Functions
The work of the committee concentrates on
- how international development cooperation contributes to the capacity of developing countries to participate in the global economy, and
- the capacity of people to overcome poverty and participate fully in their societies.
To this end, the committee holds an annual High Level Meeting where the ministers or heads of the national aid agencies meet to discuss issues related to development and adopt recommendations and resolutions. It is also attended by senior officials of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and UN Development Programme.
The member states are expected to have certain common objectives concerning the conduct of their aid programmes. The committee therefore issues guidelines on the management of development aid. It also publishes a wide range of reports, among them the annual OECD Journal on Development and the Development Co-operation Report. In addition, as OECD countries recognise the need for greater coherence in policies across sectors that affect developing countries, an initiative on Policy Coherence for Development explores ways to ensure that government policies are mutually supportive of the countries' development goals.
The Committee has been preparing for the 4th High Level Forum in Seoul which would be a major landmark in the process of building global, regional and national partnerships for the effective achievement of development results.
The subsidiary bodies of DAC are:
- Working Party on Statistics
- Working Party on Aid effectiveness (WP-EFF)
- Network on Development Evaluation (EVALNET)
- Network on Gender Equality (GENDERNET)
- Network on Environment and Development Co-operation (ENVIRONET)
- Network on Poverty Reduction (POVNET)
- Network on Governance (GOVNET)
- International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF)
As of January 2011, its chair is Mr. J. Brian Atwood, former head of USAID.
Read more about this topic: Development Assistance Committee
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