The intended program outcome of achieving fiscal sustainability was overambitious, given the historically slow pace of reforms in the Republic of Marshall Islands and in other countries facing fragile situations. Moving forward with the reforms needed to fully deliver the program outputs required approval of three key pieces of enabling legislation, but the program design did not take into account the likelihood of a lengthy parliamentary approval process and underestimated the political opposition such reforms might encounter. The program's design did anticipate the political sensitivity associated with some of the proposed reforms and supported a public consultation process to garner support and build ownership, but resistance has continued and is still delaying approval, which was initially expected to come by program completion. [Main text, para. 37]
Public Sector Program - Subprograms 1 and 2: Program Completion Report