Enhancing Development Finance Data Transparency in Francophone West Africa

Strategic Insights -

Government representatives from Francophone West Africa attended a three-day workshop at the African Development Bank Group's headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from June 3 to 5. The workshop, concluded with partners from the African Development Bank, the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), and development partners, aimed at enhancing the use of development finance data to support national planning, coordination, and accountability.

The workshop focused on strengthening dialogue with development partners to improve information on billions of dollars of development investments flowing into Francophone West Africa. Participants received practical training on the use of IATI data and tools, exploring how IATI data can help track external resources, align aid with national priorities, and strengthen decision-making.

Key Takeaways:

  • The African Development Bank has published over $200 billion in project and results data to the IATI Standard since 2013, making it the most transparent sovereign portfolio out of 50 global development institutions in 2022 and 2024, according to the Aid Transparency Index.
  • The Bank's Data Portal and MapAfrica platform visualise over 5,700 projects across 17,600 locations, aligned with the Bank's High 5 strategic priorities.
  • IATI's Director of the Development Impact and Results Department, Armand Nzeyimana, highlighted the Bank's leadership on transparency, emphasizing its commitment to making transparency a cornerstone of its work.
  • Participants agreed on a regional roadmap to enhance the use of IATI data at the country level in Francophone West Africa.
  • Charlie Martial Ngounou, Vice-Chair of IATI's Governing Board, underlined the importance of ensuring that IATI serves country-level realities, noting that the real impact of IATI is found in country ministries, dashboards, planning, and coordination processes.
  • The workshop concluded, with partners looking ahead to 2030 and inputting their vision for what IATI's next strategic plan should focus on to meet the information needs of Francophone African countries.

Statistics:

  • Since 2013, the African Development Bank has published over $200 billion in project and results data to the IATI Standard.
  • The Bank's Data Portal and MapAfrica platform visualise over 5,700 projects across 17,600 locations, aligned with the Bank's High 5 strategic priorities.
  • IATI has over 1,700 organisations publishing data on nearly 1 million development and humanitarian projects, providing visibility on USD 3.7 trillion in spending.

Sources:

  • The African Development Bank
  • The International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI)
  • APO Group
  • African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
  • Publish What You Fund's Aid Transparency Index
  • IATI Standard