Much has been written on how governance and institutions affect the provision of public services in developing countries. Their influence is now widely accepted and continues to dominate discussions on how to improve the quality of services. Despite this acknowledged reality, much less attention has been given to how aid programmes can facilitate government efforts to address specific governance blockages.

How can external actors support governments to address specific blockages to effective service provision? Are there certain types of activities that are best suited to address specific governance constraints? And are there certain ways of designing and implementing aid programmes that enable better results?

This event will explore the findings and policy implications of the latest ODI research on how aid can be best packaged to support governance and institutional development. The research draws on case studies in Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda. Panel members will reflect on their experiences of aid programmes and explore how these findings could be applied more broadly.