The Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF) the zenith of two years of unprecedented global consultations on development cooperation, will t

The Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF) the zenith of two years of unprecedented global consultations on development cooperation, will take place 2-4 September 2008, in Accra.

The forum brings together Presidents and Ministers from over 100 countries and heads of multilateral and bilateral development agencies, donors and global civil society organizations from more than 100 countries, the African Development Bank (AfDB) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement said the consultations would take stock of progress made in implementing Paris Declaration (PD) commitments, identify bottlenecks and challenges, and determine actions donors and partner countries need to take to make aid more effective. The Accra event is a mid-term review of the progress made in finance institutions, developed and developing countries and development partners, committed to increasing efforts to harmonization and alignment of their policies and practices and to as well as managing aid resources to achieve maximum results.

The statement said 12 indicators of aid effectiveness were developed as a way of tracking and monitoring progress against the broader set of partnership commitments. The event sessions will open with a discussion on the theme, "Setting the Context: Progress since Paris, and meeting aid and development effectiveness challenges beyond Accra", which will build on the findings of the 2008 monitoring survey and the first phase of the evaluation report of the Paris Declaration implementation and other reviews.

This will be followed by the launch of the "Marketplace of Ideas" which aims to at promoting innovative practices and lessons in aid effectiveness through information and knowledge-sharing, cross-fertilization of knowledge and approaches, and learning among the HLF participants.

It would include showcasing good and innovative practices and lessons in aid effectiveness. Countries and organizations will display posters and written materials that highlight their experience with harmonization, alignment, and managing for results.

The statement said there will also be nine "Roundtable Meetings" which will provide participants with an opportunity for in-depth discussions to facilitate and support work on aid effectiveness by building on the work of international working groups. It said the "Ministerial-Level Meeting" would conclude with high-level discussions and negotiation around key issues. This will culminate in the endorsement of a ministerial statement - the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) - that aims at deepening implementation of the Paris Declaration.

Preparations for Accra include four country-level consultation meetings held in 2007 in Mauritius, Ghana, Honduras, and the Philippines attended by neighbouring countries in the various regions. Similarly, several regional and sub-regional preparatory events were held to consolidate regional voices and perspectives that are critical to success in Accra.

These include, Fiji for Pacific Island countries; Bangkok for Southeast Asia, South Asia and West and Central Asia; Kigali for Africa; Santa Marta, Colombia, for Latin American and Caribbean countries; and Jeddah for Middle East countries.

"Accra is expected to generate a critical mass of data and home-gown deliverables to spur economic growth and reduce poverty reduction."

The Forum is also expected to have an impact on the 22-25 September 2008 UN Africa Summit and the MDG Summit in New York on development and poverty reduction as well as the "Financing for Development" follow-up meeting in Doha in December 2008 on the scaling up of development financing.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, the World Bank, and the OECD among others, and partner countries have been key players in the two-year work streams of the world-wide preparations for the event which, development experts say, mark a milestone in the annals of Official Development Assistance (ODA). AfDB president Donald Kaberuka is expected to lead senior bank officers at the Ministerial-level and Roundtable meetings; host a dialogue with African Ministers on the food and oil price crises. 27 Aug. 08
The Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF) the zenith of two years of unprecedented global consultations on development cooperation will take place 2-4 September 2008, in Accra.

The forum brings together Presidents and Ministers from over 100 countries and heads of multilateral and bilateral development agencies, donors and global civil society organizations from more than 100 countries, the African Development Bank (AfDB) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement said the consultations would take stock of progress made in implementing Paris Declaration (PD) commitments, identify bottlenecks and challenges, and determine actions donors and partner countries need to take to make aid more effective. The Accra event is a mid-term review of the progress made in finance institutions, developed and developing countries and development partners, committed to increasing efforts to harmonization and alignment of their policies and practices and to as well as managing aid resources to achieve maximum results.

The statement said 12 indicators of aid effectiveness were developed as a way of tracking and monitoring progress against the broader set of partnership commitments. The event sessions will open with a discussion on the theme, "Setting the Context: Progress since Paris, and meeting aid and development effectiveness challenges beyond Accra", which will build on the findings of the 2008 monitoring survey and the first phase of the evaluation report of the Paris Declaration implementation and other reviews.

This will be followed by the launch of the "Marketplace of Ideas" which aims to at promoting innovative practices and lessons in aid effectiveness through information and knowledge-sharing, cross-fertilization of knowledge and approaches, and learning among the HLF participants.

It would include showcasing good and innovative practices and lessons in aid effectiveness. Countries and organizations will display posters and written materials that highlight their experience with harmonization, alignment, and managing for results.

The statement said there will also be nine "Roundtable Meetings" which will provide participants with an opportunity for in-depth discussions to facilitate and support work on aid effectiveness by building on the work of international working groups. It said the "Ministerial-Level Meeting" would conclude with high-level discussions and negotiation around key issues. This will culminate in the endorsement of a ministerial statement - the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) - that aims at deepening implementation of the Paris Declaration.

Preparations for Accra include four country-level consultation meetings held in 2007 in Mauritius, Ghana, Honduras, and the Philippines attended by neighbouring countries in the various regions. Similarly, several regional and sub-regional preparatory events were held to consolidate regional voices and perspectives that are critical to success in Accra.

These include, Fiji for Pacific Island countries; Bangkok for Southeast Asia, South Asia and West and Central Asia; Kigali for Africa; Santa Marta, Colombia, for Latin American and Caribbean countries; and Jeddah for Middle East countries.

