This study makes an assessment of the methodology of the first DFAs, formerly known as development finance and aid assessments (DFAAs), carried out in Asia-Pacific prior to the 2015 Conference on Financing for Development.
The DFAAs were introduced as the very first development finance studies of their kind and sought to move away from fragmented views on the use of the different sources of funds that are primarily dedicated to addressing development issues. The DFAAs aimed to help countries to review how their own stated national development policy aims were being reflected in public expenditures more broadly and how institutions might be adjusted to ensure that development finance is delivered in a coherent way across all areas of government.
This paper provides a comparative analysis of:
- the methodology used in the four DFAAs done to date;
- the initial findings that have emerged from the DFAAs; and
- the recommendations that have been made to take the work forward at a country level.
Drawing from this body of work, a number of proposals are then made, which look at how the methodology could be improved upon for future studies. Proposals are also made for potential complementary analyses and support that would be required to take the DFAA analyses forward.