Having international aid organizations work more closely together is an important way to make poverty-reduction programs more effective. Donors can sometimes thwart their own best efforts to help because poor countries are unable to cope with the numerous, and sometimes conflicting, conditions and demands that are often attached to outside aid.

Wanting to build on its own experiences and reduce the burden on developing countries, the World Bank was a key participant in a forum in Rome in February 2003 on aid harmonization. Organizations involved in developing countries discussed ways to eliminate duplication and waste. They agreed to ensure that the goals of their programs were in line with recipients' own national priorities.

Efforts to streamline donor demands in developing countries—like Niger— were underway even before the Rome conference.

Since the return of democracy in late 1999, Niger has made good progress toward macroeconomic stability and growth. But its prospects are clouded by a lack of natural resources, limited international competitiveness, and years of poor governance. In 2000, 64 percent of its population lived in poverty and 84 percent of its adults were unable to read and write.

As better education opportunities are critical for reducing poverty, building a better education system is a priority for the new democratic government. In 2000, it began to prepare a ten-year plan to get more children into school.

But with Niger short on cash and unable to borrow, making the most of donor assistance was critical. Niger's education system had long suffered from a lack of coordination within the international aid community. Donors differed over the best approach to raise enrollment rates and reduce educational costs per student, which were among the highest for West Africa.

Realizing this, the government held widespread consultations with teachers' unions, parents, and aid donors. The authorities asked donors to coordinate their technical support for the design of the 10-year program, and Canada's aid agency agreed to take a lead role. The World Bank and the French government also provided technical support for the program design.

The program was adopted in 2001 and incorporated into the country's national poverty reduction strategy.

A partnership agreement was signed in June 2003 between the government and donors, laying out how Niger's education program will be implemented. The Ministry will prepare annual implementation plans that include actions for the following year, and donors will be invited to contribute support in specific areas under this plan.

The partnership framework has come a long way in a short time, but much remains to be done. The government has to keep the program on track, while dealing with political pressures. It also has to prepare implementation reviews every year, showing progress in education. But donors also have more to do—in organizing joint missions to evaluate progress, in harmonizing processes and procedures, and in committing more resources to the country's education programs.

Recent improvements in the performance of Niger's education system suggest that when donors cooperate more and support a common approach, they achieve better results—results that have a better chance of being repeated elsewhere. The country has already begun meeting its targets for improving education. Primary school enrollment rates rose to almost 42 percent in 2002 from 37 percent in 2001, and the number of girls going to primary school rose by three percent to 33 percent.

Even so, these outcomes remained far below Sub-Saharan averages. While the regional average for gross primary school enrollments was 78 percent, Niger's was only 42 percent.

Despite improvements in some areas, even greater progress is needed if Niger's youth are to have a chance at a meaningful education.