"Accra is expected to generate a critical mass of data and home-gown deliverables to spur economic growth and reduce poverty reduction."

The Forum is also expected to have an impact on the 22-25 September 2008 UN Africa Summit and the MDG Summit in New York on development and poverty reduction as well as the "Financing for Development" follow-up meeting in Doha in December 2008 on the scaling up of development financing.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, the World Bank, and the OECD among others, and partner countries have been key players in the two-year work streams of the world-wide preparations for the event which, development experts say, mark a milestone in the annals of Official Development Assistance (ODA). AfDB president Donald Kaberuka is expected to lead senior bank officers at the Ministerial-level and Roundtable meetings; host a dialogue with African Ministers on the food and oil price crises.

DR. BAWUMIAH DESCRIBES HIS NOMINATION AS A WIN FOR NPP

The newly elected running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumiah to the NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo, has described his selection as a victory for the NPP Party. According him even though he is not known on political platforms, he has been active at the apex of the economic platform and has contributed to the economic to the achievement of the NPP under the leadership under the leadership of His Excellency President J.A Kufour.

The entrance of the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, into the politics of the New Patriotic Party has cultch a new OBAWUMANIA!!!! Campaign slogan which is catching up slowly with the NPP activities and supporters.

Acknowledging the fact that he is new in partisan politics of Ghana, Dr. Bawumiah pointed out that he has been active at the apex of the economic platform and feel proud to have contributed to the economic achievements of the NPP UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF His Excellency President J.A Kufour.
Among some of Dr. Bawumiah achievements are as follows:

• He is involved in putting together and implementing the framework that guide monetary policy, as well as the workings of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of Ghana.

• Played a major part in the banking sector reforms that have increase the number of banks and bank branches throughout the country, resulting to a major increase in the availability of credit to Ghanaian businesses and individuals.

• Led the Bank of Ghana’s technical negotiation team, and have been a part of the Government team that negotiated with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund since 2001 through HIPC and the poverty Reduction Growth Facility.

• Served as a member of the Government technical negotiating team on HIPC, Paris Club and HIPC Completion Point Negotiations. Ghana completed the HIPC process successfully with significant debt relief of close to 4Billion USD.

• Served as a member of the Government team negotiated the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Compact with the US Government and was responsible for the drafting the financial sector component of the MCA Compact. The MCA Compact yielded financing for 547 million USD worth projects.

• He also served as a member of the Government Technical Team on the Deregulation of the Petroleum Sector. We achieved a successful deregulation, which has saved Government some $700 million over the last three years.

• He was the Chairman of the Capital Market Committee, responsible for the strategy for accessing the international capital market with a debut bond issue of US$750 million. which was four times oversubscribed. The bond proceeds have been critical in undertaking investment in the energy sector and have also been earmarked for the Kumasi-Accra Dual Carriageway as well as the Western Railway Line.


• He was part of the team that designed and implemented the successful redenomination of the cedi which has been hailed globally. Through this process, the cedi has been considerably strengthened as Ghanaian has found renewed confidence in their currency.


• Played a key role in the design and implementation of the e-zwich common platform for all banks saving and loan companies and rural banks. This common platform is modernizing the country’s payment system.

Dr. Mahamadu Bawumiah said the country is at the brink of a historic economic breakthrough “Divine providence and sterling leadership have positioned the NPP as the party you can trust to deliver this prosperity to every individual, home and community in Ghana” Noting that in order to achieve this, first the NPP must win the election in December.

There is no underhand dealing in GT sale- Presidency

The Office of the President has stated that there has not been any underhand dealing in the sale of Ghana Telecom (GT) to the strategic investor, Vodafone, and that the Government has been very open and transparent.

At a press briefing at the castle Osu, the Presidential Press Secretary Mr. Andrew Awuni emphatically stated tha "The Government has never and will never short-change Ghanaians.He defended the GT/Vodafone deal as the best for the viability, security and the future of Ghana Telecom and it's over 4000 employees and their families.

He noted the decline in both the net value and enterprise value of GT over the years, and said the Company needed to be saved and that people should not pretend that all was well with the company.

Mr Awuni took a swipe at the reported threat by the leader of the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to reverse the sale if elected to power and make those found "culpable of short-changing Ghanaians face the full rigours of the law."

He said what was ironic was that this same person as then Vice President and leader of the Economic Management Team of the NDC Government, sold out hundreds of State Owned Enterprises including the Ghana Telecom under bizarre circumstances.

The Press Secretary continued; "Indeed if the NPP Government had not bought out Telecom Malaysia at their behest in 2002, there would not be a Ghana Telecom to privatize today."

Mr Awuni was emphatic that the Government had followed all the laid down procedures for divestiture and violated none.

Revision of the voters' register records high turn out

The Revision of the Voters register today enters its fifth day of operations. The exercise which is been conducted by the Electoral Commission nationwide seeks to capture mainly the youth who have attained the voting age of 18 years and above, and people who could not register during the last exercise in 2006.

Although the exercise is been conducted under strict supervision of the Ghana Police Service, some registering centers were marked with violence over the weekend thus disrupting the smooth and peaceful running of the exercise.

During a visit by VNN to some of the centers this morning, some of the center has run shorts of registering materials, others centers have their camera not functioning at all, whiles some centers also, the personnel of the Electoral Commission intentionally slows down the registration process to ascertain the eligibility of potential voters.

Interestingly in the light of all this abnormalities, the youth who are the main targets of this years exercise have remained resolute and calm.

Below are pix from the Ablekumah Central Constituency : -