| |
|
 |
First
phase of PBS program impressive: Ethiopia dev't partners
BLOCK GRANT TRANSFERS TO TRIPLE NEXT YEAR
|
 |
| |
ADDIS
ABEBA(July 7,2008) -
First phase the Protection of Basic Services (PBS) has been
successful in many respects and is sure to prove instrumental in supporting
Ethiopia's bid to achieve its poverty reduction and sustainable development
strategy, the country's international development partners disclosed
on Friday.
Jointly meeting the press at the World Bank's office here, the Bank's
Representative for Ethiopia and Sudan …… the head of UK's
Department for International Development (DFID) Paul Ackroyd said
the impressive results of the PBS Program was a result of the government's
continued dedication Ethiopia fulfilling its commitment to deliver
basic services and to deeper local-level accountability and financial
transparency.
Grant transfers to regions and spending on basic services continuously
was increasing in the country which is remarkable, Paul Ackroyd Block
said presenting on the highlights of the review of the programs under
the first phase.
He said the grant is expected to triple in 2001 Ethiopian fiscal year
to a draft budget of 16.6 billion ETB compared to 5.5 billion of the
year 1997.
The official also said that the government's share of the total block
grant was increasing from 44% in 1997 to 71% in 2001 fiscal year.
According to Ackroyd's presentation, significant improvements were
witnessed in the activities of the PBS I, which has been started in
2006 and been structured in 4 components.
He said 847 million USD has been distributed in the implementation
of block grant contribution to basic services adding that full amount
of which has passed on to the regions of the country.
A considerable amount of money was also distributed in the rest of
the components implementation namely Health MDG performance facility,
financial transparency and social accountability, 39.5 million, 7
million and 3 million USD respectively.
According to the head, PBS instrument was providing a third of block
grant transfers to regions, representing a quarter of all development
assistance to Ethiopia each year.
Regarding improvements maintained in guaranteeing access to basic
services in the education sector Ackroyd said extra 3 million children
and 65,000 teachers were in primary and secondary schools in 1999EFY
compared to 1997 EFY.
At a joint press conference with the World Bank country director,
the official said after the success of the first phase, government
and partners were in the process of developing a medium term successor-
the Phase II which officials said would cover the years from 2001
to 2003 ETY.
"The new structure will reflect lessons learned and challenges
faced during phase I implementation," he added.
PBS, started in 2006, is a partnership between government and development
partners to increase financing for education, health, water and sanitation
and agriculture service.
|
| |
|
