Development Assistance Committee Research Articles

The Dual Impact of Foreign Capital: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Interplay between Foreign Direct Investment and Development Assistance Committee Initiatives in Ethiopia

This study delves into the intricate dynamics of Ethiopia's economic landscape, examining the dual impact of foreign capital through a comprehensive analysis of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) initiatives. Over the period 1992-2012, a two-part empirical approach is employed, encompassing descriptive statistics and rigorous econometric modeling rooted in time series analysis. The nuanced relationship between foreign capital and economic growth in Ethiopia is unraveled, addressing challenges such as job displacement and potential exploitation, alongside positive outcomes like infrastructure development and increased service accessibility. The econometric analysis utilizes various models to explore the causal relationships between FDI, DAC, economic growth, and self-employment. Sensitivity analysis ensures the robustness of the models by unraveling multicollinearity, while stationarity tests guide appropriate treatment of non-stationary variables. Cointegration tests reveal potential long-term relationships among variables, with specific models suggesting cointegration, further substantiating the intertwined nature of FDI, DAC, and economic growth. Granger causality Wald tests scrutinize short-run equilibrium relationships, unveiling intriguing insights into the direct and indirect effects of FDI, DAC, and self-employment on economic growth. Robust diagnostic tests affirm the reliability of the models, indicating compliance with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) conditions. In summary, our findings illuminate the dual impact of foreign capital on Ethiopia's economic trajectory, offering nuanced perspectives for policymakers. The study's comprehensive empirical foundation facilitates a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between FDI, DAC initiatives, and economic growth, paving the way for informed decision-making and future research endeavors.

Right to Development and the Role of DAC OECD Foreign Aid to Development in Africa

When the concept of the human right to development was articulated in Africa in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the idea was not to ask for development aid but to assert the right to self-determination, or even the right to genuine liberation from continued external domination, in order to assume sovereign control and determine the continent’s own developmental destiny. However, in the course of evolution, the idea of the right to development has been distorted to some extent and has been thwarted in order to imply recourse for its realization. Developed countries were required to provide 0.7% of their annual gross domestic product as foreign aid to assist developing countries, including African countries, in their efforts to achieve comprehensive development. Over more than six decades, from 1960 to 2022, the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (DAC OECD) donor countries provided a total of USD 1.23 trillion in development assistance to 48 recipient countries in Africa. This paper examines the extent to which the foreign aid allocations have contributed to development of recipient countries in Africa. The findings illustrate that despite the continued shipment of foreign aid to Africa, impoverishment and underdevelopment have worsened across the continent, raising the question of why Africa should remain trapped in the DAC OECD “dead aid” conundrum when alternative, mutually beneficial development cooperation mechanisms could be explored.

International development policies in Central and Eastern Europe since EU accession: increasing divergence?

ABSTRACT The contribution discusses how the international development policies of four Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) evolved following their accession to the EU. The four states started these policies in the run-up to accession, driven by pressure from the EU. The policies put in place were underfunded and received little political attention, resulting in functionally similar approaches. In the past 10 years however, these policies began to diverge in practices and motivations. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the four policies, focusing on strategies, aid volumes and allocation. The analysis reveals that while Hungary’s approach has diverged the most from the other three, all four are now developing distinct donor profiles. International development policy has become relatively politicized in Hungary and Poland, where governments have used it to promote economic nationalism, ideology and security goals, and have resisted socialization pressures arising from membership in the EU and the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia however, the policy had little political salience, leaving space for aid bureaucracies to shape it according to the norms promoted by these organizations.

Development of a stroke network in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo): a humanitarian project of the Italian Stroke Association—Associazione Italiana Ictus

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), stroke incidence is ~316 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and in 75% of SSA countries stroke is among the top three causes of death. This epidemiological evolution results from the exponential growth of the African population as well as the lack of policies for prevention and therapy. The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the countries included as a “low-income country” in the 2023 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee List; its capital, Kinshasa, is a megalopolis with more than 18 million inhabitants. According to our knowledge, no hospital in Kinshasa is currently capable of admitting and treating patients with stroke according to international guidelines. The Italian Stroke Association—Associazione Italiana Ictus (ISA-AII) is a multidisciplinary scientific society for the fight against cerebrovascular diseases. Some members of the ISA-AII joined to form a working group dedicated to the care of stroke in Africa. In this article, we explain the project designed by ISA Africa that, in collaboration with the referral hospital of a district of Kinshasa, has the aim of building a network for diagnosing and treating stroke, including ambulance services, a stroke team in the emergency room, a stroke unit, an outpatient clinic, and primary prevention activities among the population.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) Jepang kepada Indonesia pada Masa Orde Baru (1966-1998)

