Evaluating World Bank Support to Building Capacity of the State and Its Accountability to Citizens in Afghanistan

Evaluating World Bank Support to Building Capacity of the State and Its Accountability to Citizens in Afghanistan
Author: Clay G. Wescott
Publisher:
Total Pages: 9
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:
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An evaluation looked at the results of World Bank assistance in Afghanistan, over the period 2002-2011. This chapter focuses on the first main area of support: building the capacity of the state and its accountability to citizens. There were two main dimensions to this assistance. First, the Bank supported core financial systems to heighten fiscal sustainability, and improve transparency and accountability. The results include a relatively strong framework of public financial management, including improvements in budgeting and spending efficiency at line ministries. However, challenges remain, including weak capacity for processing procurement, and implementation delays due to security issues. Second, the Bank helped build and improve core administrative and judicial institutions at the national and subnational levels. Results include adoption of new laws and regulations, more transparent recruitment, and pay and grading reforms. However, corruption is rampant, and there is little evidence of improved administrative performance, except by a “second civil service” of contracted specialists paid with unsustainable donor funds.

Evaluation of World Bank Programs in Afghanistan 2002-11

Evaluation of World Bank Programs in Afghanistan 2002-11
Author: The World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2013-08-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0821398733
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This report evaluates the outcomes of World Bank Group support to Afghanistan from 2002-11. Despite extremely difficult security conditions, which deteriorated markedly after 2006, the World Bank Group has commendably established and sustained a large program of support to the country. The key messages of the evaluation are: • While World Bank Group strategy has been highly relevant to Afghanistan’s situation, beginning in 2006 the strategies could have gone further in adapting ongoing programs to evolving opportunities and needs, and in programming activities sufficient to achieve the objectives of the pillars in those strategies. • Overall, Bank Group assistance has achieved substantial progress toward most of its major objectives, although risks to development outcomes remain high. Impressive results have been achieved in public financial management, public health, telecommunications, and community development; substantial outputs have also been achieved in primary education, rural roads, irrigation, and microfinance—all started during the initial phase. Bank assistance has been critical in developing the mining sector as a potential engine of growth. However, progress has been limited in civil service reform, agriculture, urban development, and private sector development. • The Bank Group’s direct financial assistance has been augmented effectively by analytic and advisory activities and donor coordination through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. Knowledge services have been an important part of Bank Group support and have demonstrated the value of strategic analytical work, even in areas where the Bank Group may opt out of direct project financing. • With the expected reduction of the international presence in 2014, sustainability of development gains remains a major risk because of capacity constraints and inadequate human resources planning on the civilian side. To enhance program effectiveness, the evaluation recommends that the Bank Group help the government develop a comprehensive, long-term human resources strategy for the civilian sectors; focus on strategic analytical work in sectors that are high priorities for the government; assist in the development of local government institutions and, in the interim, support the development of a viable system for service delivery at subnational levels; assist in transforming the National Solidarity Program into a more sustainable financial and institutional model to consolidate its gains; help strengthen the regulatory environment for private sector investment; and scale up IFC and MIGA support to the private sector. Chapter Abstracts Chapter 1 This chapter examines the country context, including continuing conflict and insecurity, poverty, and the role of development partners and non-state actors (civil society and humanitarian organizations) in Afghanistan. It examines coming transitions in security arrangements, including political and economic transitions. It outlines the evaluation methods used, as well as limitations. Chapter 2 This chapter deals with the World Bank Group strategy and program, the Bank Group’s operational program, portfolio performance, analytic and advisory activities review, the Afghanistan Reconstruction Fund, and the new Interim Strategy Note, as well as previous Transitional Support Strategies and ISNs. Chapter 3 This chapter examines the building of state capacity and state accountability to its citizens, specifically issues such as results and shortcomings in public financial management, public sector governance, and health and education. The World Bank Group contribution is highlighted. Risks to development outcomes are discussed. Chapter 4 This chapter examines the issue of promoting growth in the rural economy and improving rural livelihoods, including sectors such as rural roads, agriculture and water. The National Solidarity Program and the Bank Group’s contribution to it are discussed. Risks to development outcomes are noted. Chapter 5 This chapter concerns support for the formal private sector, examining the overall investment climate and financial sector. It looks at possibilities for growth in the mining and hydrocarbons sector, information and communications technology, and power sectors. Urban development is also examined. The World Bank Group contribution is highlighted. Chapter 6 This chapter provides an overall assessment (relevance, efficacy) of the Bank Group’s program in Afghanistan, outlining the internal and external drivers of success (knowledge services, staff capacity, customization of program design to country context, alignment of donor objectives, etc) and weakness. Chapter 7 This chapter outlines the lessons for fragile and conflict-affected situations drawing on the specifics of the Afghanistan evaluation case. Recommendations are offered in areas such as labor markets, human resources, strategic-level analytical work vis-a-vis long-term development strategies, and strengthening of the regulatory environment for private sector investment.

