Publication

This paper offers a review of the theories behind the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the literature concerning its link to the formulation and implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). The author speculates on the appropriateness of this link and its possible effects on poverty reduction, placing special emphasis on reviewing the literature on aid conditionality and ownership, and providing an overview of Uganda's implementation of PRSPs as a showcase. The paper states that the focus on poverty reduction and participatory linkage is appropriate and welcome, but also highlights some possible tensions between these explicit twin objectives.