Donors pour cold water on PRS review idea
Monday, 31 December 2007
FE Report
The holding of a high-profile, biennial meeting meant to assess the implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) has become uncertain as the country's major donors appear indifferent to such stocktaking.
Officials at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said the government is not well-positioned to organise the PRS Implementation Forum, originally scheduled for November 18-19, right at the moment, thanks mainly to the lack of interest on the part of donor community.
"Donors, especially bilateral donors, seem to be reluctant to see the forum being organised right now. They no longer feel it necessary to hold the forum," additional secretary of the ERD Shahidul Huq told the FE Sunday.
"We have been told that top executives of bilateral donors are not in a position to attend the meeting right now and have asked for further deferment. However, if the meeting is further deferred, it will lose its importance," Huq pointed out.
"In the past, such meetings were donor-driven. But this time, they are not interested in the affairs of the PRS. So, the whole matter remains far from clear," he said.
No donor representative was immediately available for comments.
The sources at the ERD said the lack of interest on the part of donors will practically cast shadow on the future of PRS itself.
The holding of a high-profile, biennial meeting meant to assess the implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) has become uncertain as the country's major donors appear indifferent to such stocktaking.
Officials at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said the government is not well-positioned to organise the PRS Implementation Forum, originally scheduled for November 18-19, right at the moment, thanks mainly to the lack of interest on the part of donor community.
"Donors, especially bilateral donors, seem to be reluctant to see the forum being organised right now. They no longer feel it necessary to hold the forum," additional secretary of the ERD Shahidul Huq told the FE Sunday.
"We have been told that top executives of bilateral donors are not in a position to attend the meeting right now and have asked for further deferment. However, if the meeting is further deferred, it will lose its importance," Huq pointed out.
"In the past, such meetings were donor-driven. But this time, they are not interested in the affairs of the PRS. So, the whole matter remains far from clear," he said.
No donor representative was immediately available for comments.
The sources at the ERD said the lack of interest on the part of donors will practically cast shadow on the future of PRS itself.