Comprehensive Develoment Framework (CDF)

Eliminating poverty, reducing inequity, and improving opportunity for people in low- and middle-income countries are the World Bank Group's central objectives. The Comprehensive Development Framework is an approach by which countries can achieve these objectives. It emphasizes the interdependence of all elements of development—social, structural, human, governance, environmental, economic, and financial. The CDF advocates:         

	A holistic long-term strategy
	The country in the lead, both "owning" and directing the development agenda, with the Bank and other partners each defining their support in their respective business plans
	Stronger partnerships among governments, donors, civil society, the private sector, and other development stakeholders in implementing the country strategy
	A transparent focus on development outcomes to ensure better practical success in reducing poverty.

The CDF is the foundation for the new partnership betweeen developed and developing countries to achieve improvements in sustainable growth and poverty reduction that will help countries achieve the MDGs, (see The Monterrey Consensus, 2002, PDF). The CDF approach, operationalized through PRSPs in low-income countries, provides the common foundation for implementing this new partnership at the country level. To learn more about the CDF, visit the CDF web site. 

São Tomé and Príncipe and the CDF

The interim PRSP for São Tomé and Príncipe incorporates principles of the CDF. The government followed a broad-based participatory and consultative process in developing the interim strategy to promote "country ownership."  For preparation of the full PRSP, it describes the plan to continue consultations at the national level with the government and civil society, incorporating grassroots contributions from the local and regional levels. Representatives of the municipalities and associations, the national headquarters of labor unions, the chamber of commerce, and national and international NGOs will be invited to participate actively in the consultations.

Please refer to the São Tomé and Príncipe interim PRSP (PDF, 41 KB) for more information.