2023-24 total Australian ODA [budget estimate]

$1,098.0 million

2022-23 total Australian ODA [budget estimate]

$1,079.4 million

2021-22 total Australian ODA [actual]

$866.5 million

Governance: Partnerships for Recovery

With the pandemic placing protracted and extraordinary strain on Australia’s partner countries in the Indo-Pacific, assistance to strengthen governance is vital to support health security, stability and economic recovery in the region. Australia’s investments and assistance in governance will help partner countries to address the extraordinary demands on systems, maintain stability and underpin economic recovery.

As a central theme of Australia’s COVID-19 Country Response Plans, good governance is vital to strengthen institutions, ensure delivery of fundamental services including health and education, and underpin economic recovery by ensuring resources are allocated accountably, effectively and transparency. Actions that address these factors will give people confidence that governments and institutions are working in their interests, and delivering to the most vulnerable.

Governance investments are designed to deliver a range of crosscutting tools and insights to partner countries that assist them to devise the solutions required to respond to COVID-19. Australia’s bilateral and regional governance programs focus on strengthening institutions and public administration through support to parliaments, audit institutions, ombudsman, law enforcement agencies, elections administration and civil society. Australia also funds measures that improve public financial management, enhance transparency and assist countries to combat corruption to ensure that resources remain focussed on the COVID-19 recovery.

How we are helping

With a focus on contributing to the Stability Pillar of Partnerships for Recovery, Australia will support partner countries and regional institutions in the Indo-Pacific, and particularly in the Pacific, Timor-Leste and Southeast Asia to strengthen systems, build institutional capability, develop accountability arrangements and promote inclusiveness.

In recognition of the diversity of governance and institutional capabilities across the Indo-Pacific, COVID-19 country and regional development response plans are used to tailor Australia’s engagement and contributions to ensure they match the context. Australia’s approach will draw on long-term experience working with partner countries in public financial management, health, education, infrastructure, private sector development, social protection and delivery of core government functions. Bilateral support will be supplemented by regional investments that provide partner countries with access to specialist expertise and insights on governance challenges that span borders.

How we contribute

COVID-19 Country Response Plans outline support for governance in partner countries. In addition to bilateral investments, DFAT maintains partnerships with leading institutions in the Indo-Pacific and globally to access insights, expertise and networks that deepen Australia’s contributions to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Further information on global and regional Governance programs follow.

DFAT prioritises protection of Australia’s development funds from fraud. The fraud control program and framework supports the department to maintain a high level of service for its stakeholders, secures public money and property, and protects the integrity, security and reputation of the department.

Pillar 2 – stability and governance

Overview – global and regional governance, anti-corruption and justice programs

DFAT funds global, regional and bilateral governance, anti-corruption and justice programs that primarily focus on the stability pillar of Partnerships for Partnerships for Recovery and contribute to investments supporting the Economic Recovery pillar. Delivered by whole-of-government partners, non-government organisations and United Nations agencies, these programs provide policy advice and insights on a range of governance issues. Details of global and regional investments follow. Country-level investment is available through country development pages.

Development Leadership Program Phase III

$2.7 million, January 2018 to June 2022

The Developmental Leadership Program (DLP) is an international research led policy initiative that explores the critical role that leaders and leadership coalitions play in promoting or hindering development outcomes. DLP focuses on the role of homegrown leadership and coalitions in forging legitimate institutions that promote sustainable growth, political stability, and inclusive social development, and the role that internal and external actors can play in supporting these change processes. Further information: Development Leadership Program.

The Asia Foundation Responding to change: Supporting Australian Engagement in the Indo-Pacific

$1.8 million, May 2019 to April 2022

The program, Australian Engagement in the Indo-Pacific, provides relevant and high-quality tools, analysis and knowledge that will contribute to improving the effectiveness of DFAT's development policy and programs.

Transparency International’s Indo-Pacific Partnerships Program (TII-PPP)

$9.25 million, January 2020 to February 2024

Transparency International is a global civil society movement that combats corruption and helps communities to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity.

The TII-PPP is jointly funded by Australia with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) (NZD 3.5 million), and will initially work in ten countries including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Indonesia, Mongolia, Maldives, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal and Pakistan.

The national TI chapters in Australia and New Zealand are playing an active mentoring role to other chapters in the region.