finland focus more carefully on certain strategically chosen sectors and countries. Particular attention should be paid to the measurement of results in order to get information to support decision-making and to ensure that the achievements do not remain unnoticed.

"Finland's score among the donor community in at a good average level. However, for a country that many international comparisons have ranked to be a top performer, this should not suffice," Reinikka states.

Inquiries: Ritva Reinikka, tel. +358 40 5559160, [email protected]; Laura Torvinen, Director, Unit for Development Financing Institutions, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 972, [email protected]; Ritva Reinikka's photo for the media: Kirsi Pere, [email protected] or tel. +358 295 350 313

• Results on the Ground? – An Independent  Review of Finnish Aid