Capacity development

In addition to the technical and engineering staff, project management units should include staff with skills in financial management, economics, safeguards, procurement and contracts management, and communication. The project initially encountered difficulties due to the inadequate capacity of the project staff in social and environmental safeguards, contract management, and finance management procedures. An assessment of staff capacity in these areas will identify areas for improvement in future similar projects.

there is a growing need to identify more efficient and sustainable mechanisms for local capacity development. Face-to-face training is costly. The government must find out how existing technologies can be utilized to provide such training and to make the required investment in IT infrastructure.

The mobilization of students has been a major factor that contributed to effective capacity utilization and to the success of the program. Mobilization is usually hindered by (i) the perception that skills training is inferior to general upper secondary and tertiary education, and (ii) the view that skills development is a pathway for the academically less-performing students. SImilarly, there is a huge need for training of trainers, and qualified trainers must be recruited to ensure the quality of training and to maintain the supply of competent technical trainers.

Given capacity constraints and experiences in legal drafting, legal and regulatory developments require a longer timeframe to be considered in ADB's future programs. The program could have further included a targeted capacity-building needs analysis and an associated TA project to directly address capacity constraints and deepen the capacity needed for full implementation.

Institutional and technical capacities to effectively implement PFM reforms remain weak, and absorptive capacities remain low. This can often be further compounded by frequent changes in leadership and staffing, which can cause further delays. ADB's continued engagement with the Ministry of Finance must be at all levels of the administration (management and operational levels) to strengthen the institutional and organizational capacity and reduce the impact of staff turnover on reform impact.

Implementation is strengthened by the provision of coordinated and responsive capacity-building support, with key actions categorized as short, medium, and long term to provide a more specific time frame and indicate the sequencing for each category.

As the government continues the reform program with assistance from other development partners and the private sector, detailed ongoing assessments of government budget commitments and financing needs, and capacity development are required, with related work plans. This support needs to include working with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a key partner, expanding the SME Service Centers and outreach, and enhancing access to finance. It will also require government decisions on legal, regulatory, and financial aspects, to fully operationalize an e-commerce platform.

implementation of environmental and social management system, capacity building and skills training, gender mainstreaming, and additional funding support for small businesses. In addition to strengthening the capacity of the PFIs to lend to small businesses, capacity building can also help prepare PFIs without previous experience working with IFIs for future partnerships with international agencies.

The experience and knowledge gained by the PFIs—especially Davr Bank and the UzbekLeasing International A.O., which subsequently attracted other development partners—added value to the project. The areas that were particularly beneficial across the PFIs were project analysis, formulation, and

Previous project completion reports confirmed that the Joint-Stock Company Georgian State Electrosystem has the capacity to undertake major power transmission projects. Nonetheless, GSE's staff could benefit from ADB-sponsored training and workshops in procurement, safeguards, and other areas.