Policymakers, donors and civil society representatives met in Busan, Korea in November with the aim of reviewing global progress on development aid. Sophie Haspelagh, our Policy Analyst, added Conciliation Resources’ expertise to discussions on aid effectiveness in conflict affected and fragile states.

Not one low-income fragile or conflict-affected state has yet achieved a single Millennium Development Goal. The fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, from 29 November to 1 December, was intended to result in new commitments to ensure aid has its intended effects in reducing poverty and improving quality of life.

This international dialogue event was the culmination of months of preliminary meetings and aimed to build on the progress of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) and the Accra Agenda for Action (2008).

The result of efforts in Busan was A new deal for engagement in fragile states which sets out five goals — legitimate politics, justice, security, economic foundations and revenues and services — to give clarity on the priorities in fragile states.