To ensure that our core strategies can be implemented with tangible effect throughout the normal course of operations, we have developed a set of project planning principles designed to improve effectiveness and results by standardizing the way we carry out our assistance projects.

Implementing a Project-oriented Methodology

International development assistance has evolved into a highly specialized field. The primary methodology of all major aid organizations is to follow a project cycle, beginning by defining project concepts and then moving through project design, implementation and supervision in a series of step-by-step procedures.

Following this integrated approach as practiced by major aid organizations, we have developed a well-planned, medium- to long-term plan to strengthen aid effectiveness, which requires all projects to be implemented in a project-oriented manner. We now follow the project cycle and have adopted a design and monitoring framework, with indicators designed to measure project impacts, outcomes and outputs, which collectively show the correlation between such results (including impacts, outcomes and outputs) and project inputs. As well as highlighting the role of project stakeholders, these measures can help to identify risks that might occur during the implementation phase of a project at an earlier stage, all of which ensures the effectiveness of our projects.

Safeguarding Project Outcomes, Sustainable Development

At present, the primary emphasis of international development assistance work is on capacity building for recipient countries. The main appeal of this approach lies in the fact that recipients become increasingly able to plan their own operations, so that even when an aid organization makes its exit, a project can continue to develop and yield benefits. For this reason, capacity building is built into the framework of the TaiwanICDF’s assistance projects at the project design stage. Once a project is underway, recipient countries gradually develop their ability to undertake project work with the objective of being able to operate projects independently, which ensures that such projects can continue to develop after they have been transferred.

Taking Effectiveness, Efficiency into Account

The TaiwanICDF undertakes development assistance projects on behalf of the nation, with work entrusted to us by the people of Taiwan also subject to supervision by the people of Taiwan. Each of our resources is subject to detailed appraisals to measure its effectiveness, while any project inputs requested must ensure that development in recipient countries really is effective.

Therefore, in addition to implementing and following a project cycle to ensure that a project will meet the needs of recipient countries and therefore achieve its expected benefits, we are also transforming the way that project implementation is conducted by stationing project managers in the recipient countries directly, to implement and supervise projects. This ensures that aid resources are deployed effectively, in accordance with mutually agreed cooperation, taking project effectiveness and efficiency into account.

Replicating Successful Experiences

The TaiwanICDF is the largest executing agency carrying out Taiwan’s foreign aid work. As such, we have already accumulated substantial experience and expertise when it comes to implementing projects, which not only reduces exploration time when planning new projects, but also provides success stories that can be reproduced in countries and regions facing similar challenges. We draw upon the multiple applications and effects that our knowledge and our personnel can have — a feedback mechanism that improves the cost-benefit ratio.

Coordinating the Content and Use of Resources

For the most part, key international aid organizations employ two types of assistance during the course of implementing their projects: lending and investment, and technical assistance. In countries where development is underway, these instruments help to integrate the three most important elements of the process, namely capital, technology and talent.

The scope of our own operations also covers lending, investments and technical assistance. And thanks to renewed organizational design and reforms to our interdepartmental division of labor, our work advances the provision of funding, technical cooperation and human resources training.

In addition, we coordinate and apply resources pragmatically, in accordance with project-oriented principles, by linking and integrating various assistance tools to generate stronger, mutually supportive connections between such instruments. Utilizing our limited resources in this way gives rise to synergistic effects and expands the scale and effectiveness of assistance projects.

• Update: 2023/09/06
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