Reverse Linkage

5 DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION microbiology, food toxicology and physico-chemistry. An expert pharmacist was then recruited for a duration of six months to improve the technical and scientific capac- ity of the laboratory in medicine and drug quality control. A specialist in fertiliser control was also subsequently provided. These TCP interventions enabled the laboratory, among other improvements, to update its methods of quality control, set up procedures in conformity with international stand- ards, and move on achieving international accreditation. In the same way as Burkina Faso, all member countries from the various regions benefited from the activities offered under TCP, with Saudi Arabia being the largest beneficiary among member countries. Since inception, TCP financing to Saudi Arabia has reached US$2.12 million. The second largest beneficiary is Turkey, with total approvals of US$1.59 million. Egypt, Morocco and Mauritania are the third, fourth and fifth largest beneficiary countries with total approvals of US$1.40 million, US$1.28 million, and US$1.23 million, respectively. The TCP, which is demand driven, provided grants for short-term interventions addressing instant capacity devel- opment needs of member countries by making use of a fast track processing cycle. It provided quick and simple imple- mentation as well as disbursement modality that helped to ensure timely availability of funds to beneficiaries. It enabled IsDB to strengthen existing, and forge new, part- nerships with centres of excellence such as the Alexandria Regional Centre For Women’s Health and Development and Bank Negara Malaysia as well as Technical Cooperation Agencies in member countries. Over the years, the TCP has shifted from an input- to a result-focused approach. In order to strike a balance between member countries’ growing needs for capacity development and improving the overall TCP structure, IsDB began to place more emphasis on results rather than inputs, while being involved in facilitation and closer follow-up instead of operating solely as a financier. The Bank also learned, among other things, that technical cooperation activities should focus not only on the human resource dimension of capacity development but also on an assessment of the institutional and enabling environments. With its long-standing experience in technical coopera- tion, and based on the lessons learned, IsDB has enriched the field of technical cooperation with a scaled-up, results- oriented and capacity development modality known as Reverse Linkage. This newmodality is defined as a technical cooperation mechanism enabled by IsDB whereby member countries and Muslim communities in non-member coun- tries exchange their knowledge, expertise, technology and resources to develop their capacities and devise solutions for their autonomous development. Through Reverse Linkage, the Islamic Development Bank has become a leader in technical cooperation, and is facili- tating a more holistic, win-win SSC engagement that also fits within the agenda of 2030 and, more particularly, with Sustainable Development Goal 17 that demands the revitali- sation of global partnerships. Source: IsDB Source: IsDB Yearly TCP operations TCP sectors 150 100 50 0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017 Number of operations US$ million Finance Health Education Agriculture Public Administration Others Water, sanitation