Accra, July 16, GNA-Finance Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu on Thursday announced government's intention to outdoor an aid policy as Ghana prepares to host the third High Level Forum (HLF) on Aid Effectiveness in Accra next September.

He told Parliament in Accra that despite positive medium term public finance outlook, external assistance would continue to be an important source of financing as Ghana pursued its vision of attaining middle income status by 2015.

"To this end, the policy sets out Government's preferred types and forms of external assistance to ensure increased alignment of aid with country priorities; better support aid for capacity development in government, and improved aid effectiveness through strengthened country ownership," Mr Baah-Wiredu said. The policy would also outline Government's internal aid management policies and procedures in order to improve aid management as well as define clearer structures for dialogue between Government of Ghana and Development Partners in order to improve Government's ability to lead the process of aid development. The Minister said Government hoped to conclude consultation on this document and have it ready before the Forum, which is scheduled for September 2 to 4.

Ministers from over 100 countries, heads of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, donor and civil society organizations from around the world have been invited to attend the forum, which would have the primary objectives of among others, to review the progress of implementing the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The Paris Declaration is grounded on mutually reinforcing principles of ownership, whereby partner countries exercise effective leadership over their development policies, alignment where donors base their overall support on partner countries' national development strategies, and the harmonization of donors actions. The other two principles are managing for results and mutual accountability of donors and partners for development results. Mr. Baah-Wiredu said the Accra Forum would be made up of three complementary segments, a three-day exhibition that would provide a platform for information sharing, nine half-day roundtables and ministerial level meeting. He urged selected MPs who would be invited to participate in the Forum, to give the Forum their fullest participation to ensure that the Triple A document- the outcome of the statement of the Forum, would provide a solid ground to "guide us all to achieve both the commitments and targets of the Paris Declaration." The House also approved a loan agreement between the Government of Ghana and the African Development Bank for an amount of US$60,000,000 to support the Northern Rural Growth Programme. 16 July 08