A/HRC/11/9 page 22 V. THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION 89. The potential cost of national CTPs in low-income countries is not insignificant. Nonetheless, evidence suggests that they are affordable and can be implemented where the necessary political will exists.31 In some cases, they are made possible by the provision of international assistance. States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are obliged to use the maximum available resources, individually or in the context of international assistance and cooperation (art. 2, para. 2). 90. In recent years, several States, donor agencies, international financial institutions and NGOs have shown interest in supporting more CTPs. The World Bank announced that in 2009, it would provide US$ 2.4 billion in lending to scale up and start CCTP operations around the world. 91. CTPs cannot replace other measures of international assistance - rather they can only complement wider assistance packages. Donors may however play a crucial role in ensuring sustainable social security systems in recipient countries. To this end, international assistance should be transparent, predictable and reliable, and should support long-term processes that empower the poor. Donor initiatives should be coordinated to foster a more comprehensive coverage, reduce duplication and lower administrative costs. 92. When implementing CTPs with external assistance, it is crucial to build political support and country ownership of the programmes.32 The design of any CTP must be based on the particular circumstances of the recipient country, in addition to being in compliance with human rights standards. CTPs should be introduced in genuine partnership with the recipient State and in dialogue with the potential beneficiaries. With the support of donors, States must invest in building the capacity of their institutions and staff to deliver CTPs. 93. Pilot projects of CTPs provide an implementation option that is useful when, for example, a country lacks sufficient human or financial resources to fully implement its own programme. However, to ensure ownership and sustainability during the pilot period, donor agents should seek harmonization of their aid and assistance. In addition, recipient States should ensure that the pilot project is implemented within an appropriate legal and institutional framework. Even during a pilot period, it is desirable that the recipient State contribute to or co-finance it (to their maximum available resources), and explicitly commit to increase progressively the contribution of domestic funds. 94. Intergovernmental organizations and particularly international financial institutions should respect and support the fulfilment of States human rights obligations in the context of CTPs. 31 32 Op. cit., footnote 14. Degol Hailu, “Cash transfer: lessons from Africa and Latin America”, UNDP International Poverty Centre, 2008.