Sectoral approaches to increasing aid effectiveness have a long history. Starting in the mid 1990s Sector Wide Approaches (SWAps) have been applied in the health, education and agriculture sectors as well as in other programme areas. More recently the idea of programme-based approaches (PBAs) has emerged. The substantive concept, however, is the same; a focus on joint frameworks and budgets for results, dialogue and ownership, reduced transaction costs through more effective coordination and alignment and mutual accountability, leading to more sustainable development results