UNB, Dhaka :
The Economic Relations Division (ERD) is likely to frame an online system by the year-end, aiming to strengthen transparency and effectiveness of aid management in Bangladesh for both the government and the development partners through tracking incoming aid flows.
The online system, called Aid Information Management System (AIMS), is a software application that records and processes information on development activities and related aid flows in a given country.
“AIMS captures project level information on commitments, disbursements and expenditures by donor, implementer, sector and geographic location,” an ERD official involved with the process told UNB.
He said AIMS will help strengthen transparency and effectiveness in the country’s aid management.
“ERD wants to make sure AIMS is fully adapted to the needs of all its future users-government, civil society organisations, development partners and the public at large. This is why AIMS is being designed through a wide consultative process,” he added.
Contacted, ERD Additional Secretary Arastoo Khan told UNB that the main objectives of AIMS are to ensure accountability and transparency of aid management in the country and said it would be online web-based system, and the development partners would update their aid disbursements to the government, civil society organisations and NGOs quarterly.
The ERD Additional Secretary also said the common people will also have the access to the online version to a certain level, and the system is likely to be in place officially by December next.
Meanwhile, the ERD organised a meeting on May 11 to share the ‘beta version’ of the AIMS software with various stakeholders, including development partners and civil society organisations.
This ‘beta version’ is an online testing version of the future data base. ERD would now like to receive comments and suggestions from various stakeholders like development partners and civil society organisations further customisation of the application as necessary.
Speaking about the main objectives of the AIMS, another official at the ERD said AIMS looks to provide a common information sharing platform for government, development partners and all other stakeholders, in order to increase aid transparency, strengthen mutual accountability, improve aid coordination, strengthen alignment and allow for more efficient aid management.
He said that AIMS is an essential tool to implement international mutual commitments reflected in the Paris Declaration of Aid Effectiveness (2005), the Accra Agenda for Action (2008), the Busan Partnership Document (2011) and the Mexico Communique (2014).
About the possible benefits of AIMS, the official said that the AIMS will ensure transparency in which it will capture all incoming aid flows in Bangladesh, how they are used and managed.
Besides, the designing of the database was done and a prototype of the AIMS was developed, the prototype was disseminated among stakeholders and further improvement of design has been accomplished by incorporating the comments and inputs of the stakeholders.
Later, a User Requirement Specification (URS) and Software Requirement Specification (SRS) for AIMS have been prepared. Meanwhile, a Focus Group, comprising officials from 9 wings of ERD was formed to provide guidance as well as to oversee the implementation of AIMS.
The User Acceptance Test (UAT) version (off line testing version) was released and a consultation workshop was held to demonstrate and share various aspects of the UAT version of AIMS with the ERD Officials to receive their feedback and recommendations.
The Economic Relations Division (ERD) is likely to frame an online system by the year-end, aiming to strengthen transparency and effectiveness of aid management in Bangladesh for both the government and the development partners through tracking incoming aid flows.
The online system, called Aid Information Management System (AIMS), is a software application that records and processes information on development activities and related aid flows in a given country.
“AIMS captures project level information on commitments, disbursements and expenditures by donor, implementer, sector and geographic location,” an ERD official involved with the process told UNB.
He said AIMS will help strengthen transparency and effectiveness in the country’s aid management.
“ERD wants to make sure AIMS is fully adapted to the needs of all its future users-government, civil society organisations, development partners and the public at large. This is why AIMS is being designed through a wide consultative process,” he added.
Contacted, ERD Additional Secretary Arastoo Khan told UNB that the main objectives of AIMS are to ensure accountability and transparency of aid management in the country and said it would be online web-based system, and the development partners would update their aid disbursements to the government, civil society organisations and NGOs quarterly.
The ERD Additional Secretary also said the common people will also have the access to the online version to a certain level, and the system is likely to be in place officially by December next.
Meanwhile, the ERD organised a meeting on May 11 to share the ‘beta version’ of the AIMS software with various stakeholders, including development partners and civil society organisations.
This ‘beta version’ is an online testing version of the future data base. ERD would now like to receive comments and suggestions from various stakeholders like development partners and civil society organisations further customisation of the application as necessary.
Speaking about the main objectives of the AIMS, another official at the ERD said AIMS looks to provide a common information sharing platform for government, development partners and all other stakeholders, in order to increase aid transparency, strengthen mutual accountability, improve aid coordination, strengthen alignment and allow for more efficient aid management.
He said that AIMS is an essential tool to implement international mutual commitments reflected in the Paris Declaration of Aid Effectiveness (2005), the Accra Agenda for Action (2008), the Busan Partnership Document (2011) and the Mexico Communique (2014).
About the possible benefits of AIMS, the official said that the AIMS will ensure transparency in which it will capture all incoming aid flows in Bangladesh, how they are used and managed.
Besides, the designing of the database was done and a prototype of the AIMS was developed, the prototype was disseminated among stakeholders and further improvement of design has been accomplished by incorporating the comments and inputs of the stakeholders.
Later, a User Requirement Specification (URS) and Software Requirement Specification (SRS) for AIMS have been prepared. Meanwhile, a Focus Group, comprising officials from 9 wings of ERD was formed to provide guidance as well as to oversee the implementation of AIMS.
The User Acceptance Test (UAT) version (off line testing version) was released and a consultation workshop was held to demonstrate and share various aspects of the UAT version of AIMS with the ERD Officials to receive their feedback and recommendations.
