Finland's first Development Policy Results Report 2018 submitted to Parliament

Finland's first Development Policy Results Report 2018, submitted to Parliament today, shows that significant positive results have been achieved in the developing countries through support from Finland and its partner countries.

Women's and girls' right to bodily integrity has improved and Finland's support has helped people adapt to climate change: approximately 1.5 million women and girls have received sexual and reproductive health services, nearly six million people have been provided toilets, and 2.5 million people have got access to clean water. 

The Report comprises results that have been reported in 2015–2018. This is the first time that aggregated results are presented of programmes carried out in different parts of the world.

"The Report describes Finland's participation in the resolution of the big problems of our time. People in Finland can be proud of this work. I am particularly happy about the achievements reached in the promotion of the rights of women and girls," says Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen.

The Report proves that Finland and its partners achieve the goals set for development policy quite  well. The best results have been attained when financial assistance has been combined with dialogue, expertise and exercise of influence as well as Finnish values.

Challenges arise from the operating environment in the developing countries: armed and other conflicts, aggravated confrontations and various instabilities. In addition, climate change is threatening to undermine many development results that have already been achieved. The cuts in development cooperation appropriations have made it more difficult to modify activities in a flexible manner and less results have been achieved. The Report shows that there is room for improvement in the sustainablity of results and the achievement of the desired wide impacts in societies.

"One of the key messages of the Report is need of long-term commitment. Changes in society take time. In the coming years, it is important to adhere to the kind of work that produces good results. At the same time, development cooperation must renew itself to be able to respond to changes in  the operating environments," Minister Virolainen says.

According to the conclusions, it would be wise for Finland to focus enough resources to support the most important objectives and to ensure that different policies are harnessed to promote the joint sustainable development goals.

Finland's first Development Policy Results Report 2018 also provides a review of external evaluations of development policy and of risk management.

"It is clear that development cooperation involves risks: it is not possible to anticipate everything and the desired results are not always reached. However, the Report shows how funding and its results and impacts are monitored," Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Virolainen says.

The Report will be discussed in Parliament in November on the basis of the Prime Minister's announcement. The Report is the first of its kind.  It has been prepared in response to Parliament's request and it will be submitted to Parliament in accordance with the Government Report on Development Policy of 2016. Finland's development policy and development cooperation form an important part of Finland's foreign and security policy and Finland's contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Report was published at a large seminar for stakeholders, led by Minister Virolainen.  Comments on the Report were presented by Aila Paloniemi, Chair of the Development Policy Committee, Jaakko Kangasniemi, CEO of Finnfund, and Juha-Erkki Mäntyniemi, Executive Director at the Finnish platform for development NGOs.

 

Read

· Summary of the Report (pdf)

 

Inquiries:

Juha Kirstilä, Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, tel. +358 40 552 8200

Satu Santala, Director General, tel. +358 40 752 1770

Milma Kettunen, Communications Specialist, tel. +358 50 406 5533