DEVELOPMENT AID CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM - ISSUE 8 The Digest provides quarterly updates on the implementation of the Development Aid Capacity Building program, as well as on Russian and global development cooperation trends and events. FOLLOW US ON YAMMER COVID-19 emergency aid funding In poor countries, war zones, and fragile states, the human and economic costs of COVID-19 could be overwhelming, killing or sickening thousands, and plunging millions into life-threatening poverty. Economists claim it will take trillions of dollars to soften the impact of coronavirus in the developing world. COVID-19 is bound to become a major area of international aid spending – from the giant banks to the volunteer crowdfunding operations. The COVID-19 crisis highlights a peculiarity of international aid spending: humanitarian and development aid are treated as different, and the funding reporting is entirely distinct. United Nations for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs collects data on the emergency funding provided by countries, international organizations and private funds. According to the latest data the USA, Germany and Japan are among top-3 donors of humanitarian aid for combating COVID-19 consequences. Source: UN OCHA FTS 2020 Russia’s Response to COVID-19 - Assistance to Foreign Countries Although delayed compared to outbreaks in other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken hold in Russia. Humanitarian aid issues have become urgent, and Russia has acted both as a donor and as a recipient of this aid. China has sent specialists to Russia, delivered more than 20 tons of medical protection equipment and a batch of 68,600 packages hydroxychloroquine for storage and subsequent distribution to medical institutions, whereas the US helped Russia with a batch of artificial ventilation devices (ventilators). Countries that received aid from Russia: Past events II Student Gaidar Forum (April 10) RANEPA hosted the II Student Gaidar forum "Russia and the world: looking for opportunities of sustainable development in unsustainable climate" aimed at giving the students invaluable experience in public speaking on science, politics and business. Country Operations Officer of the World Bank Moscow office Julia Komagaeva moderated the session "Globe goes crazy: international relations to face the modern trends" dedicated to the security challenges, (dis-)integration processes around the world and economic trends and infrastructural projects. Webinar “Evaluation of SDGs progress in EAEU with regard to the integration: achieved results" (April 13) The webinar led by the Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation was aimed to present the results of the research made under the request of the EAEU. The main idea of the work was to determine whether the integration impacted on the SDGs achievement for each member country. The Analytical Center's specialists came to the following conclusions: in several aspects of sustainable development member countries already achieved significant results in SDGs "Zero hunger", "Good health and well- being", "Decent work and economic growth" and "Sustainable cities and communities", whereas "ecological" SDGs are achieved to the less extent. Integration led to the positive tendencies in achievement of SDGs "No poverty" and "Zero hunger" and Kyrgyzstan has significantly improved its positions in SDG "Decent work and economic growth". Expert webinar "International experience in COVID-19 response by countries and international organizations" (April 22) The event hosted by the World Bank embraced a wide range of participants from the state bodies (Accounts Chamber, the Ministry of Economic Development, Rosstat), expert and academic community (KPMG, Association of Specialists in Program and Policy Evaluation (ASOPP), RANEPA, Economic Expert Group) and NGOs (Donors Forum, charity fund “Volunteers to help orphan children”). The meeting was devoted to the discussion of support measures to population, economy, business and monitoring of financial flows and aid distribution during the coronavirus pandemic. Hans-Martin Boehmer, adjunct professor at Colombia University, former WB IEG manager and Yuriy Zaitsev, senior research officer at RANEPA made an intervention on international responses and shifts in policy priorities as a result of COVID-19. READ MORE .... Expert webinar "Monitoring and evaluation during and after the crisis – consequences and new approaches for evaluating projects and programs" (May 28) The next expert webinar in the series of webinars organized by the World Bank Moscow office and was dedicated to the M&E issues during and after COVID-19 crisis. Natalia Kosheleva, President of Association of Specialists in Program and Policy Evaluation (ASOPP) highlighted the importance of integration of evaluation into the UN approach to responding to the pandemic crisis and promotion of evaluation as a tool for improving programs and projects. The participants also touched upon the monitoring of crisis response programs and methodological approaches to conducting an evaluation during a pandemic. Upcoming events XIX Annual Strategic Planning Leaders Forum of the Regions and Cities of Russia "Strategic Forum"(St. Petersburg, October 26-27) The upcoming Strategic Forum will take place in October 26-27 in Saint Petersburg with the key theme "Reality 2020 and agenda to the next decade" dedicated mostly to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on strategic planning. The World Bank traditionally contributes to Forum's sessions, and this year aims to join discussions on the topics related to SDG Agenda 2030 implementation and on international cooperation for development. The main topics of the panel sessions are planned to be as follows: Strategizing is impossible, but needed; Strategies in the Great Transformation Period; Federal strategies and the strategy of federalism; International cooperation for regional development: strategies and tools in action and achieving SDGs in Russia. For more information on Development Aid Capacity Building program please contact Julia Komagaeva, jkomagaeva@worldbank.org; Larisa Fugol, lfugol@worldbank.org and Yulia Rybakova, yrybakova@worldbank.org