the mli model for advancing country ownership - Ministerial ...

In the world of global aid and development, country
ownership has become one of the most debated issues.
But what does country ownership mean in practical
terms to donors, development partners, civil society,
and country governments? If the goal is to put each
country into the driver’s seat, how can we get there?
For nearly five years, the Ministerial Leadership Initiative
for Global Health – MLI – has forged new pathways for
advancing this critical development issue, working with
five countries in Africa and Asia. What emerged is a
distinctive MLI Model to advance country ownership.
Dr. Bocar Daff, Director, Reproductive Health Division, Ministry of Health, Public Hygiene and Prevention, Senegal.
The Theory
Behind MLI
MLI’s work is grounded in the theory that health
policy reform and implementation can be brought
to scale more rapidly, resulting in greater numbers
of individuals served and more equitable access
to health care, when ministries of health:
• Identify and act on their government’s priorities;
• Build upon existing political will to advance
those priorities;
• Mobilize national government and donor support
to carry out their work.
Roman Tesfay, Director General, Policy, Planning and Finance, Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopia.
What is the
MLI Model?
MLI has developed and implemented an approach
that translates the concept of country ownership
into reality. MLI has helped its five partner countries
– Ethiopia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Sierra Leone
– make major strides toward more ownership and
enhanced leadership of their health programs by
providing high-quality support in response to
ministry priorities. While MLI specifically focused
on the areas of health financing for equity, health
systems strengthening, and reproductive health,
the MLI Model can be applied to any area of
development practice.
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