Evaluating U. S. Foreign Assistance to Afghanistan

Evaluating U. S. Foreign Assistance to Afghanistan
Author: John F. Kerry
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 51
Release: 2011-05-09
Genre: History
ISBN: 1437987133
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This report takes a close look at how the U.S. is spending civilian aid dollars in Afghanistan to make sure we are pursuing the most effective strategy in support of our national security objectives. We spend more on aid to Afghanistan than any other country and the environment in which the State Dept. and U.S. Agency for International Development(USAID) operate is difficult and dangerous. With the upcomingtransition to an Afghan security lead in 2014 and the increasedresponsibilities our civilians will absorb from the military, we havea critical planning window right now to make any necessary changes to support a successful transition. Contents of this report: Why Foreign Assistance to Afghanistan Matters; President Obama's Foreign Assistance Strategy for Afghanistan; Using Development Dollars to Support the U.S. Counterinsurgency Strategy (COIN); The Challenges of Spending U.S. Aid Dollars; Case Studies; Recommendations; Academic Literature Review: Development and Counterinsurgency; Appendixes. Tables. This is a print on demand report.

Afghanistan Governance

Afghanistan Governance
Author: U.s. Government Accountability Office
Publisher:
Total Pages: 54
Release: 2017-08-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9781974556687
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"The United States has allocated over $72 billion to Afghanistan since 2002. With other international donors, it is focused on transitioning leadership to the Afghan government and has pledged to provide at least 50 percent of its development aid through the Afghan government budget. Improving Afghanistan's public financial management capacity is critical to this transition. In 2010, the Afghan government, consulting with donors, issued a Public Financial Management Roadmap (Roadmap), which outlines goals to improve Afghanistan's capacity to develop a national budget and expend funds.GAO reviewed (1) U.S. efforts to improve the Afghan government's public financial management capacity, including the extent to which they support Roadmap goals, and (2) the extent to which U.S. efforts have improved the government's capacity. GAO reviewed documents and interviewed officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Departments of State, Defense (DOD), and the Treasury (Treasury); World Bank; and Afghan government in Washington, D.C., and Kabul, Afghanistan. "

Afghanistan Governance

Afghanistan Governance
Author: United States. Government Accountability Office
Publisher:
Total Pages: 47
Release: 2011
Genre: Economic assistance
ISBN:
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The United States has allocated over $72 billion to Afghanistan since 2002. With other international donors, it is focused on transitioning leadership to the Afghan government and has pledged to provide at least 50 percent of its development aid through the Afghan government budget. Improving Afghanistan's public financial management capacity is critical to this transition. In 2010, the Afghan government, consulting with donors, issued a Public Financial Management Roadmap (Roadmap), which outlines goals to improve Afghanistan's capacity to develop a national budget and expend funds. GAO reviewed (1) U.S. efforts to improve the Afghan government's public financial management capacity, including the extent to which they support Roadmap goals, and (2) the extent to which U.S. efforts have improved the government's capacity. GAO reviewed documents and interviewed officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Departments of State, Defense (DOD), and the Treasury (Treasury); World Bank; and Afghan government in Washington, D.C., and Kabul, Afghanistan. GAO recommends that the USAID Administrator take steps to (1) establish performance targets in its Mission Performance Management Plan (PMP); (2) ensure implementing partners' PMPs include baselines and approved targets; and (3) ensure implementing partners routinely report performance data. USAID concurred with GAO recommendations and is taking steps to address them.

