Ghana's Common Country Assessment launched

Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

The Government of Ghana and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday launched a co-ordinating programme of action to harmonise support from Ghana's development partners and strengthen the country's long term development framework.

The programme, known as the "Common Country Assessment", will review and analyse Ghana's development situation and identify key issues and causes of development problems.

It will also analyse the needs and priorities, which would define the purpose and strategy of United Nations System development assistance to Ghana.

Participants include UN agencies, the World Bank, government agencies, civil society and the private sector, donor community and non-governmental organisations.

Mr Moses Asaga, a Deputy Minister of Finance, who chaired the function, traced the programme to a 1997 UN reform initiative by Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, and endorsed by the General Assembly for country level development operations.

The UN initiative - UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) - lays the foundation for co-operation among the UN system, government and other development partners.