Danish Development Cooperation from a Partner Country Perspective

Development cooperation is not just about providing assistance. It is also about providing useful policy advice and contributing to implementing reforms. This evaluation study aims to shed light on whether, when, and how Denmark informs or influences the policy priorities, processes, and outcomes of its counterpart countries. With fewer funds available for overseas development efforts, this question is increasingly significant for Denmark.

To assess Denmark’s performance from a partner country perspective, the study uses contributions from public, private, and civil society sector leaders in 40 low- and middle-income countries that participated in the 2014 Reform Efforts Survey. Participants provided first-hand insights into their experiences working with a variety of development partners and feedback on three aspects of performance: influence in setting the policy priorities, usefulness of advice in informing policy decisions, and helpfulness in reform implementation (i.e. translating ideas into action).

The study finds that long-term partnerships and focussed investments amplify Denmark’s influence and improve favourability in the eyes of key counterparts. Furthermore, Denmark’s current practice of frequently communicating with in-country stakeholders was identified as particularly fruitful.

The study was undertaken by AidData.

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