Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund, 2007–2019

Clear delineation of country activities with transparent funding allocations in cross-border RCI TA projects involving several countries helps smooth implementation and increase project success. The transaction costs in cross-border RCI TA projects tend to be high both in terms of resources and the time required to achieve agreement among stakeholders in the participating countries. It takes much longer to negotiate and agree to a common proposal in a cross-border RCI TA project than in a usual TA project. There is a clear preference among national agencies for a one-country and one-sector approach so that countries can access and utilize available ADB resources, including RCIF TA funds, quickly. Some countries even regard regional projects as diverting funds that might otherwise have been available for country-specific programs. Clear demarcations of country-specific project scopes, activities, and development outcomes with transparent funding allocations at the outset increase stakeholder participation and reduce confusion and implementation delays in activities involving multiple countries. It is important that ADB ensures a balanced representation of countries at events supported by RCIF TA projects.