Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers are being prepared in many developing countries. Their design and exact purpose differs across countries, but in general they are supposed to outline a Government's poverty reduction strategy, arrived at through a participatory process involving all relevant stakeholders in the country.
The PRSP as a concept was born out of the discussions surrounding Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative Debt relief. The completion of the Interim PRSP was a condition for reaching HIPC Decision Point (reached in December 2000), since when interim debt relief has been flowing (click here for more information on the IPRSP) The completion of the PRSP and one year's implementation is a condition for reaching HIPC Completion point and receiving full debt relief. In addition, a PRSP is now a requirement for all countries receiving loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
In the case of the Malawi PRSP, the Technical Committee spent several months designing a PRSP Process that suits the Malawi context, and has designed the structure of the final PRSP to reflect national needs. In particular, the focus on implementation, prioritisation and comprehensiveness is a result of the failures of past efforts to translate anti-poverty sentiment into action.
The Malawi PRSP has also been designed to fit in with the ongoing initiatives in Government, such as the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Sector Investment Programmes (SIPs) and Sector Wide Approaches (SWAps). These initiatives are all part of one strategic prioritisation-focused planning framework. As a result, Malawi's other development partners have become involved in the PRSP Process and see the completed PRSP as the framework for their future assistance to Malawi. Thus the PRSP is not only a planning tool but also a donor co-ordination tool.
For more background information on the Malawi PRSP, click here