PROGRESS ON USE OF OPEN DATA ON DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

IATI Regional Workshop on Data Use at Country Level, Accra -19-20 March 2015

Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development

MALAWI

Open Data – Malawi Experience

• Remains a Min. of Finance and DPs’ platform • Not much done on sensitizing other users of the data available on IATI, e.g line ministries, CSOs, Media and the public • Plans are under way to engage other users • IATI registry and other open data sources capture other flows not reported at country level • E.g. Global and regional projects managed from DP HQs • Malawi implements Aid Management Platform • Adopts IATI standard of reporting

Use of Open Data on Development Resources

• Quality information on development resources: • Enables better management and coordination of development assistance, e.g data on AMP • Helps in planning and budgeting • Enhances transparency and accountability of development cooperation • Open data provides a reference point for dialogue on development effectiveness agenda • Dialogue division of labour and coordination among providers of support • Informs the Development of Country Assistance Strategies for development partners • Most DPs refer to aid data on AMP when developing their Assistance Strategies to guide where to target their support

Country Level Challenges

• Connectivity problems – most open data sources are online • Data quality – forward looking info a challenge • Sensitisation – • Not many stakeholders are aware of available sources of open data on development cooperation • Capacities to manage and use the open data • Personnel and expertise – over reliance on system providers • Business as usual mindset • Failing to recognise the importance of other open data sources because of being used to the AMP • eg IATI, open contracting, publish what u fund etc.

Future Plans for Malawi

• Upgrading the AMP and linking it to IATI • Integrating AMP with other government systems e.g. IFMIS & PSIP   To capture expenditure data; and data on government funded projects To provide a complete picture of development funding to the public through the Public Portal on AMP • Finalizing rollout to line ministry and local governments • Including INGOs and Foundations on AMP • Sensitizing stakeholders and the public on AMP and IATI • Create linkages with other open data initiatives with support from Open Aid Partnership of World Bank

THANK YOU