The document discusses country ownership in international development. It defines country ownership as the full participation of a country's population in conceptualizing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development policies and programs. This empowers countries to take responsibility for their own development using local resources. While the Obama administration supports country ownership in initiatives like Feed the Future, its application has been inconsistent. The document recommends that the administration read a new policy paper by InterAction that provides recommendations to ensure effective country ownership, including engaging local partners to truly advance 21st century development assistance.

1. AlertNet AidWatch - The evolution of U.S.
foreign assistance
By Tawana Jacobs | Friday, December 16
“Country ownership” has become a popular term used in discussions about the future of U.S.
foreign assistance. But its definition shifts depending on who you’re talking to. InterAction’s just
released policy paper, “Country Ownership: Moving from Rhetoric to Action,” provides a clear
and easy to understand definition that all who care about international development should
consider using.
Defined in the paper as “the full and effective participation of a country’s population—including
government, civil society and the private sector—in conceptualizing, implementing, monitoring
and evaluating development policies, and programs,” country ownership is a partnership
approach to development assistance. It empowers and supports countries and their citizens to
take responsibility for their own development, using local systems and resources to create new
opportunities and change in their communities, while becoming less reliant on foreign aid.
It’s not just NGOs who believe in country ownership. The Obama administration has become
attached to the concept, promoting it in development policies such as the Quadrennial Diplomacy
and Development Review and initiatives such as Feed the Future and the Global Health
Initiative. However despite this progress, the administration’s attempt to “adopt a model of
development based… on partnership, not patronage,” as Hillary Clinton has described, has been
inconsistent.
If the administration gives the new paper a read, they will see that current and future
development assistance programs can be run more effectively and efficiently. In addition to a
clear definition, the paper’s five recommendations outline the core elements of country
ownership. These suggestions would go a long way toward ensuring the engagement of all those
involved—the Obama administration, Congress, U.S. NGOs and the private sector.
With nasty political fights over the federal budget likely to continue for the foreseeable future
and the economy still sputtering, it behooves the government to show taxpayers that their
investment in foreign assistance makes good fiscal sense. This fiscal challenge, coupled with a
commitment to give partner countries the support needed to actively participate in the
development process, should open the door to an in-depth policy conversation with U.S. NGOs.

2. U.S. NGOs are experts in applying participatory approaches to development, and depend on
local country resources – people, systems and knowledge – to support their program work and
the evaluation of its effectiveness. Plus, a multitude of InterAction member organizations are
now playing supportive roles to local groups that manage programs formerly run by international
NGOs. They have a significant contribution to make to the U.S. government’s understanding and
approach to country ownership.
The Obama administration has taken a proactive approach to advancing country ownership and
has made good progress, but it should seek effective partners to truly move U.S. development
assistance into the 21st
century.
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Tawana Jacobs is the Associate Director of Public Relations at InterAction, the largest alliance
of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations, with nearly 200 members. The new
paper on country ownership can be found at www.interaction.org/country-ownership.