The first section briefly defines Sector Wide Approaches, introduces the rationale for them, and discusses the broader policy and budget context in which they should be set. This will include brief discussion of how SWAP approaches may relate to the recent debates on aid effectiveness, and their relationship to medium term budget frameworks, and to the ideas on Comprehensive Development Frameworks which have been developed in the World Bank.

The paper then goes on to discuss some of the emerging issues and lessons from the experience to date of the SWAP approach, drawing mainly on the health sector experience. This is organised into sub-sections dealing with the role of Government and the boundary of the SWAP; the budget process and the SWAP; planning and appraising a SWAP; poverty; and management issues. The main conclusions are summarised at the end.