Background on Country Assistance Strategy

The Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) is the most important World Bank country document. It is tailored to the needs and circumstances of each country and lays down the World Bank Group's development priorities, as well as the level and type of assistance the Bank will provide for a period of three years.

The CAS preparation is a participatory process. Before the adoption, key elements of the strategy are discussed with government representatives; and to ensure the widest possible involvement, public dialogues are also held, with Internet-based discussions taking place in many countries.

However, the CAS is not a negotiated document. Any differences between the country's own agenda and the Bank's strategy are highlighted in the CAS document. A progress report is issued in the intervening year. More information is available at the World Bank CAS website.

Ghana Joint Assistance Strategy (G-JAS) Signed

The Government of Ghana and its development partners on in 2007 signed an agreement that commands over 90 % of aid flows to Ghana.

The Ghana Joint Assistance Strategy (G-JAS)  aligns development assistance with the government’s political and partnership cycle. It builds on commitments by development partners to work towards the goals and priorities of the second Ghana Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II), and will help realize mutual harmonization principles.

Country Assistance Strategy for Ghana, 2008-2011

The World Bank Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Ghana (pdf) 2008-2011 was endorsed by the Bank’s Board in May 2007.

The World Bank supports Ghana's Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) to help Ghana achieve middle-income status and the Millennium Development Goals, and to ensure that benefits of growth are shared. Overarching objectives are to support Ghana to: (i)sustain economic growth of at least 6% per year; (ii)surpass the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty to 26% during this CAS period; and (iii) start to reduce inequalities.

The Country Assistance Strategy and the Ghana Joint Assistance Strategy, which aligns development assistance among all donors working in Ghana, are complementary and need to be read together.