World Bank Group Assistance to Low-Income Fragile and Conflict-Affected States

World Bank Group Assistance to Low-Income Fragile and Conflict-Affected States
Author: The World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2015-05-13
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 146480219X
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Fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) have become an important focus of World Bank Group assistance in recent years as recognition of the linkages between fragility, conflict, violence, and poverty has grown. Addressing issues of recurring conflict and political violence and helping build legitimate and accountable state institutions are central to the Bank Group's poverty reduction mission. This evaluation assesses the relevance and effectiveness of World Bank Group country strategies and assistance programs to FCS. The operationalization of the World Development Report 2011: Conflict, Security, and Development (2011 WDR) is also assessed, to see how the framework has been reflected in subsequent analytical work, country assistance strategies, and the assistance programs. The evaluation framework was derived from the concepts and priorities articulated in recent WDRs, policy papers, and progress reports issued by Bank Group management, to draw lessons from FCS. The framework is organized around the three major themes emerging from the 2011 WDR: building state capacity, building capacity of citizens, and promoting inclusive growth and jobs. The evaluation focuses on International Development Association (IDA)-only countries, which are deemed to have certain characteristics such as very low average income and no access to private finance, making them eligible for special finance tools and programs. As the benchmark for measuring results, Bank Group performance is evaluated in 33 fragile and conflict-affected states against that of 31 IDA-only countries that have never been on the FCS list. Six new country case studies; analyses of Bank Group portfolios; human resources and budget data; secondary analysis of IEG evaluations; background studies including those on aid flows, gender, private sector development, and jobs; and surveys of Bank Group staffs and stakeholders are also included in the evaluation.

Capacity Building in Africa

Capacity Building in Africa
Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2005
Genre: Economic development projects
ISBN:
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African countries must improve the performance of their public sectors if they are to achieve their stated goals of reducing poverty, accelerating economic growth, and providing better services to their citizens. The continued weakness of the public sector in most countries in the Region reflects deeply rooted conditions that are the legacy of such influences as colonialism, political conflict, and the underdevelopment of the private and nongovernmental sectors. Long-term, systemic approaches are required to build public sector capacity under these conditions.

The Road to Results

The Road to Results
Author: Linda G. Morra-Imas
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 611
Release: 2009
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0821379119
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'The Road to Results: Designing and Conducting Effective Development Evaluations' presents concepts and procedures for evaluation in a development context. It provides procedures and examples on how to set up a monitoring and evaluation system, how to conduct participatory evaluations and do social mapping, and how to construct a "rigorous" quasi-experimental design to answer an impact question. The text begins with the context of development evaluation and how it arrived where it is today. It then discusses current issues driving development evaluation, such as the Millennium Development Goals and the move from simple project evaluations to the broader understandings of complex evaluations. The topics of implementing 'Results-based Measurement and Evaluation' and constructing a 'Theory of Change' are emphasized throughout the text. Next, the authors take the reader down 'the road to results, ' presenting procedures for evaluating projects, programs, and policies by using a 'Design Matrix' to help map the process. This road includes: determining the overall approach, formulating questions, selecting designs, developing data collection instruments, choosing a sampling strategy, and planning data analysis for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method evaluations. The book also includes discussions on conducting complex evaluations, how to manage evaluations, how to present results, and ethical behavior--including principles, standards, and guidelines. The final chapter discusses the future of development evaluation. This comprehensive text is an essential tool for those involved in development evaluation.

Afghanistan--state Building, Sustaining Growth, and Reducing Poverty

Afghanistan--state Building, Sustaining Growth, and Reducing Poverty
Author:
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2005-01-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0821360957
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"Afghanistan has come a long way since emerging from major conflict in late 2001. The economy has recovered strongly, growing by nearly 50% cumulatively in the last two years (not including drugs). Some three million internally and externally displaced Afghans have returned to their country. More than four million children, a third of them girls, are in school, and immunization campaigns have achieved considerable success. The Government has supported good economic performance by following prudent macroeconomic policies and it has made extraordinary efforts to develop key national programs and to revive social services like education and health. Nevertheless, Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world in terms of both per-capita incomes and social indicators, with large gender gaps. The difficult challenge of poverty reduction is made even more difficult by continuing insecurity, weak rule of law, and narcotics. Afghanistan - State Building, Sustaining Growth, and Reducing Poverty provides a greater understanding of the core challenges that lie ahead for Afghanistan and key priorities for national reconstruction. The Afghan economy has been shaped by more than two decades of debilitating conflict and has some very unusual features which this study analyzes. The authors argue that the country must break out of the vicious cycle that would keep it insecure, fragmented politically, weakly governed, poor, dominated by the illicit economy, and a hostage to the drug industry. The study presents key elements for a breakthrough in the next two years but the daunting agenda will require strong commitment, actions, and persistence on the part of the Government and robust support from the international community."

World Development Report 2011

World Development Report 2011
Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 417
Release: 2011-05-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0821384406
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The 2011 WDR on Conflict, Security and Development underlines the devastating impact of persistent conflict on a country or region's development prospects - noting that the 1.5 billion people living in conflict-affected areas are twice as likely to be in poverty. Its goal is to contribute concrete, practical suggestions on conflict and fragility.