The History of Japan and Indonesia Relations: Japanese ODA to Indonesia during the New Order Era (1966-1998). Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a foreign aid used by the member nations of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). ODA is used to contribute to the economic development and prosperity of developing countries. Japan as one of the DAC member countries provides ODA to said developing countries, with a special focus on the Asia region - Indonesia being one of the priority recipients. This research focuses on Japan’s ODA history, and the history of Japanese-Indonesian relations spanning the New Order era from 1966 to 1998. The methodology of research is qualitative, and based on historical data with the aim to explain Japan’s ODA strategies with regards to Indonesia as well as the reason behind it. The resources used to acquire data are primary sources from official websites of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and secondary sources such as books and journals describing Japan’s ODA to Indonesia. The findings of this research indicate the implementation of Japan’s ODA to Indonesia serves several national interests, as well as identifies interdependencies between the countries. Whereas Japan provides ODA to Indonesia with the goal of improving the country’s image on the world stage, as well as promoting mutual economic growth through investment and trade, Indonesia is also dependent on Japan’s ODA for economic growth and infrastructural development - in summary the welfare of the country. In summary both countries benefit from the ODA aid and have developed closer ties thanks to its continuation.

How does diversity affect the effectiveness of capacity building training? Evidence from the Republic of Korea

AbstractMotivationPrevious studies on the effectiveness of capacity building training, drawn from the experience of traditional donors, have been limited in their understanding the impact of the diversity of trainees and the diversity of training on the effectiveness of training. This is particularly problematic given the increasing prevalence of such training and the emergence of new donors with different approaches.PurposeThis article investigates the effectiveness of capacity‐building training across different participants and different training types, through the case of an emerging donor, the Republic of Korea (Korea). Korea is distinctive and under‐researched as a country relatively late to join the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC), with several policies explicitly locating capacity‐building training as a diplomatic strategy. Korea has made repeated efforts to diversify participants and types of training to gain a comparative advantage in international development and co‐operation.Methods and ApproachThe study constructs a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to analyse the effectiveness of training across layers of individual diversity (gender, rank, level of national income and extent of democracy) and group diversity (types of trainings). It draws on survey responses from 789 government officials in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs).FindingsTraining effectiveness differs for diverse participants and training types. Effectiveness tends to decrease as job rank and national income rise, while it increases with the level of democracy. Training that fosters diverse interactions and experiences, such as multi‐country training and invitational training, tends to be more effective than other types.Policy ImplicationsOur results suggest implementing more collaborative and customized training to suit the heterogeneous needs of diverse participants. The results emphasize the need to develop and operate various training types that promote diverse interactions and experiences among participants.

Understanding China's shifting priorities andpriority-setting processes indevelopment assistance forhealth.

Over the past two decades, China has become a distinctive and increasingly important donor of development assistance for health (DAH). However, little is known about what factors influence China's priority-setting for DAH. In this study, we provide an updated analysis of trends in the priorities of Chinese DAH and compare them to comparable trends among OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors using data from the AidData's Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset (2000-2017, version 2.0) and the Creditor Reporting System (CRS) database (2000-2017). We also analyse Chinese medical aid exports before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic using a Chinese Aid Exports Database. We further explore the potential factors influencing China's shifting priority-setting processes by reviewing Chinese official documents following Walt and Gilson's policy analysis framework (context-actors-process-content) and by testing our conjectures empirically. We find that China has become an important DAH donor to most regions if measured using project value, including but not limited to Africa. China has prioritized aid to African and Asian countries as well as to CRS subsectors that are not prioritized by DAC donors, such as medical services and basic health infrastructure. Chinese quarterly medical aid exports almost quintupled after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Noticeably, China has allocated more attention to Asia, eye diseases and infectious disease outbreaks over time. In contrast, the priority given to malaria has declined over the same period. Regarding factors affecting priority shifts, the outbreaks of SARS and Ebola, the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative and the COVID-19 pandemic appear to be important milestones in the timeline of Chinese DAH. Unlike stereotypes of China as a 'lone wolf' donor, our analysis suggests multilateral processes are influential in informing and setting Chinese DAH priorities.

From performance to sustainability of bank paryoll in RDC. Assessment through the application of a pentagonal criterion.

