The Challenge of Being ‘Backbone-minded’

How can we bring the principles of the Backbone Strategy on Technical Cooperation Reform into supporting infrastructure programmes? How can we be Backbone-minded? These were the themes of a recent internal session at EuropeAid headquarters.

AIDCO Unit E7, which is in charge of quality assurance on transport, water, energy and urban development programmes, organised the internal session on how to bring The Backbone Strategy into daily operations.

The Backbone Strategy is of particular interest in the transport and water domains because of the recent major challenges related to sector policy and reforms and the need to rethink traditional institutional support.

Such challenges can only be met through country-led internalisation of processes that reinforce local capacities. The traditional technical assistance approach, over the long term, has clearly demonstrated its limits in respect of ownership and sustainability.

Infrastructures programmes also consume large quantities of technical assistance through supervision missions.

The discussion focused on building a common understanding of the Backbone Strategy. Participants also analysed how to tackle Backbone Strategy issues in the specific context of works programmes, their supervision and give some recommendations.

To watch a 1.30 minute video clip of the session, click on the icon below.

This lively three hour session included:

- a quick overview of the main principles of the Backbone Strategy

- the Backbone Strategy in practice through the analysis of three case studies: one sector budget support programme, one institutional support programme and one works programme with its supervision mission

- an inventory of the different daily tasks of E7 personnel and how to be more Backbone-minded when executing these tasks

The discussion concluded that support to the Backbone Strategy approach is a continuing process relevant throughout the project cycle.

Attendees agreed that the contributions should not be limited to quality assurance systems (QSG 1 and QSG 2 analyses), but instead should be extended to activities including: seminars, delegations networking, programming support, dissemination of information and best practices (through websites, e-forum, etc) and contacts with other donors and international organisations.

To watch a powerpoint presentation from the session, click on the attachment to this article.