The National Planning Commission (NPC) in collaboration with stakeholders will today, Wednesday 27th August 2008, review and authenticate the draft of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) Annual Progress Report for 2007 at the Paradise Suite Hotel in Kololi.
The preparation of PRSP Annual Report forms part of the mandate of the National Planning Commission and as agreed with the country's development partners, to regularly report on the status of implementation of PRSP II. Thus, it is mandatory on government to submit an Annual Progress Report (APR) highlighting the achievements, failures, constraints and lessons learnt during the implementation.
The PRSP II is a framework that defines principles for government planning and budget execution for achieving meaningful poverty reduction, and its implementation is being overseen by the National Planning Commission (NPC), established by an Act of parliament in 2006 and put in place in 2007.
This is the first progress report covering the period of PRSP II implementation, from January to December 2007.
The report provides information and analysis regarding the achievements and shortfalls experienced between January and December 2007 with respect to the poverty targets, priority public actions, and the monitoring and evaluation systems put in place for the PRSP II. It further highlights recommendations on important changes necessary in the strategy as appropriate in light of implementation experience to date, and data needs to enhance analysis and measurement of progress made in reducing poverty and its dimensions.
As the main government report on the status of implementation of the national development agenda, the progress report informed and involved domestic stakeholders and partners on all issues regarding implementation in order to build support for smooth implementation of PRSP II.
The information in this report will further contribute to focusing government's budgetary allocation and pro-poor policies on key issues in fighting poverty and making PRSP II a reality.
It is likewise hoped that the report will help both government and partners to become responsive and focused on their promises and anticipation actions as evident in PRSP II priority areas as well as rally all development partners around PRSP II in the spirit of Paris Declaration principles.
