This article argues that although the Paris Declaration is an important step in establishing an international consensus on aid, its ability to make aid work in the long term is questionable without the availability of publically available, reliable, qualitative and quantitative information on civil society organisations (CSOs). This type of transparency and accountability it is argued will serve to increase democratic ownership and accountability as well as provide a useful tool for donors, government and policy makers to make informed decisions about aid which will improve its effectiveness. It also argues that governments should take the opportunity of the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Ghana to engage not only with donors, but also with CSOs as key constituents and experts.