British agency denies charges
THE
Department for International Development (Dfid), Nepal’s ‘largest’
bilateral donor, has refuted charges that the British government aid
agency has been slow in adapting its projects to fit the evolving
political situation here. Failing to adapt to political changes was one
of the criticisms levelled at Dfid by the Independent Commission for Aid
Impact (ICAI), which reviews UKfunded projects. In its report published
in February on Dfid-Nepal’s Peace and Security Programme, the ICAI
found Dfid-Nepal lacking in oversight of its delivery partners and in
its use of adequate tools for cost-benefit analysis of its projects.
Dfid’s Peace and Security Programme is one of the projects under
governance and security in Nepal. The programme covers five projects,
such as rehabilitation of former Maoist child soldiers, access to
justice for women and Madhesi people, and police reforms. “We continue
to adapt and check all our delivery programmes... We want to deliver the
outcome whatever the political situation is... We call it delivering at
the face of uncertainty,” said Dominic O’Neill, head of Dfid-Nepal,
responding to the criticisms. The ICAI report is also critical of Dfid’s
Police Modernisation Project, which after two years of approval was
cancelled following the ICAI review. The project was designed to support
the Nepal Police. “The balance of the final proposal was towards
highlevel technical assistance,” said the Dfid-Nepal chief. “This was a
service delivery project.” “And I don’t think the [Nepal] government
wanted us to bring expensive international technical assistance.”
Although the Nepal Police Modernisation Project has now been terminated,
the UK government is developing another police reform project for
Nepal.
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