The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) conducts periodic reviews of the individual development co-operation efforts of DAC members. The policies and programmes of each member are critically examined approximately once every five years, with six members examined annually. The OECD Development Co-operation Directorate provides analytical support, and develops and maintains, in close consultation with the Committee, the methodology and analytical framework – known as the Reference Guide – within which the peer reviews are undertaken.

Poland celebrated its 20th anniversary as an OECD member in 2016. On this occasion, it emphasised that the central objective of its active membership of the OECD is “working together to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world”. Over the past 20 years, Poland has experienced significant economic growth and development. It is for example, catching up with other OECD countries in terms of GDP per capita, which stood at USD 25 825 in 2015 (OECD, 2016a; OECD, 2016b).

Poland participates actively in international efforts to address global public risks and to promote development-relevant global public policies. Within the European Union, Poland has initiated and strongly promotes the Eastern Partnership initiative as a key factor in promoting stability and successful transformation in the European Union’s neighbourhood. Poland should make sure that its new Strategy for Responsible Development takes a coherent approach to supporting the implementation and monitoring of Agenda 2030 at both national and global levels.

Poland’s clear overall vision and priorities for development co-operation are underpinned by principles of democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and solidarity. Development co-operation has gained credibility as a tool of Polish foreign policy. Going forward, Poland should clarify how the focus on development co-operation in foreign policy aligns with the socio-economic and poverty reduction objectives of the 2011 Development Cooperation Act. Poland has vetted its new multi-annual programme from the perspective of the SDGs. It could build on this by making a clear statement on how its development co-operation will contribute to achieving Agenda 2030 and ensuring that its development co-operation commitments are integrated into national efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At the 2015 Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Poland reiterated its commitment to providing 0.33% of its gross national income as official development assistance (ODA) by 2030. Delivering on this commitment will require strong political leadership and an ambitious plan for increasing ODA. Poland is improving its statistical reporting to the DAC’s Creditor Reporting System. It should increase the grant element of bilateral aid to least developed countries, untie this aid and improve aid predictability.

Poland has sound institutional foundations for its development co-operation. It continues to strengthen its structures and systems on the basis of experience. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs uses the multiannual programming process and annual planning effectively as tools to co-ordinate Polish aid and to raise awareness and ownership of the overall strategic objectives. Poland should build on these achievements by making the most of synergies among activities financed by the special reserve budget and other ministries. The structure and systems in the Development Cooperation Department reflect its responsibilities and the current business model. However, the business model needs to be adapted to ensure that Polish aid is capable of responding in a timely manner to changing development co-operation priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals, and needs in partner countries.

Poland seeks to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its development co-operation, including by meeting its Busan commitments. Its 2016-2020 multiannual programme prioritises greater transparency, less fragmented aid and greater partner country ownership. Poland should adapt and refine its budgeting and programming processes to achieve these objectives. It needs especially to increase aid predictability, develop more demand-driven programmes with its partner countries and untie its aid.

Poland is taking steps to plan for results and monitor results indicators through its projects. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) could take its results-based management system a step further by promoting an institutional culture that values and learns from results and making stronger links between programme and project results. Poland would also benefit from a more coherent overview of how its total bilateral and multilateral co-operation activities contribute to the development co-operation objectives set out in the 2011 Development Cooperation Act. As it works towards strengthening the results focus of its development co-operation, Poland can learn from the experiences of other providers on results chains, aligning with partner country’s results frameworks and using results for decision making.

Poland has a solid policy and strategic humanitarian framework. Within its limited budget, Poland has clear priorities which shape its humanitarian assistance. However, Poland’s humanitarian aid could be more coherent with its development co-operation objectives, notably in Ukraine where Poland is using a broad spectrum of instruments to respond to the crisis. Poland is becoming a more ambitious humanitarian donor, particularly in Africa. Within the existing budget Poland should avoid fragmentation and continue focusing on a few priorities where it can play a valuable role during a humanitarian and crisis response.