An evaluation can be multidimensional. In practice, we focus on the aspects judged most relevant according to the objectives. The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) suggests five criteria that this study applies to the reform on the payroll banking of state agents and civil servants in the DRC, borrowing the rating proposed by the Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE). It shows that despite an encouraging overall score, more effort is needed in terms of sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency than in the areas of relevance and impact.

Dynamics of EU Central and Eastern European donors’ development cooperation

The article deals with both qualitative and quantitative aspects of development assistance provided by the 11 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that are members of the European Union (EU). The aim is to answer the question of what are the major determinants of their involvement in development cooperation. It also aims to understand the controversy surrounding the development policies of these donors and to assess the impact of past determinants on the current situation. Our study employs a combination of data analysis (based on Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development – OECD – statistics) and a literature review. In order to allow the examination of trends, constant prices have been applied throughout the study. Our research operates both on absolute (volumes of development aid given to and offered by the countries in mind) and relative data (bilateral to total ODA ratio and regional distribution of bilateral aid). The analysis reveals that the CEE EU donors’ spending on development assistance grew 463% over the 2004–2021 period. In 2021, they accounted for 2.4% of global aid, which was not a significant share globally, though noteworthy at the level of EU development aid spending. We found a clear dominance of the multilateral channel in the distribution of CEE EU aid fluctuating between 65–90%, mainly through EU institutions. In terms of bilateral activities, CEE donors chose their poorer European neighbours as their main aid recipients, with the share ranging from 24% to 76%. There are two main types of factors that determine the aid activities of the actors analysed: interests, which set the course of bilateral flows, and institutional factors (i.e., EU development policy and countries' accession to the OECD Development Assistance Committee), which played an equally important role. The relative importance of the two determinants has varied with changing circumstances over time.

Donor aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths, 2002–19: an analysis of levels, trends, and equity

Global aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health has stagnated in recent years, and aid mentioning newborns or stillbirths has previously represented a very small proportion of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. Neonatal survival targets have been set by 78 countries, and stillbirth prevention targets have been set by 30 countries, to address the 4·4 million newborn deaths and stillbirths globally. We aimed to generate novel estimates of current levels of, and trends in, aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths over 2002-19, and to assess whether the amount of aid disbursed aligns with the associated mortality burden. For this analysis, we did a manual review and coding of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s Creditor Reporting System database from 2002 to 2019 using key search terms for aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths. We compared these findings with estimates of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health for 2002-19 based on the Muskoka2 method. Findings are presented in 2019 US$ according to the OECD's Development Assistance Committee deflators, which account for variation in exchange rates and inflation in donor countries. We identified 21 957 unique records in the 2002-19 period. Aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths comprised approximately 10% ($1·6 billion) of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health funding overall in 2019 ($15·9 billion), with a small decrease in value between 2015 and 2019. 1284 (6%) of 21 957 records and 3·4% ($535 million) of their total value mentioned aid focused only on newborn health. Ten donors contributed 87% ($13·7 billion) of the total value of aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths during 2002-19. Aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths was inequitably allocated in the least developed countries (as defined by the UN), ranging from $18 per death in Angola to $1389 per death in Timor-Leste. Stillbirths were not mentioned in any funding in 2002-09, and they were only mentioned in 46 of 21 957 records in 2010-19, comprising $44·4 million of aid disbursed during this period. Aid mentioning newborns and stillbirths is poorly matched to their corresponding mortality burden (representing 10% of aid for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health overall, yet accounting for approximately 50% of mortality in children <5 years) and across recipient countries (with substantial variation in the amount of aid received per newborn death and stillbirth between countries with similar health and economic needs). Our findings indicate that aid needs to be better targeted to populations with the highest mortality burdens, creating greater potential for impact. John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ELMA Philanthropies, Children's Investment Fund Foundation UK, Lemelson Foundation, and Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation. For the French translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic: trends in development assistance committee countries’ aid allocation, 2011–2021

