DFID's achievements

What DFID accomplished in Georgia

Governance | Regional development | Health-care reform | European integration | Conflict resolution | Why DFID is leaving | The future

Some £80 million of aid was given to Georgia by the UK between 1991 and 2008, either directly or through various organisations. Through it, DFID contributed to the country's overall reform process by working with the government of Georgia to:

• reduce rural poverty by introducing new approaches to regional planning
• improve governance by reforming public financial management systems
• establish modern primary health-care systems support Georgia’s engagement with the European Union (EU)
• prevent conflict
• contribute to reforms in the Civil Registry Agency so that Georgians can easily register births, deaths, and marriages.

Governance

DFID’s assistance enabled the Georgian government to deliver core public services better through the improved linking of plans to budgets. Following the reformation of the country’s financial management systems, the government was able to make better estimates of need and create a three-year spending plan.

By encouraging civil society and the media to scrutinise its actions, we also helped the government become more responsive to and accountable for the decisions it makes on public spending. For the first time, there has been public debate on the budget, which the government has supported with a tailored website and a ‘citizens’ guide’ to it. In the health sector, a group of NGOs (non-governmental organisations) prompted real debate within the ministries of health and environment, leading to a revision of the budget for mental healthcare services.

More generally, public spending is now better planned and targeted, more coherent and transparent and, therefore, more effective. This reform programme will continue until 2010–11, supported by the World Bank and other donors.

Regional development

DFID encouraged a new, more ‘inclusive’ approach to development in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in southern Georgia. Decisions affecting local communities are now made through consultations between a wide range of local businesses and NGOs – which identify key needs in their regions, analyse development opportunities and propose solutions – and regional authorities.

This has resulted in more open, effective and accountable local government. Rural communities are now increasingly involved in decisions to improve the state of small businesses and the lives of farmers and their families.

Primary health-care reform

DFID helped the government of Georgia to modernise its primary health-care system. Through our funding, five demonstration/training centres were established to deliver ‘family medicine’ – that is, close-to-home services for families and individuals of all ages, which address the all-round health needs of patients.

We also worked with the government to develop policies and systems to improve poor people’s access to health services and to increase health service management skills in the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs. The European Commission (EC) and the World Bank will continue to support many of these activities.

European integration

DFID worked with the government on a series of activities to improve local understanding of how to make effective use of EC programmes and to enhance the engagement between the European Union (EU) and Georgia. These activities have included:

• public debates between civil society and the governments of the South Caucasus – Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan – on European integration from a regional perspective
• policy research papers to help these governments address the commitments outlined in their European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) action plans
• an international conference on the implementation of the Georgia’s ENP action plan
• the bringing together of key stakeholders from government agencies and civil society to help the government agree an informed position on the free trade agreement with the EU.

These initiatives raised public awareness of the practical benefits of European integration and encouraged better dialogue on the EU between the government and public policy organisations.

Conflict resolution

The UK Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP) aims to improve the effectiveness of UK and international support for conflict prevention by addressing the long-term structural causes of conflict, managing regional and national tensions and violence, and supporting confidence-building measures on both sides of the conflict divide.

Through the CPP, DFID worked with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence on peace-building initiatives to do with the disputed regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In the aftermath of the 2008 conflict between Georgia and Russia over these areas, the UK committed £4 million to humanitarian agencies to assist civilians affected by the conflict, including £2 million to help internally displaced people through the winter. In addition, around £2 million was committed through the CPP for conflict prevention projects in the South Caucasus, including Georgia, in 2008-09.