A/HRC/8/WG.2/TF/2 page 15 2. Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness 56. The Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness (MRDE) process is a biennial instrument for monitoring and assessing development progress in Africa and its OECD development partners relative to their shared goals and commitments including MDGs, in support of the NEPAD. The partnership complies in large measure with several right-to-development criteria, in particular, those related to national ownership, accountability and sustainability. However, participation in the process poses a special challenge as there is at present no stakeholder or civil society participation. The governance component of the Mutual Review is a useful entry point for integrating reference to applicable human rights instruments. The first review (MRDE I) in 2005 did not pay particular attention to the position and needs of the most marginalized groups in the countries under review. 57. The preparation of the second Mutual Review on Development Effectiveness report in 2008 (MRDE 2) offers a special opportunity to address the above-mentioned issues and increase attention to human rights and the right to development. That report should aim for greater specificity than the first report, and pay particular attention to reporting and analysing compliance with existing commitments by both African and OECD countries. 58. The task force believes it would be helpful to participate in a review of the various documents that will be prepared leading up to MRDE 2, in June 2008, in consultation with OECD and ECA. The task force is willing to provide input for the preparation of the report. 3. Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness 59. The importance of aid effectiveness for MDG 8 is highlighted by progress indicators 33 to 37 under Target 15. Technical aspects of efficiency and lack of mutual accountability are predominant in the Paris Declaration, although the task force believes there are opportunities to build on the congruence between the principles of aid effectiveness and the right to development. The task force felt that ownership under the Paris Declaration required greater efforts to promote untied aid aligned with national priorities, particularly in the fields of procurement and financial management. There is a danger that the political momentum around the Paris Declaration might detract attention from the need to build global development partnerships under MDG 8. The Paris Declaration does not adequately address the asymmetries in power. Institutional ownership rests by and large with OECD-DAC and the World Bank, while developing countries have a limited voice. Though the principles of the Paris Declaration are consistent with human rights, several of the indicators and targets can work in practice against the right to development and erode national democratic processes. The willingness of the OECD to adjust these deficiencies was welcomed and the task force felt it should follow developments on this issue. 60. The task force should contribute to efforts to include human rights and right-to-development considerations in the preparation and round tables of the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held in Accra in September 2008. In this approach, there is a distinct advantage to build on the Dublin workshop and work with the Human Rights Task Team of OECD-DAC, which shares the task force’s concern to reinforce human rights in aid effectiveness. The task force should also consult the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) through its Working Group on Aid Effectiveness, as well as the OECD-DAC Working Party on Aid Effectiveness.