ABSTRACT Background Official Development Assistance (ODA) significantly aids sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted aid allocation, posing challenges for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Objective This study explores and underscores the profound implications of shifts in ODA allocation by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of international aid. Methods Drawing from the gross ODA disbursement data for LMICs by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021, a linear regression analysis assessed the changes in ODA amount, ODA-to-gross national income (GNI) ratio, sectoral aid allocation, and the balance between bilateral and multilateral aid, primarily focusing on the differences pre- and post-COVID-19. For non-specialised multilateral agencies’ core funding, the OECD’s methodology for calculating imputed multilateral ODA was employed to estimate ODA flows. Results The study found an increasing trend in the total ODA provided by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021. However, the average ODA/GNI ratio showed a slight but significant decrease before the pandemic, followed by an increase after the COVID-19 pandemic. The health sector received the highest percentage of aid after the pandemic, with a marked increase in both bilateral and multilateral aid. However, other sectors such as humanitarian aid, water and sanitation, and energy experienced a significant decrease in sectoral aid share. Conclusions Emerging from this analysis is a strong recommendation for DAC members to re-evaluate aid objectives and escalate their financial commitments to reinforce SDGs and sustainable development efforts. While the rise in health aid is essential, other sectors also require equal focus to offset the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the intricacies of aid allocation can improve aid efficacy, culminating in greater, transformative results for recipient countries.

The Brazilian international development cooperation : over-representation, ambivalence, decentralization and instrumentalism

The main goal of the article is the analysis of primary data from the Brazilian International Development Cooperation (Cooperação Brasileira para o Desenvolvimento Internacional – Cobradi). It characterizes the Brazilian participation in the International Development Cooperation (IDC) agenda based on the implementation of the country’s cooperation for other developing countries. Relying on data from the Cobradi research gathered by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada – Ipea) since 2010 and by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (DAC/OECD), the article identifies four characteristics of the Brazilian IDC since 2005: over-representation, ambivalence, decentralization and instrumentalism. Although the article focuses essentially on identifying regularities and trends, it is inevitable to conclude that Brazil needs a more integrated IDC management system, as well as a framework to assess the impacts of public investment on this agenda, particularly the country’s contributions to international institutions.

Determinants of Climate-Related Development Finance: Policy Implications for South Korea's CRDF in Comparison with CRDF Trends of Japan, Germany, and France

As climate change is a global agenda that requires combined and collective global efforts, each country, developed or developing, needs to mainstream climate change policies, both domestic and external, to achieve its' Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets and ultimately the goals of the Paris Agreement (PA). For this end, climate finance, domestic or international, public or private, plays crucial role in the much-needed transitioning of carbon-intensive industries as well as adapting to the effects of climate change. This study, within the context of Climate-Related Development Finance (CRDF) for developing countries as part of bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA), aims to derive policy implications for South Korea's CRDF by means of empirical analyses of CRDF determinants for Japan, Germany, and France, which are one of the largest donor countries of CRDF among member countries of the Development Assistance Committee for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD DAC). South Korea should scale up CRDF to recipient countries to which export volume is comparatively higher, reflecting its economic interest, as largest donor countries do consider export volume in their CRDF allocations.

Financing needs to achieve Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement in Caribbean Small Island Developing States.

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Given high mitigation and adaptation costs and constrained domestic finances, they seek international funding to meet their climate objectives. This paper investigates Caribbean SIDS perspectives on the role of international climate finance in addressing climate change and its effectiveness in meeting climate goals. The paper first explored the climate financing needs of sixteen Caribbean SIDS through a content analysis of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It then compares the climate finance needs of the region with international climate finance commitments received by examining climate finance trends using data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee's (DAC) Creditor Reporting System (CRS). The study revealed large gaps in estimating the climate finance needs of the region, as well as important patterns in the way climate finance is being distributed across mitigation, adaptation and overlap activity; principal versus significant climate objective; recipient country; sector; and source and type of funding. These findings are useful to help countries make decisions about how international climate finance should be used, and how its impacts should be evaluated and a basis for climate finance negotiations and dialogue with bilateral development partners and multilateral climate funds, and to assess whether available funds are being put to good use and identify problems that need to be addressed.

Tackling antimicrobial resistance: developing and implementing antimicrobial stewardship interventions in four African commonwealth countries through a health partnership model.

In recent years, health partnerships have shared infection prevention and control innovations between United Kingdom hospitals and Low-Middle-Income Countries. However, none had focused on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), a core component of tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This paper documents an effective approach to developing a program to increase AMS capacity in four African countries: Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia as part of the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) program. A systematic approach was applied to assess gaps in AMS interventions and inform the development of the CwPAMS program through deskbased assessments, including National Action Plans on AMR, online focus group meetings, and expert advisory group reviews. Twelve partnerships were selected for the CwPAMS program. AMS support tools were developed based on recommendations from the scoping, including an AMS checklist tool, a healthcare worker knowledge and attitudes questionnaire, and an antimicrobial prescribing app to support clinical decision-making. Training workshops on AMS were developed and delivered to volunteers in Africa and the UK using a train-the-trainer model. The tools and workshops facilitated capacity building for AMS through the generation and strengthening of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems, and leadership among stakeholders in the UK and Africa. The overall average rating assigned to the program following independent evaluation using the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Assistance Committee Evaluation Criteria was very good. The evaluation also highlighted that the majority of the HPs (75%) focused on AMS and/or improved prescribing practice; all HPs have developed and implemented AMS strategies, guidelines, and tools within their hospitals; and NHS staff were able to translate the knowledge and skills they had received early on in the program into clinical practice in response to COVID-19 challenges.

