Cooperation with Arab Donors (CAD)
Project description
Title: Cooperation with Arab Donors (CAD)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Countries: Jordan/regional projects (MENA)
Lead executing agency: Ministry for Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC); Jordan Ministry of Planning
Overall term: 2009 to 2022
Context
The Arab Gulf countries are among the largest donors in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). In recent years, these countries have become increasingly involved in joint activities with the international donor community, including through joint work in the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Inadequate coordination mechanisms and a lack of knowledge of the respective processes and development policy orientations continue to hamper efficient cooperation between German and Arab Development Cooperation (DC) actors. However, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations call for closer cooperation between development cooperation actors: SDG 17 aims to strengthen these global partnerships.
In order to facilitate a common understanding between German and Arab Gulf DC, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the regional programme Cooperation with Arab Donors (CAD). Initiated in 2009, the project aims to improve cooperation between German development actors and Arab donors in the MENA region.
Objective
German and Arab DC actors’ understanding of joint cooperation development approaches has improved.
Approach
The project promotes triangular cooperation and interdisciplinary partnerships, organises knowledge exchange and helps improve coordination and harmonisation between German and Arab DC actors. The project provides funds and resources for joint development approaches between German and Arab DC actors in order to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in partner countries more efficiently.
The project is also closely aligned with the results of the dialogue events between OECD-DAC and the Arab Donor Coordination Group (ADCG). This promotes triangular cooperation and other forms of cooperation between western and Arab donors via joint meetings and data exchange. From a thematic perspective, the project contributes to the implementation of the key points of the Deauville Partnership. The objective is to provide the transition countries with political and financial support for reform processes and to improve the coordination of this international support. Together with Arab donors, measures for financial inclusion, the economic empowerment of women and the strengthening of civil society in North Africa and the Middle East are being financed and implemented. By engaging in cooperation with Arab donors on combating the refugee crisis, the project complements the German Government’s special initiatives on ‘Stabilisation and development in North Africa and the Middle East’ and ‘Tackling the root causes of displacement and reintegrating refugees’.
Results
In its fourth phase, the project continues to promote knowledge and dialogue exchanges between Arab donor organisations and German development cooperation and carries out joint projects.
With the help of an Open Regional Fund (ORF), the CAD project and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) support measures to assist young people in establishing small businesses. The objective is to fund small and medium-sized enterprises in the Palestinian territories (West Bank, including East Jerusalem). The project provides young Palestinians with improved access to the domestic labour market. A total of 65 project ideas that have been submitted for start-ups are being supported, At the end of 2019, 130 entrepreneurs had gained basic entrepreneurial skills to develop new ideas that can become start-ups. Beneficiaries acquired new skills in communication, business creation, presentation and pitching, which have increased their confidence and marketability. Out of a total of 65 project ideas that had been submitted for start-up support, which in turn can generate a secure income, twelve were selected to receive seed investment and post-acceleration training.
At the end of 2018, CAD supported Jordanian education providers with the establishment of co-financing with the Kuwait Foundation for Advancement Sciences (KFAS). The co-financed measures began in the first quarter of 2019 and aim to train 150 young Syrians between the ages of 18 and 35 in the information technology sector. KFAS is co-financing the project with a contribution valued at around 1.4 million Euros.
In previous phases, CAD and the OPEC Fund for International Development in Jordan cooperated in different projects with the local institutions MADRASATI Initiative and the Jordan River Foundation. The Safe and Creative School Spaces in Jordan Project was launched in response to the influx of refugees from Syria and the challenges Jordan faced as a result. The objective was to improve the learning environment and the quality of teaching in schools with a high proportion of Syrian refugee children, and to facilitate the integration of refugees into the host communities.
The project also has a multi-year partnership with the multilateral donor Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND). Three projects for the financial inclusion of women in Yemen (each co-financed) were carried out by the non-governmental organisation Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR) based in Tunis. A Memorandum of Understanding concluded with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in May 2017 and will be renewed in 2020. Other partners from the previous phases are the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and Silatech.