Partnership for Growth

Partnership for Growth (PFG) is a partnership between the United States and a select group of countries to accelerate and sustain broad-based economic growth by putting into practice the principles of President Obama’s September 2010 Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development. It involves rigorous joint analysis of constraints to growth, the development of joint action plans to address these constraints, and high-level mutual accountability for results. One of PFG’s signature objectives is to engage governments, the private sector and civil society with a broad range of tools to unlock constraints to growth through new sources of cooperation and investment, including domestic resources and foreign direct investment. By improving coordination, leveraging private investment, and focusing political commitment throughout both governments, the Partnership for Growth enables partners to achieve better development results.

Core principles of the Partnership for Growth include:

• Country ownership and partnership;
• High-level political leadership and commitment to development progress;
• Rigorous, evidence-based joint analysis on constraints to growth conducted by integrated teams of U.S. Government and PFG country officials;
• Joint decision-making on where to focus and prioritize resources;
• Use of a broad range of tools, including catalytic policy change, institutional reform, aid, diplomatic engagement, and other ‘non-assistance’ policy tools;
• Transparency, mutual accountability and fact-based monitoring and evaluation.

The PFG process consists of several steps, including:

• Agreement to initiate PFG with selected partner countries;
• Joint analysis on constraints to growth, followed by broad consultation and dialogue on findings;
• Development of joint country action plans (JCAPs) that outline potential tools, reforms, technical assistance and resources that can be applied over the next five years to address highest-priority constraints to growth;
• Implementation of priority initiatives;
• Monitoring and evaluation.

El Salvador, Ghana, Philippines, and Tanzania agreed to become the first set of PFG countries based on their performance on the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s criteria, a track record of partnering with the U.S., policy performance, and potential for continued economic growth, among other criteria.

• On November 3, 2011, Assistant Secretary Fernandez signed the 2011-2015 Joint Country Action Plan with El Salvador;
• On November 16, 2011, Secretary Clinton signed a Joint Statement of Principles with the Philippines;
• On February 11, 2012, Assistant Secretary Carson signed a PFG Joint Statement of Principles with Tanzania; and,
• On March 9, 2012, Secretary Chu signed a PFG Joint Statement of Principles with Ghana.

In all four countries, the United States will continue to move towards implementation in continued close coordination and partnership.