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Transformation of the Czech International Development Cooperation System

Part of the International Development Cooperation (IDC) System Transformation is the necessary centralization of the IDC and the establishment as of January 1, 2008 of the Czech Development Agency (CZDA) to replace the original Development Centre. As a government organization, the CZDA is directly subordinated to theMinistry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

In the bilateral International Development Cooperation System, the CZDA is to gradually become an implementation agency. The MFA would continue to play a key role instrategy preparation, planning and subsequent evaluation, while project realization itself (specific project identification, preparation, call for tenders and monitoring) would fall within the competence of the CZDA. Multilateral International Development Cooperation System will remain solely within the competence oftheMFA.

Since January 1, 2008, development projects are gradually transferred from thecompetence ofother ministries to the competence of the MFA. This year, the MFA coordinates new projects in the field of health, education, social development and transport.

From 2009, projects falling within the MFA competence will include also the environment, agriculture and industrial development.

In the newly shaping system, coordination with other ministries will be preserved withintheInternational Development Cooperation Council (IDC Council), presided by Deputy Minister ofForeign Affairs Jan Kohout. The Council and its working groups will gradually establish new mechanisms forproviding theIDC, including the identification of new project fields or project evaluation.

One of the long-term transformation goals in providing IDC is the reduction of the number ofthetarget countries in accordance with the conclusions of the OECD Report. To this end, partner countries have been newly categorized and new terminology introduced as follows:

1)8 programme countries - Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yemen, Moldova, Mongolia, Serbia, Vietnam, Zambia (so-called priority target countries so far – financed under a government approval).

2)4 + 2 project countries – Cambodia, Palestinian Autonomy, Kosovo, Ethiopia; and Afghanistan and Iraq (medium-term priority countries). Czech development activities in these countries are significant with new programmes to be initiated.

3)Other countries (non-priority target countries)– implementation only of projects launched inthe past years or this year.

Timetable of the Czech International Development Cooperation (IDC) System Transformation

International Development Cooperation Council (IDC Council) - List of Members

Unification of the Czech International Development Cooperation (IDC)

MZV = Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MPO = Ministry of Industry and Trade

MSMT = Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

MZP = Ministry for the Environment

MZe = Ministry of Agriculture

MD = Ministry of Transport

MZd = Ministry of Health

MPSV = Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

MV = Ministry of the Interior

MF = Ministry of Finance

Stipendia = Scholarship

MZV = Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Výjimky = exceptions

Stipendia = scholarship

Implementation of International Development Cooperation (IDC)

The procedures concern the implementation of Czech Republic IDC projects in the field of transport, education, social development and health launched in the period beginning January 1, 2008 and projects in the field of industrial development, agriculture and the environment in the period beginning January 1, 2009.

At least by the end of 2010, the procedure does not apply to projects in the field of public finance management, projects in the field of migration and security projects – in the "Aid for Trade", transformation projects of cooperation, projects to support the development of education, awareness raising projects on the IDC, capacity building projects for NGOs, projects for regions and municipalities, triangular projects and local projects managed by embassies.

The possible change in the provision of these types of projects will be decided within the preparation of the new concept of international development cooperation the Czech Republic for the 2010-2015 period.

Government material "IDC in 2009 and Outlook for its Funding in 2010-2011"

The MFA has asked the Ministry of Finance to increase the budget so that the Czech Republic could meet by 2010 the 0.17 percent GNI pledge. For the time being, the MFA proceeds from amounts approved in last year’s Government Resolution No. 847/2007for 2008:

CZK 840 million for 2009
CZK 860 million for 2010

CZK 900 million are proposed for 2011

The 2010 budget will be divided as follows: the joint activities (scholarships, coordination, Czech Development Agency operation, NGOs support etc.) will be deduced from the overall budget and the remaining amount will be distributed in a standard way among individual sectors. The individual ministries will receive funds for ongoing projects, with new funds for new projects exclusively within the competence of the MFA.

There are also plans to reduce the number of sectors so as to have less sectors than ministries (e.g.agriculture and the environment will fall within one sector).

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