“Catalysts for Change: Voices from TAP-EDM Partnerships” Series
In Côte d’Ivoire, short-term technical assistance through the TAP-EDM initiative supported the General Directorate for the Coordination of External Aid and Development (DGCOD) in strengthening international aid management. With support from Canadian experts, the team developed tools and strategies to improve coordination among partners and align interventions with national priorities. In this series, project partners reflect on how tailored expertise helped transform cooperation practices. The TAP program is funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alinea International.
Background
Between 2012 and 2020, Côte d’Ivoire mobilized over 17 billion FCFA (around 29.5 billion USD) in external resources to support its development goals. This represented nearly 48% of the country’s GDP in 2020, showing just how important international aid is for the economy. But managing that much support is not easy—it brings challenges in aligning with national priorities, ensuring country ownership, and coordinating across many different partners. To improve this, the government created the General Directorate for the Coordination of External Aid and Development (DGCOD) in 2016, within the Ministry of Planning and Development. Its mission: to strengthen coordination, improve aid monitoring, and build better partnerships.
The TAP-EDM project worked with the DGCOD on two back-to-back initiatives aimed at improving how international assistance is managed in Côte d’Ivoire. With support from Canadian experts, the team developed key tools and documents, including a benchmarking study, a three-year strategic operational plan, and a guide for Canadian NGOs and organizations. We spoke with Ibrahima Kofi, who was working with the DGCOD at the time, and he agreed to share his story.
Ibrahima Kofi’s Story
Ibrahima was involved from the start as he had helped to develop the original project submitted to the Canadian Embassy. He also stayed involved after its approval. “For me, it was a great experience,” he said. At the time, the DGCOD lacked the tools and expertise to build a structured approach to managing cooperation.
“Technically, we didn’t have the tools to establish a cooperation framework,” Ibrahima explained. “We didn’t have the necessary resources or the expertise.” Through the initiative, and with the support of the Canadian experts, the team was able to take practical steps toward creating one.
One key achievement was the development of a three-year operational plan. “It was really well written,” said Ibrahima. “The activities were also clearly identified with a well-defined timeline.” Even though the plan has not yet been implemented, Ibrahima said it gave the team a clear roadmap and helped them become more organized.
Another important outcome is a tool to help track and manage cooperation projects. “This tool will be the core of the cooperation framework,” he noted. Ibrahima believes it will strengthen DGCOD’s coordination role and could eventually support the creation of a national framework for cooperation.
He emphasized that Canada played a leading role in making this happen: “Canada has been a pioneer in this regard”. Ibrahima sees this as a first step with respect to managing and tracking cooperation as the DGCOD hopes to expand it to more partners in the future.
Conclusion
Reflecting on his experience, Ibrahima said the project helped him build new skills and better understand how to manage partnerships. “It allowed me to better understand the importance of partnerships and how to structure them effectively,” he shared. Now, in his role as a specialist in education planning within the Basic Education System Strengthening Program, he continues to apply those lessons to support improved coordination and results in Côte d’Ivoire’s education sector.