1.5 UNDP in Ghana

One of the most important reforms impacting the overall policy context has been the government’s articulation of a new development paradigm, Ghana Beyond Aid.46 This new paradigm sets the long‑term national agenda, acknowledging that self‑reliance is at the core of a country’s development. The impact of Ghana Beyond Aid is two‑fold.47 First it sends a clear message that Ghana wants to immediately begin the transition away from traditional development assistance programmes to trade and investment. The second impact has combined with Ghana’s status as a LMIC leading to a significant decrease in the availability of development assistance resources,48 as donor countries have shifted funds to countries with more urgent development needs and through international and local civil society organizations or bilaterals.

As of November 2021, Ghana has had over 130,000 confirmed cases of COVID‑19. It has registered just under 1200 deaths since the start of the pandemic, with only around 8 percent of the population receiving at least one dose of vaccine.49 Large parts of the country were put in full or partial lock‑down during 2020, and borders with neighbouring countries were closed, limiting economic activity and affecting businesses and household income (see annex 8). In 2020 the government launched theCOVID‑19 Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprises Support (CARES) programme, a GH¢100 billion (over $160 million – 0.2 percent of GDP) initiative to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, and stabilize, revitalize and transform the country’s economy to create jobs and prosperity for Ghanaians over a three‑and‑a‑half‑year period.50 It is sequenced in two phases: a Stabilization Phase running from July to end 2020; and a medium‑term Revitalization Phase from 2021‑2023. The Government of Ghana aims to ensure that job creation and other benefits of Ghana CARES are inclusive, in particular, by supporting women‑owned businesses and ensuring that there is gender equality in access to employment.

UNDP’s strategy and programming in Ghana has evolved significantly over time. During the late 1990s, UNDP positioned itself as a key player in coordinating aid to Ghana. UNDP piloted initiatives for decentralized development, focusing most of its efforts at the district level, with limited linkage to upstream policy. Recognizing the limitations of this approach, in the 2002‑2005 programming cycle, UNDP aimed to link district level catalytic projects with upstream work at national level, such as strengthening the capacity of the government for policy analysis and policy formulation. The emphasis on upstream activities grew in the 2006‑2011 cycle, when UNDP increasingly envisaged itself as a knowledge‑based organization providing a wide range of advisory services to its partners. Pilot projects continued to be part of the strategy, serving as vehicles for evidence‑based policy development.51 The programme focused on consolidation of democracy, wealth creation and empowerment of the poor, and vulnerability reduction and environmental sustainability. UNDP maintained this approach in the 2012‑2017 programme period, and also promoted national action on global priorities – the environment, climate change, and gender issues. Against the backdrop of Ghana’s rise to LMIC status, UNDP work focused on making effective use of an expanded resource base to advance equitable development and consolidation of political transformation. Main areas of work included sustainable human development, inclusive growth and democratic governance and consolidation of peace.52

46 NDPC, April 2019. Ghana Beyond Aid Charter and Strategy Document. 47 Numerous interviews with GOG, multi‑ and bilateral development partners and UN staff. 48 Ibid. Moss, Todd and Stephanie Majerowicz. 49 John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre. Last accessed November 2021: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/ghana. 50 https://www.mofep.gov.gh/sites/default/files/news/care‑program.pdf. 51 Assessment of Development Results, Ghana, 2011. 52 Country programme document (CPD) Ghana 2012‑2016, Country Programme Evaluation of UNDP supported programme 2012‑2017 Final Report.