RESEARCH & DISSEMINATION

We draw on expertise from across ODI and beyond produce cutting edge research into public finance management in fragile states.

We are primarily concerned with three overarching questions:

1. How do budgeting and public finance management work in fragile states?
2. How do reforms work, and how can they be made to work better?
3. How can external actors enable and support positive change?

Our research agenda is driven by the technical assistance and policy advice we provide to partner countries. This allows us a unique vantage point in which to view the challenges faced by fragile states. In turn, our research informs the policy advice and assistance we provide, filling gaps in knowledge of how to improve public finance management and development assistance in fragile states.

We produce outputs for variety of audiences: from citizens and policy makers in fragile states; to academics, donors and development professionals. And we actively disseminate our research through events, local and international media, and by producing content for a range of online and offline platforms.

Highlights include:

• Accelerating the transition out of fragility - the role of finance and public financial management reform
  A jointly held conference with the IMF that focussed on the practical and policy aspects of how to use finance to support fragile states in their transition out of fragility and the associated implications for public financial management.
• The use of innovative aid instruments in support of Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
  An OECD funded paper on improving aid to fragile states prepared for the second global meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacbuilding and Statebuilding held in Monrovia in June 2011.
• Post-war programme implementation and procurement: some lessons from the experience of Afghanistan
  A paper describing the experiences of programme implementation and procurement in Afghanistan and setting out lessons for other countries coming out of prolonged fragility and conflict. 
• Fragile states: measuring what makes a good pooled fund
  A paper that presents a potential tool for scoring and comparing the effectiveness of pooled funds, and applies the tool to funds in Afghanistan, South Sudan and Liberia. 
• Getting better results from assistance to fragile states
  An Briefing Paper looking at the step-change required to improve financial flexibility, accountability and predictability in fragile states. 
• A guide to public financial management literature for practitioners in developing countries
  A guide providing handbooks, guidance notes and articles useful for people implementing public financial management systems in developing countries.