Absence of the International Leadership on International Development

In Paris in 2005 and Accra in 2008, donors around the world agreed on a set of key proposals. With the Busan Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) underway, donor countries must do better. For instance, some donor countries try to remove commitments on aid transparency from the Busan outcome document. While aid transparency is not going to solve all the problems of the development world, it is fundamental to being able to solve them - transparency will not stop corruption but it is a lot harder to beat corruption without it. It is vital not only for getting results but also for providing accountability to our taxpayers. Donor countries have agreed to the basic principles set out in the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda, so Busan must be about the next steps. Donors need to agree a further timetable for implementation and a monitoring framework. Crucially, all countries need to work together - HLF4 must be a multilateral effort. If one country pulls out of the transparency commitments, the basic principlse and overall effect of mutual aid policy will be fundamentally undermined. HLF-4 should not just be another photo opportunity where leaders substitute rhetoric for action. It has to become effective aid's opportunity for action.