Equilíbrio Pontuado no Complexo do Regime da Cooperação Internacional para o Desenvolvimento

Abstract In the past, International Development Cooperation (IDC) was an analogue for Official Development Assistance (ODA) in which three central institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (DAC/OECD) regulated the practices of donors and recipients. Recently, a far more complex and diversified scenario characterized by new actors and approaches is replacing this architecture. This paper analyses the transformations in the IDC field, interpreting these processes through an analytical framework of the sources of institutional change. One of its principal contributions is highlighting a pattern of “punctuated equilibrium” through a theory-guided historical analysis, that reflects both periods of stasis and innovation instead of a gradual process of change. We argue that innovation depends on dissatisfaction and shocks, and that the nature of invention depends on a homogeneity of interests among its prominent actors. This paper is based on a research agenda that applies the punctuated equilibrium concept of social theory to the analysis of international regime complexes.

Humanitarian Assistance in Japan's Foreign Policy: Basic Principles and Mechanisms for Providing Humanitarian Aid

Humanitarian assistance is one of the most important criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of foreign policy of a state. The provision of humanitarian aid is currently a key area of Japan's international activities and foreign policy. As one of the world's largest humanitarian aid donors and the oldest member of the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, Japan provides assistance in practically all areas of the world's conflicts and natural and anthropogenic hazards. Official Development Assistance (ODA) and humanitarian aid as its subspecies are considered as a practical tool for Japan's international humanitarian activities. Japan's experience in the field of humanitarian assistance is the object of research by both Japanese and foreign authors who evaluate Japanese humanitarian assistance in different ways. A distinctive feature of modern Japan's humanitarian assistance is an integrated approach to providing aid, with an emphasis on cooperation with international organizations and the attraction of available funds from various government departments and organizations. Japan plays a leading role in the field of humanitarian assistance in the international arena and takes an active part in shaping the international agenda in this area.

Dispositional Balancing and Hegemonic Order: US Response to China’s Financial Statecraft

Abstract How does the USA react to Chinese initiatives that gather allies from among the states that have been instrumental in sustaining the American-led liberal international order? We contend that Washington deploys dispositional balancing against Beijing, supporting this argument through a close scrutiny of US support for the projects of international developmental organisations (IDOs), such as multilateral development banks (MDBs), that target borrowing members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). In theoretical terms, dispositional balancing is a relatively cheap strategy whereby the hegemon (the USA) reacts to the emerging power (China) by signalling to both old and potential allies its immutable ability to match that rival’s benefits and hence retain its status and order. We build our theory through logit and linear models, tackling potential endogeneity through use of an instrumental variable strategy. In line with the theoretical expectations, we identify that the USA favours AIIB members, particularly those that also display high levels of dependency on Chinese aid, in IDOs/MDBs, wherein Beijing competes with traditional Western donors from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee. Our findings contribute to both the debates on hegemonic-order transitions and the growing scholarship on soft balancing, contested multilateralism, and collective financial statecraft.

Mitigating donor interests in the case of COVID-19 vaccine: the implication of COVAX and DAC membership

IntroductionThe COVID-19 vaccine donation process allegedly prioritised national interests over humanitarian needs. We thus examined how donors allocated vaccines by recipient country needs versus donor national interests and how such...

Recovering Sustainable Settlements for People Affected by Disaster: An Inclusive-Participatory Approach

Typhoon Damrey struck Vietnam in November 2017 and was the strongest storm to hit the country in over 15 years. It impacted 13 central coastal provinces. Many domestic and international organisations provided timely support to affected populations. These projects were successful in recovering settlements and rebuilding houses for affected people through the application of a participatory-inclusive approach. This paper evaluates the restoration of settlements and rebuilding of homes in international projects using a participatory approach. The Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance guide to the Development Assistance Committee criteria in Evaluations of Humanitarian Action was used to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability and replicability. Data collection included desk-based research and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from central to local authorities and beneficiary communities. The results showed that a transformation towards a participatory bottom-up approach is crucial for effective recovery and rebuilding efforts.