OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Slovenia 2024

Annex A. Progress since the 2017 DAC peer review recommendations

Towards a comprehensive Slovenian development effort

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations	Progress
Strengthen cross-government co-ordination on policy coherence for development, giving the inter-ministerial working body a co-ordination and policy arbitration role.	Not implemented The 2018 Strategy identifies policy coherence for development as one of the key principles, but co-ordination on this topic within the Permanent Coordination Group has not taken place. In 2023, the MFEA and the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency commissioned the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana to conduct a review of policy coherence for development to be completed in 2025.
Encourage all ministries to analyse specific opportunities for achieving policy coherence for development, and to raise them with the inter-ministerial working body for a whole-of-government discussion.	Not implemented The 2018 Strategy plans for the appointment of contact points at relevant ministries to report annually on policy coherence for development to the Permanent Coordination Group. Focal points have not been active due to lack of capacity in both the MFEA and line ministries.

Vision and policies for development co-operation

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations	Progress
Outline its approach to poverty eradication, particularly in the countries in the immediate neighbourhood.	Partially implemented The 2018 Strategy clearly identifies poverty eradication as an objective of development co-operation along with the goal of addressing inequality and achieving sustainable development. All standardised forms for project applications include a section on poverty, inequality and the SDGs. However, project selection is not based on poverty-focused context analysis.

Aid volume and allocation

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations

Progress

Tighten its thematic focus and geographic footprint so as to reduce fragmentation, and focus on its comparative advantage so as to increase impact.

Partially implemented The 2018 Strategy identifies geographic and thematic priorities with concentration targets. In line with these priorities, 69% of Slovenia’s gross bilateral ODA allocated by country or region was allocated to the Western Balkans in 2022. However, Slovenia's gross bilateral ODA was spread among 39 countries, with an average of less than USD 1 million for each country. New themes are emerging in Slovenia’s development co-operation programme, pointing to opportunities to further narrow its focus.

Organisation and management

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations	Progress
Adapt the framework programme to provide a comprehensive and coherent whole-of-government approach to its international development co-operation, including the development results it seeks to achieve.	Not implemented No framework programme has been adopted since 2016-19. The MFEA collects two-year budget plans from line ministries on an annual basis but does not use this opportunity to engage in strategic dialogue on the objectives, volume and modalities of development co-operation programmes.
Identify the human resources required across the Slovenian government to deliver a growing, high-quality development co-operation programme.	Partially implemented Since the Directorate was reestablished in 2022, staffing levels have increased. However, Slovenia’s human resources capacity falls short of its ambitious goals. The staff demonstrate commitment and dedication, yet challenges persist, among them a high rate of rotation, limited expertise, substantial workloads and the perception of development co-operation as a less attractive career path. Key roles critical to Slovenia’s 2018 Strategy – statistical reporting, development communications, global education, and evaluations and effectiveness, among others – have lacked assigned specialists or have been combined with other duties for an extended period.

Development co-operation delivery and partnerships

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations	Progress
Assess which multilateral organisations to work with to achieve its strategic aims more effectively – including ensuring support for least developed countries – and outline the results it expects from its contributions to specific multilateral organisations.	Partially implemented The 2018 Strategy identifies five key multilateral partners. To date, Slovenia contributes to more than 60 multilateral organisations and may want to reflect on principles for engagement, notably related to LDCs, gender and environment. Voluntary contributions to multilaterals, notably for humanitarian assistance, have rapidly increased in the past two years but are anticipated to decline in coming years.
Expand its partnerships with other donors to forge joint policy positions and programming.	Partially implemented Project documents include a section on how each project complements existing projects from other development partners. Slovenia has engaged in co-financing with other donors as well as co-ordinated Team Europe Initiatives. However, Slovenia does not engage actively in donor co-ordination groups.
Ensure that all stakeholders involved in Slovenia's development co-operation understand the importance of mainstreaming gender and environment across their activities and have the tools to be able to do so.	Partially implemented The 2018 Strategy incorporates both cross-cutting priorities. A gender expert was appointed by the Directorate, and guidelines for integrating gender equality were established that require gender analysis for all projects. However, efforts are required to strengthen capacity around and awareness of these guidelines. Progress on environmental issues remains limited. With no specific staff dedicated to environment, environmental guidelines are yet to be completed.
Define the nature of strategic partnerships with NGOs and the private sector and how they will be put into practice.	Implemented In 2023, Slovenia updated guidelines for its dialogue and engagement with NGOs as project implementers. These guidelines establish the framework for the strategic partnership modality, which has been effectively used for delivering Slovenia’s humanitarian aid through NGOs. Slovenia has a strategic partnership with a private company for evaluation and promotes NGO-private sector partnerships.

Results and accountability

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations	Progress
Create an evaluation culture across government in which all stakeholders integrate evaluation into their development co-operation efforts.	Partially implemented The MFEA has made efforts to adopt an evaluation plan for 2020-22 and to publish evaluation reports online, but no evaluation has been undertaken since 2020. In 2024, a new evaluation plan has been adopted and one staff in the MFEA has been appointed.
Encourage ministries and implementing partners to plan and manage for results.	Partially implemented The MFEA has rolled out standard project monitoring forms for NGOs and implementing institutions. Slovenia’s results are focused on outputs, and adopting a theory of change in each of Slovenia’s priority themes would allow Slovenia to ensure that each output leads to outcomes. Limited opportunities for MFEA trips to partner countries have constrained the ministry’s capacity to properly monitor, learn and adjust programming based on results.

Humanitarian assistance

 

2017 Peer Review Recommendations	Progress
Increase its participation in peace and fragility networks and systematise the deployment of its technical assistance to focus its efforts and build knowledge in fragile contexts outside the Western Balkan region.	Implemented Slovenia’s 2018 Strategy is aligned with the DAC Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. Slovenia is promoting this agenda through its 2024‑25 UN Security Council membership. Slovenia has also developed expertise on peace ODA and notably on demining through the ITF. In addition, Slovenia provides crisis responses in the Western Balkans region and beyond, anchored in the EU civil protection mechanism.
Consider how its flexible and multi-year humanitarian aid can be most effective.	Partially implemented Slovenia contributes to crisis responses through softly earmarked funds to international organisations. It has also moved towards multi-year humanitarian funding, establishing strategic partnerships with the ICRC and one humanitarian NGO for the period 2024-28 (in 2021-23, this was Karitas Slovenia). However, the MFEA faces challenges in rapidly allocating emergency funds due to the absence of contingency funds within the MFEA and constraints on accessing reserve funds from the Ministry of Finance.